Empire Magazine gives Age of Ultron four stars out of five - The Avengers

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April 21 2015

(SPOILER) Empire Magazine gives Age of Ultron four stars out of five. The embargo is lifted and there's loads of reviews to be had. Variety called the movie "a super-sized sequel with surprising amounts of soul". The Guardian loved it and said Joss' "script is a thing of wonder". The Telegraph says Age of Ultron is "a pop culture sugar-rush". ScreenCrush went with "it reclaims the comic book part of the phrase "comic-book movie"." SFX also loved it and said it's "the first genuinely frightening entry in the franchise".

If anyone has come across some interesting reviews, please do link to them in the comments.

Simon | The Avengers | 13:04 CET | 29 comments total | tags: age of ultron

"A thing of wonder"? I like that. That bodes well. That sounds like it's not rote.

NYPinTA | April 21, 13:31 CET

My friend just bought tickets for the "midnight" (really 7PM) Thursday showing for April 30th, and I'm getting excited!

I love that the reviews are saying it's darker, more complex and emotionally stirring than the first movie... I also like how the reviews make note of Joss's growing visual confidence in directing.

[ edited by dottikin on 2015-04-21 22:36 ]

dottikin | April 21, 13:33 CET

Devin @ Badassdigest's take:

http://badassdigest.com/2015/04/21/avengers-age-of-ultron-movie-review/

Drew @ Hitfix's review

http://www.hitfix.com/motion-captured/review-avengers-age-of-ultron-puts-character-first-in-messy-action-landscape

Jack Diamond | April 21, 13:45 CET

Those are some nice reviews. Here we go folks, thus starts the ride.....

hann23 | April 21, 13:57 CET

Oh, my. I could really get used to this sort of yearly love-fest for his Purpleness. And then to get a wonderful movie to boot? Not to mention all the hilarious and insightful interviews. It's a great time to be a Whedon fan.

punkinpuss | April 21, 14:09 CET

I am getting too giddy in this last few hours of countdown, so I can get into the Imax screen seat and enjoy the movie, don't even care, that I still to go through a whole day of work tomorrow.
By this time tomorrow, I will probably be lining up for the popcorn line, don't even have to worry about the seat, since we got numbered seats in our tickets.

Numfar PTB | April 21, 14:20 CET

I just saw it. Am I allowed to talk about it here?

gossi | April 21, 14:24 CET

What do you rate it Gossi?

I guess the mods will make a 'Seen It' thread tomorrow?

eddy | April 21, 14:29 CET

Thank goodness. I noticed the embargo was over when I spotted and skimmed the Hollywood Reporter's review, which seemed somewhat negative. So I'm glad to hear that's not the consensus..

PaperSpock | April 21, 14:31 CET

Maybe there should be a separate "seen it" thread, more in line with our weekly AoS threads, so the discussion can run more freely.

Numfar PTB | April 21, 14:31 CET

So both THR, TheWrap and Deadline have gone into the negative side:

From THR:
To be sure, series junkies will get their fix from the sheer massiveness of the exploits, but at least two of the big action scenes are lackluster, while the climax and resolution could have been worked out in more complex, less rote ways, so as to further increase intrigue and anticipation for Avengers: Infinity War Parts 1 and 2, already scheduled for release in May of 2018 and 2019, respectively.

From theWrap:
In the first “Avengers,” writer-director Joss Whedon showed a facility for bringing modern comic books to the screen with equal parts snappy banter and awe-inspiring mayhem, and while those gifts remain evident in “Ultron,” you can feel the functionality of Disney’s Marvel movies overwhelming the fun. This latest film isn’t a cheat, but neither is it a delight.

From Deadline:
I’m happy to report the stars are all back, especially Chris Evans’ stoic Captain America, but also Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson and Chris Hemsworth. Also happily returning is the witty banter and interplay. And writer-director Joss Whedon has expertly ladled on lots of action, in a kind of Transformer-itis excess. But the thrill is gone. For me, it’s a been-there, done-that feeling, like watching the all-star edition of Dancing With The Stars.

[ edited by Numfar PTB on 2015-04-21 23:39 ]

Numfar PTB | April 21, 14:37 CET

It's great. Joss was there and stayed for full screening, I think first time he's done that. I'll hold off thoughts until we're good to go.

Also, you can see it without spoiling SHIELD in any way, if you're behind or in UK.

gossi | April 21, 14:37 CET

It's a great time to be a Whedon fan.

Okay, hands up who else has a mind that immediately added "Next up, Who's gay?"

StephenP | April 21, 14:43 CET

This number will likely change as more reviews come in, but currently it's sitting at a 90% on Rotten Tomatoes with 30 reviews included. For comparison, the first ended up with 92% at around 300 reviews included.

PaperSpock | April 21, 14:46 CET

Reading the highlights on Rotten Tomatoes has been amusing, especially for the few negative reviews that appeared so far.

Numfar PTB | April 21, 14:48 CET

Also, you can see it without spoiling SHIELD in any way, if you're behind or in UK.

That sounds close to no link at all.

JDL | April 21, 14:51 CET

It seems the recurring negative thread, even in the positive reviews, is the perceived cumbersome need to set pieces in place for Phase 3. Honestly I don't mind those moments - part of the enjoyment of these MCU movies has been the "It's All Connected" vibe that radiates from them, but I can see if you don't buy into that as having intrinsic value it can seem annoying or distracting

TallMichaelJ | April 21, 14:56 CET

Bleeding Cool also have their reviews up.
A more non-spoilery one:

I thoroughly enjoyed the film, but I spoke to others who have greater reservations. Some found the bombast, explosions and violence far too much – and they loved the first one. Some found the film too simplistic, and I ended up in quite the argument with those who could only see the end of the film and not the beginning it seemed. For me, the beginning was so good, it made up for much of the end of the film.

While everyone seemed to love the first Avengers movie, as if it were some kind of religious creed, I think this film will be more up for debate. But those who do walk out disappointed, hold onto what you experienced to begin with, and try and see it in that light… maybe even see it again. I know I want to.

And one basically for spoilers.

Numfar PTB | April 21, 15:00 CET

JDL, it stands alone. Although I suspect SHIELD ties in to and out of the movie.

gossi | April 21, 15:00 CET

It would be nice not to reveal spoilers in this thread. I'm not even reading the reviews, because I do not want to be spoiled. I'm just glad that the reviews are positive - not that we didn't know they would be.

Nebula1400 | April 21, 15:03 CET

All points that overall the reaction might be a little bit more mixed this time, with people who loved it, really loving it, but people with a more negative impression, finding more things to nitpick on.

Numfar PTB | April 21, 15:06 CET

Yeah, I think the reviews will overall still come in very well, but less well than before. Ultimately the first Avengers was very very fun, but had not much to say. This film has things to say, so spends a little time not being quite as fun, but in my opinion it makes for a better yarn and serves the characters better. Ultron himself is pure Joss. By the way, although arguably a little more serious it's one of the funniest things Joss has written in years.

[ edited by gossi on 2015-04-22 00:16 ]

gossi | April 21, 15:15 CET

And here is Newsarama's review, which is a bit too descriptive for a review, almost a recap. The non-descriptve, yet more opinion directed portions I've quoted below:

"The challenge in reviewing Avengers: Age of Ultron, the upteenth installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is understanding it as a part of a greater whole while appreciating it as movie that can stand on its own. Audiences can be thankful the Avengers sequel can take its place in the upper third of the growing Marvel catalog.
(...)
The film hits all the high points an audience would expect. Whedon plays up the humor with clashes between Captain American’s old timey-ness and Stark’s bravado. Captain America is the film’s best combo player, notably with Thor and Black Widow. The Hammer of Thor gag carried through film gives life to some of the film’s better character moments. Whedon even addresses the “destruction porn” comments leveled at this genre by giving the Avengers crowd control duties.

Overall, Avengers: Age of Ultron makes a great addition to the Marvel catalog and will no doubt thrill those invested in the franchise.

Numfar PTB | April 21, 16:22 CET

My least favorite part of Winter Soldier was when Sitwell referred to Dr Strange. As long as the suggestions of future things in this movie are more tactful than that, then I doubt I'll have any big complaints.

Trentaferd | April 21, 18:36 CET

Having not seen it, what I'm wondering is whether people are trying to capture the magic of seeing the first one and whether that's misguided. We can't go back to seeing Avengers for the first time. We can only move forward and see how this series can challenge us and change the way we watch and appreciate comic book movies.

Devin Faraci's take is the most reasoned, of the reviews I've read. Is it better then Avengers? "Sort of." Perhaps it's not nearly as exciting in that giddy, edge of your seat kind of way, but it could be a more challenging, complex and emotional movie, and I'll trade a few spectacle points for some emotional complexity ones.

[ edited by the ninja report on 2015-04-22 13:29 ]

the ninja report | April 22, 04:29 CET

I've just seen it, no spoilers but it definitely has an epic feel. There was a couple of spots I didn't enjoy as much but there were others which more than made up for them.

Seeing it again tomorrow.

Kayley | April 22, 06:44 CET

Having slept on it, I actually hope the reviews, uh, review the movie. It's a better constructed film than the first, it's tighter, there's more (and better) character work and the teams skill sets gel together better. Need to see it again though as I think I missed a lot, as the girlfriend caught jokes I missed.

gossi | April 22, 06:50 CET

As much as I understand the criticism that it gets I don't understand why a lot of critics are tearing the story down.

I personally tought the story was much better constructed than the first one, maybe not as much fun, but for me, a way better movie overall.

Kesty | April 23, 00:39 CET

It is funny how critics mostly complain at the same time about how it goes against and for superhero movie tropes, with people in both fronts.

Personally, that among ybe strongest things in the movie.

Numfar PTB | April 23, 01:07 CET

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