The latest installment into the Marvel vault has had some controversy clinging to it's coat tails like an unwanted villain of comic-book-entries past. Let us not forget the #WheresNatasha scandal that has plagued the god-like crusaders since their inception in 2012. However, this comic book fanatic could not help but admit that my inner-eight-year old self was giddy with excitement with this latest installment. With other super hero franchises getting the Bryan Singer/Christopher Nolan face lift, helping integrate them back into the realm of credible film making; I couldn't help but feel that Marvel had dropped the ball somewhere along the way. Sure, there was the noteworthy X-Men, Spiderman and even the very first Ironman, all of which were worthy of squeals of pure delight. The first installment in this super hero franchise was good enough, although the story bore no real weight. The villain was literally an extension of the Thor franchise, and although I do love some good Lokie-esque fun; there was no sense of overall foreboding that would entice the audience to glance from over their popcorn bowls. Spoiler Alert
Then, there's Ultron; the super villain voiced by the always delightful David Spader. He lends just the right mix of humor and bored detachment that feeds into the overall AI/mechanical roots of this otherwise archetypical baddie. It would be easy enough for him to tear into 5-minute-long monologues about his evil plans; and his desire to out-wit Tony Stark. However, he seems too busy with transcending his metal form to bother with such trivial cliches. He also has some of the best lines in the movie, a true feat considering how hard it is to outshine RDJ's natural ease with achieving the perfect one-liner. The humor as a whole is spot on, a factor which is so easily forgotten in a decent super hero film. It is meant to be fun after all, folks. Like a true popcorn movie, it brings on the CGI action sequences with a decent side dish of comic relief.
Not enough, however, has been said about the female butt-kickers in this franchise. With two women acting as this film's supporting cast, a shout out is in order. Scarlett Johansson is the resident bad ass in this cast, having racked up four Marvel appearances to date (and most likely many more to come), she seems more than comfortable with Black Widow's lethal beauty. Age of Ultron makes the attempt to delve deeper into her back story; hinting to the assassin's traumatic past. This also allows Johansson to flex her sizable acting chops to show the conflict between her torrid love life, and her place within The Avengers ranks. Scar.Jo also keeps up well with the boys-- kicking butt and taking no prisoners along the way. Despite all of this, Black Widow is still an absent figure in almost all licensed Marvel products; not limited to those much beloved play sets at your local toy store. More on that later, however.
The true stand out performance in this massive spectacle has to be Elizabeth Olsen. I cannot say enough about her immense talent as an actress. Generally speaking she has a simple, understated style. She always seems cool and confident in her own skin; totally in control of her sexuality. As the
Scarlet Witch (another of my favorites) she switches well from the villain, to the hero, to the young woman deeply affected by her past. She clings to her light-footed brother for support early on. Then, gathers her resolve to stand in the face of those evil doers that try to control her. She may change sides mid-way through the movie, but her identity remains firmly set. What a way to enter such a boy-driven franchise! To say I am excited to see how this progresses-- i.e. how closely the franchise will stick to the original source material-- has left me wriggling in my seat with anticipation. Especially considering that Vision has recently joined the team. Needless to say, things are about to get very interesting.
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