Movie Review: Age of Ultron (+trailer)

Evildoers live in fear of Captain America, played by Chris Evans.

It is no easy act to follow the third biggest movie of all time. The first Avengers is surpassed only by Avatar and Titanic, with Iron Man not too far behind.

So this Marvel reboot as the superheroes take on their latest foe was always going to be spectacular.

And there is no shortage of things to like about Age of Ultron.

Our favourites are back: Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey jnr); Captain America (Chris Evans), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and we get to meet two newbies - twins Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen).

What makes the Avengers franchise work so well is the eclectic mix of characters, from the egocentric Iron Man to law-abiding good guy Captain America to the evil Russian assassin Black Widow.

They all offer skills and approaches that work in well with their team-mates. And the banter among them makes for some very funny lines.

But ultimately, Avengers is all about the action and how the superheroes can protect the world.

Ultron is a prototype Stark has been working on to be the ultimate protector of the Earth long after the Avengers have gone.

When Ultron gets reprogrammed with an artificial intelligence a formidable opponent has been created.

And rather than protect the Earth, Ultron is intent to replicate and upgrade himself to be an indestructible force.

When his ultimate aim of destroying life on Earth becomes apparent, the Avengers need as much help as they can find. Former foes and now allies, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, join the fight.

Complicating their mission is the imminent destruction of a small European village and all its inhabitants.

It is very easy to love the Avengers franchise. The action is second to none and the characters are individually and collectively a lot of fun.

It is pure escapism of the highest order.

Avengers: Age of Ultron (M)
141 minutes
Rating: 4/5 stars