Sass on Titan

For those of you who’ve been following my blog from the beginning, you’ll know I’m always counting down and excited for MCU movies, well AoU was no different. I’ve not been as active on here as I used to be but I sure as hell have still been on this hype train counting down the days until the movie came out.

I saw the movie on the release date here in the UK (23rd) and also today the 26th.

I am torn on whether this movie is better than the first or not. The first had a certain charm and will always have a special place in my heart. However, the action and fight scenes in this one just went above and beyond anything in the first Avengers movie.

First, I’ll start with the good points:

1) The opening sequence in Sokovia. Wow! The choreography was awesome in this. Everyone had a moment to shine. Love the bromance going on between Steve and Tony. The landscape was beautiful as well.

2) The ‘birth’ of Ultron. I loved Mark 1! He was so creepy and yet so naive. One of my favorite scenes.

3) While we’re in the subject of Ultron - I’ll make a point about his whole character. I was slightly dubious after the recently trailers portrayed him as a more ‘comedic’ character than the first trailers suggested. Ultron has always been one of my favorite villains. I was expecting a cold emotionless robot. We didn’t get that - but it isn’t a bad thing! Ultron is portrayed as a naive and yet still highly dangerous villain. He comes out with some funny things sure - but this doesn’t detract from his character. Some how I think this different side to him worked. I kind of got a more sympathetic vibe from him than I would have done in the comics. He’s a flawed character, but he truly believes what he’s doing is right. So conflicted, I love it! (I’m sorry, I think I’m crushing on a robot.)

4) The Twins!!! Especially Wanda! I love her so much.

5) THE GODDAMN VISION. That is ALL.

6) Loved the small scenes we had with Falcon. Bring him back for more!

7) The characterization of Hawkeye. I love how we got more of Clint’s backstory and finally got to see more of his awesome character.

8) The final scene with Vision and Ultron. Man - this almost got me teary eyed. They are like opposites, quite a striking image to see Vision with the forest behind him - a scene of life, and Ultron, with destruction and death behind him - the huge crater he helped create. Such a powerful scene.

9) Thor’s braid.

And now, onto the not so good points:

1) Natasha/Bruce romance. What the fuck was Joss Whedon thinking? It all feels terribly forced, and cringey. I feel like he sort of butchered Black Widow’s character. She went from this mysterious badass to a love-sick whimp who wanted to run away. Why, Joss, why?!

2) You can really tell that this film has been cut and chopped. I can’t wait for the extended edition on blu-ray and dvd to see what was missing.

3) Ultron’s “final” form and the final battle. They cut the scene where Ultron is dousing himself in liquid vibranium from the trailers so it seems - and yet his ‘Ultimate’ form seemed to be less powerful than ‘Prime’. Some of the fights in the last battle were amazing (I’m looking at you, Vision). Idk...it all seemed kind of...anti climatic?

Those last 3 points didn’t make this a bad movie by any stretch. I am enraged by what Joss has done to Black Widow, but I adore what he did with Ultron. I’ll be seeing this in IMAX 3D next weekend for my third viewing. It is absolutely in my top MCU movies, but I can’t help but feel if they hadn’t have cut so much it could be even better.