(From IMDb.com)
You don’t just try the waters of the Avengers franchise by sticking your big toe into the pool a little bit.
I joined the all-ages throng that filled the big theater at the Regal Cinemas at Syracuse’s mega shopping, dining and entertainment complex Destiny USA for the Sunday matinée of “Avengers: Age of Ultron” not quite sure of what to expect.
When reading comics back in my day, I was a DC kid, fan of Superman, Batman and the Justice League of America. Nowadays not a huge fan of the superhero big screen genre but open-minded, I gave the latest “Transformers” and “Spiderman” installments a go and was not thrilled and somewhat pleased.
And then came this blockbuster directed and written by Josh Whedon and starring every major actor ever to win an award this decade. Well, OK that may be a bit of an overstatement, but I have to admit the crew of Robert Downey Jr., Scarlet Johannson, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo and Samuel Jackson knows its way around a script.
So I went and wondered if I’d be way behind from missing the original from 2012.
Yes, I was a bit confused about the storyline based upon technology. Hell, the things coming from the minds of Tony Stark and Bruce Banner before they turned into Iron Man and the Hulk were so far out there that I hesitate to call it that term that’s wedded to what we pin to our ability to fathom with our computers and chips and such.
It’s out there and then some.
But I was way comfortable about the parts of the plot based upon the age-old tenets of friendship and teamwork as these superheroes are forced to use every iota of their powers to beat down Ultron, a villain created by the mind work of Stark and Banner in the first place.
The special effects were spectacular, too, making the 141 minutes of Thor, Captain America, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Nick Fury, hidden family members, other important colleagues and some new friends and enemies go by in what seemed to be a flash.
Speaking of which, two of those newbies are twins, Wanda and Pietro, who turn out to be Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. You betcha Quicksilver is fast.
Throw all of them together either for or against the robot Ultra voiced with all the evil voiced by James Spader can conjure, and there’s plenty for the Avengers to save.
Humanity. Seasonal box office tills. Parts III and IV, plots of which have already been discussed online. I’m all in, the deep end, even though I can’t swim.
Are you a superhero movie fan, and if so, which is your favorite franchise? If you’re an Avengers fan, which superhero is your favorite, and why? Comic books or movies that come from comic books, and why?
Mark Bialczak 
I’ll definitely give this one a pass bro. Mark. Just not my cuppa, or bottlea, or anything elsa. And I have a feeling it pretty noisy too, right? It’s possible nothing will be too noisy after everything around here though. Still like my movies at a less noisy level.
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Yeah, sis, too noisy for you, this one.
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I saw it Saturday!!!! I loved it. My husband and friends are insistent I stay current with the Avengers and this A Group!!!! So I am current with this franchise. And I don’t know about favorites….that’s tough. I love the Hulk…..historically speaking. Throw back to Lou’s days. But there’s something about all of them that I enjoy. Especially the humor. It was especially enjoyable as we had a fella behind us in the theater with a contagious laugh who got all of the jokes, that many of the younger/hipster folks didn’t.
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You had told me about the wonders of the Avengers and Shield a couple years ago, MBC. I should have listened. You are a smart one about this group, I discovered. It is a goodie. Chemistry abounds. 🙂
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🙂 Yay! We did have a good time. Those super fellas and gals were surprisingly entertaining to me. I’ll keep watching. 🙂
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Me, too, MBC. I like the new ones they alluded to at the finish, too! 🙂
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They’ve already signed me up for the new group…..
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not a huge superhero fan, other than spidey, but this looks like good fun, even if a bit long. they seem to be mastering the formula –
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I do like Mr. Spader. I won’t be seeing the movie until it comes out on video, but I hear it was a good one.
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You’ll love it on video, Red. Watch it with your gang. 😉
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Glad you liked the special effects! I am yet to see it but… I am a bit partial to The Avengers’ Movies!
You see my boys loved all of the Marvel comics… but Captain America The Winter Soldier a special place in my heart. Because it was filmed in Cleveland. I went to see a few of the scenes when they were being filmed. When the movie was on the big screen… it was fun to see Cleveland in the back ground!!
A little side note… during the filming of The Winter Soldier ~~~ Draft Day with Kevin Costner and Jennifer Garner was also being filmed. It was during the summer so it was fun to go downtown to the eateries hoping you would bump into someone famous. HA HA HA
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I thought Cleveland looked great in ‘Draft Day,’ Nancy. Now that I looked at your All About Me page, I think I recognized you in one of the scenes, didn’t I? 😉
Hey, I don’t blame you. When ‘Adult World’ with John Cusak and Emma Roberts was filming in Syracuse, everybody was stalking places trying to get in the background. Not me, mind you. But everybody else. 🙂
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HA HA HA HA No, you were not trying to get into a scene… you were there with your ipad / iphone taking pictures!! AND LOT’S of them!! 😀 😀 😀
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That was before my picture-taking days, Nancy, or you would have been exactly right! I was still working for the big daily, covering the music beat, and having no need to take oodles of iPhotos for my own blog yet.
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The Devil told me that he really enjoyed the flick. 🙂
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Right up his alley for a little while, Austin.
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I do want to see this movie, though.
I just saw the commercial for Aloha. That looks good. Do you plan to review it?
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Yes. I am psyched for ‘Aloha,’ Austin. In fact, I have a post coming up on Thursday about the next three that I’m excited about this summer from recent trailers.
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Cool. Looking forward to it.
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I have been an Avengers fan, since I saw them performing from a distance while filming in Cleveland one summer a few years back… I do love that they put NASA into it, when one of the films had the Hulk enclosed in a glass walled room, this building still had its NASA flag on the wall. (Plum Brook nuclear reactor facility, Sandusky, Ohio.) My grandsons love the Avengers, most prefer the Iron Man, Mark.
I like all the characters, have grown to enjoy the interviews with Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey, Jr. along with the varied other actors/characters. I like Jeremy Renner who is not known as Arrow but shoots arrows. I will have to look up his name, is it “Shield?” No, that is the symbol that represents the organization of S.H.I.E.L.D. Hmmm…. I watch movies but don’t always retain information.
I enjoyed your review and you don’t have to watch the other films but they are entertaining and you may enjoy this on a rainy or snowy day, Mark!
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I think his name is ‘Hawkeye,’ Mark. I am sorry if he may or may not shoot arrows. In the Bourne Identity series, when Matt Damon was not available Jeremy Renner did a fine job of playing one of the ones who had begun like Bourne.
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Jeremy Renner is great in ‘American Hustle,’ too, Robin. 🙂
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All the stars do a great job together, Robin. Hawkeye included. That guy can shoot arrows!
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I saw Avengers this past weekend, Mark! I thought it was pretty cool. Wow on the special effects!! I truly believe they are superheroes! They can do anything. I was a bit lost on the techno’plot and just knew that Tony Stark did a bad thing. 🙂 They made the lab stuff look way cool so, like, who cares, right? Whatever you said, we believe you.
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The techno part was past my level, too, Amy, but I think they counted on that. 🙂 It was way cool, the effects, for sure.
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Well, this will all be my son’s territory for sure. He is anxious to see the film and, based on this review, I don’t think he’ll be disappointed. (Yep, not all great but good enough for him, I’m sure.) My son seems just as fascinated with the comics as the movies which I guess is a good thing. I mean, reading is reading right? Just wish that sometimes he’d be as interested in some of his novels.
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Reading is reading, agreed. And the person who started calling comics graphic novels is a hero to kids everywhere, I think, Marissa.
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Oh yes, when did that start to happen? I think I first heard that term used when I started going to the library to get comic books with my son. At first, I assumed they were pornographic.
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Ha! Not that sort of graphic, my friend. 😮
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I learned quickly.
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So now all you need to do is digest six hours of Ironman movies, four hours of Thor, another 4 hours of Captain America, the first Avengers movie, and–just to be sure you got everything–Guardians of The Galaxy (come for the Avengers tie-in, stay for the manic talking raccoon!) and you’ll be all caught up. Mostly. You may want to hit Netflix or on demand to catch up on “Agents of Shield” and “Agent Carter.” Who would have thought this comic book movie thing would be so exhausting?
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I know. I’m so far behind, Chuck. And I don’t have enough coin to drop in the slots. 😦
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