The Sheer Brilliance of Mario

Hopping along, taking on the bad guys and getting the girl - sounds like a total cliché, I know, but that's the story you get when you load up any game starring the famous plumber that has captured the affections and love of gaming fans for the past 30 years. The game that single-handedly brought video games to the forefront in an over saturated market and provided millions of children around the world the ability to play games at home is something that deserves to be recognized; and that's exactly what I'm here to do. Mario truly deserves to be praised, people.

Now, what many people my age don't realize is that the mega-popular Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Mario Bros., is actually a sequel to an arcade game, simply called Mario Bros. Less of a platformer than a high-score race, Mario Bros. did modestly in both Japan and America, which you might be surprised to hear knowing now that the famous fat plumber is Nintendo's mascot. But in any case, everyone in the world credits the NES title's success not to the character, but to the brilliant and fun gameplay. What that game did was it expanded on the home game system - where many children had grown up on the Atari 2600 and games that seldom lasted more than five minutes, Nintendo gave children a chance to experience a full-fledged gaming experience. Complete with challenging platforms, a multitude of levels, and even a two-player competitive mode, Super Mario Bros. soon helped in re-defining what gaming was, and lead the charge for a bright future of what video games could be.

Flash forward to today, we can see that Mario still continues to dominate the world with his platforming games, Not only that, but Nintendo has used Mario to begin experiments with other game styles, such as puzzle games in the form of Dr. Mario, or the famous racing series with MarioKart. Even the simpler Mario Party series has had financial success with the massive video game market. Since his arrival in 1985, the Mario series has sold over 262 million units worldwide. The little plumber that bested the beast and saved the princess has worked his way into millions of peoples' hearts and continues to ride strong to this day. Even now, Nintendo utilizes Mario to help other franchises. such as having Mario as a flagship character in the Super Smash Bros. series, or in other party games such as the Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games franchise. 

With all this being said, why is Mario so iconic to us still? Many people don't know that when creator Shigeru Miyamoto was designing Mario, his core concept came from the fact that Mr. Miyamoto only had a certain amount of pixels to work with. Doing overalls was easier than seperating shirts and pants from one another, and the mustache was more distinctive than a mouth for the original pixelated form.  This simple design, which was easy to replicate, and even manipulate in order to create Mario's brother, Luigi, alongside the clever and challenging platforming, are all what went into helping create such a lasting impression for gamers around the world.

But, I believe that one more thing went into making Super Mario Bros. such a special thing. While Super Mario Bros. was such a game that anyone could pick up and play, Remember, the NES only utilized two action buttons and an up, down, left, and right button. Unlike many of today's controllers which often use no less than 12 buttons including toggles, the NES controller was much simpler to help arcade gamers transition into a home gaming environment. Anyone could have picked it up and begun to play. Today's games all rely on the fact that they need practice to get good at, which has its own merits in terms of gaining respect in the gaming community. However, they don't have the sense of couch community where everyone could pass around the controller there isn't any serious story in the original game like there would be in many of today's games. Mario brought gaming to the forefront and to the families, and for that he deserves to be remembered every day. Without him, we wouldn't have things like online gaming, multiple gaming systems, and the great variety of gaming genres that millions of people can experiment with and enjoy. Without Mario, the world might be very different today.

Jurassic World Review (No Spoilers)

After 22 years since the original film, audiences are introduced to a fully-functioning dinosaur theme park. Just like Disneyland, this park is home to extravagant exhibits and discovery centers where visitors can discover everything they want to know about some of the most fascinating previously-extinct creatures that the planet has ever seen. However, the film presents audiences with the very true notion that 'new' doesn't stay 'cool' forever, and this leaves the park runners with no other choice but to begin expanding their creativity in order to keep the park financially viable. However, as I'm sure you've seen with the trailers, this final attempt to increase revenue may end up costing the park runners more than a few dollars.

Now, I decided to especially hold no spoilers in this review because Jurassic World is a fantastic movie, filled with all the fun and excitement a summer blockbuster should have. There are Easter-eggs the die-hard fans will enjoy, but the film is a genuine thrill ride for first-timers at the park. This movie isn't asking you to prep on philosophy or history, just to sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. That presentation alone is such a pleasure to see.

The acting is also done really well in here. Chris Pratt nails it as raptor-trainer Owen, and it's comforting following him throughout this adventure. I felt as though he'd definitely be the guy to go to when things went south at the park, which is pretty much what every essential character did. But in all seriousness, it's going to be really hard for Pratt to find a villainous or antagonistic role, because he's just so darn likable! His co-star, Bryce Dallas Howard, is also actually quite a pleasant on-screen presence. After Spider-Man 3, I wasn't sure how she would do here, but she plays the role of the serious businesswoman quite believably. Also, I have to give her credit - she ran around the jungle and away from predatory dinosaurs in high heels the entire time. That's quite accomplishment. The kids in the movie are pretty good, too. Albeit their backstory leaves a bit to be desired, but their developing relationship throughout the movie made me think about how I interact with my own siblings, and reminded me that people like me and my brother need to look out for each other.

Now, the next big question is with the special effects. Being born after Jurassic Park first came out, I can't really appreciate how spectacular they were for the time. However, older fans can, which left the studio with the challenge of at least making these special effects believable. Boy, did they deliver. As Chris Pratt interacts with the raptors or the humans get in close proximity to the ultimate predator, the Indominus Rex, you could feel the breath of these dinosaurs, you see the textures of their skin, and you really feel as though you're walking right next to them. Superb job done, really.

All in all, the movie is kind of predictable in terms of its story progression beats, and some of the more supporting characters are actually a bit one-dimensional; be that as it may, that's no reason any one should miss out on this extravagant thrill ride. This movie gives you a time to wind down for two hours with classic popcorn fun, and it brings back a lot of the fun the original Jurassic Park fans. Rest easy, everyone - the park is open, and everyone is invited.

Rating: 9/10

Ex Machina Review (SPOILERS)

 

 

Let me pitch you a rather bizarre idea: have a sci-fi film focusing on three actors whilst trying to get your audience to question their ideas on how they interact with not only people, but the world around them. That's the kind of story Ex Machina tries to deliver, and indeed it does. While the movie doesn't always resonate in the way you might want it to, or even expect, there's no doubt that the world it places you in is invigorating and exciting.

 

The story tells us of a professional search engine programmer Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) wins a company prize to go work with the CEO of his corporation, Nathan (Oscar Isaac), to work on something truly revolutionary: the development of artificial intelligence. Caleb is being used in the 'Turing Test' portion of the development, which is essentially assessing whether or not a computer brain has the capability to think outside of it's programming, to be able to change its functions based on a new situation given to it. The test subject is named Ava (Alicia Vikander), an inquisitive AI who yearns to learn of the world outside of her test chamber. Caleb soon grows fond of Ava, while being uncomfortable with Nathan's strange quirks and alcoholic habits. Caleb's world gets turned upside down when he begins to grow affectionate towards Ava, and finds himself dreaming of her as if she was a real girl. As their work facility begins to malfunction and Nathan becomes more of an intense personality, Caleb begins to devise what his own existence means. It's an AI think-tank film for the next generation, and it definitely paint a picture for the audience.

 

Before I get to the good stuff (which there is a lot of in this movie), I want to talk about the things that were kind of a let-down by the end of the film. Firstly, I find the plot's efforts to make you second-guess yourself as the characters are a bit forced. Not once while watching the movie did I ever feel like I didn't know who was on protagonist Caleb's side. Sure, Nathan was an oddball drunk, but I never got the impression, as Caleb did, that he was against Caleb's interest whilst staying in the facility. The fact that this movie tries so hard to trip you up kind of took me out of the experience, which was a shame because the story is actually very good.

 

The other thing I found disappointing, but not a knock on the film, was the presence of Ava. Seeing here centrefold in practically every photo and poster gave me the impression that she would break out to be the true star, rather than the Macguffin of the story. Not only that, but actress Alicia Vikander was limited in this role, as we only really communicate and experience who Ava is in the 'Turing Test' sessions that Caleb leads. Now, let me clarify that this is in no way a knock on Vikander's actual acting - she did a really good job with what she was given. It's only that, at the end of the day, the true fleshing out of the character was left to discussion with Caleb and Nathan, with a dash of excellent cinematography. Vikander was definitely more of a cog in the motor rather than the engine.

 

But now, let's discuss the good. Going into this film, my only true exposure to Domhnall Gleeson was with his portrayal of Bill Weasley in both Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows parts, as well as his brief appearances in Unbroken. While he did both of those roles well, he was only briefly present. I was also intrigued to watch this movie because I knew both him and Oscar Isaac were going to star in the new Star Wars movie coming out soon, so that definitely made me want to see what these guys could do. And oh my God, does Domhnall Gleeson absolutely nail this role? You bet he does! Playing the socially awkward Caleb, both smart and shy, you immediately take his side against the upfront and a bit antagonistic Caleb. Gleeson is the real reason the atmosphere of unease and distrust exists at all, and he spreads it wherever he pleases amazingly. His conversations with Ava is where we find out how much of a sad and lonely guy he is, and it's ultimately believable to understand how easily he is ultimately manipulated.

 

While Domhnall is the star, Isaac more than gets his fill. This charismatic, narcissistic, drunk makes even the audience feel uncomfortable to be in the same room as him. He carries himself as if he's a god who has created a new form of life, and you immediately get the wrong feeling from interacting with him. He definitely does try to be a nice guy, his dialogue suggests as much; however, he doesn't always deliver on that, and Isaac plays with this beautifully. Props to both stars, and I can't wait to see more of them in the future.

 

The production value itself is great, too. Clearly set in the future but remaining believably achievable, the facility itself is quite a marvel. The different rooms reflect the tone of the scenes that you're about to see, and there's quite a few interesting conversations on the moral standpoints of life, freedom, creation, death, and more. To go into full detail would be robbing you of the fantastic dialogue that is delivered, where Oscar Isaac particularly shines. The social commentary reflects all that you've heard from the likes of Bill Gates and Stephen Hawking. The special effects for Ava are actually quite spectacular as well, and most of all, believable. You might not be able to understand the intricacy or specifications of her design, but you don't begin to question it.

 

However, there is one more thing that brings this movie down. While explained in the film itself, which, again, I won't rob you of the experience, Ava eventually escapes and makes her way into the human world, ready to experience life as best she can. She kills her creator who, in all honesty, was a bit of an ass to her, but she also leaves behind Caleb. I didn't buy that; Caleb didn't knowingly trap her, keep her there, he even went so far as to help her escape. Then, she just up and leaves him. Not only that, but she takes the only helicopter trip out of the area back to civilization. And the helicopter pilot didn't question that? He didn't think to himself, "Hmm...I haven't brought you here, I don't know who you are, you aren't the intended passenger...nope, you're obviously trouble. I'm not going to let you on". There wasn't even a scene of her overpowering the pilot, which I would've bought more. The ending, I felt, just tried to be too anti-AI in its overall message, and in doing so lost some of the momentum it had.

 

Now, with all that being said, I still believe Ex Machina is not a movie to miss. You've got some great performances to watch, a stellar story to hear, and a unique commentary on what the capability of humans and our own natures are, let alone that of the machines. The movie is quiet and intense, so those looking for another Robocop should look elsewhere; however, you'll be missing out one of the most unique movies I've seen in a long time.

 

Rating: 8.5/10   

What is SEGA and the SonicTeam doing wrong?

Any child of the 80's and early 90's can happily recall upon the legacy left behind by the Blue Blur. In those times, Sonic could hang with the best of the best, and was able to compete in the premature video game market with the likes of Mario, Zelda, and all the other Nintendo powerhouses. His platforming style mixed with creative characters and high-speed antics were enough to entice people away from the dominant Nintendo over to the SEGA side of life. For a while, before Sony and Microsoft appeared, SEGA was up to bat against Nintendo, and they held their own.

However, we know the story is a little different today. Most recently, SEGA had released two Nintendo-exclusive games starring Sonic the Hedgehog (Oh, the smell of irony is intoxicating, isn't it?). These two titles, Sonic Boom: Rise of the Lyric for the Wii U, and Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal for Nintendo 3DS, were tie-ins to the new Sonic cartoon, titled Sonic Boom. These games had more of an adventure gameplay style rather than the adrenaline rush that the series was known for. Even more so, after only playing demos for both versions, the games don't feel like they are structured very well.

Sonic had such a distinct playstyle that you couldn't compare the series to any other game franchise. The only fair comparison one could make was to the characters' status as a mascot and quality of games, which is why it was always seen that Sonic and Mario were natural rivals; the Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games are a testament enough to that fact. And while Mario was successfully redefined and expanded upon gameplay-wise, complete with spin-offs and advancements, Sonic tripped up somewhere down the line.

The reason I'm even on the topic is because I recently just completed Sonic Lost World  on Nintendo 3DS. While I don't want to comment on that one game specifically, I will say that the strengths lay in the side-scrolling sequences, which were few and far between. When I was in that viewpoint, man, I was racing though the level like a speed demon! It was so much fun to be able to go that fast, get that huge ring count and take out enemies all at once. The weaknesses, which were the main part of the game, were the 3D sequences. These were lain out in a Super Mario Galaxy-esque style of play, where Sonic wouldn't actually run on his own, but rather just a slow jog: if I wanted him to actually run, I had to hold down a button the entire time to do so. It was such a disappointment, too, because after coming off the great gaming experiences of Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations, I had high hopes for this game. The Sonic Team actually said they were taking a lot of cues from Galaxy, and that's absolutely the thing to do if you want to try and make a franchise fresh while at the same time sticking to roots.

It took me a while to figure out what went wrong, but I came up with the solution: Sonic isn't Mario. Not by a long shot. See, the issue was that the game focused on too much of a platforming aspect: they gave you winding paths, power-ups to take down enemies, and a clever wall-climb move that Sonic was able to use. All of this sounds great. especially if you want to make yourself a kick-ass platforming game. The issue is that Sonic isn't meant for platforming. He's meant for the thrill of the run. Of course SEGA has the option to mix it up a bit with their franchises, but there comes a time when a genre defines the franchise, rather than having the franchise jumping around different genres. Looking back to Mario again, he has more games than the standard platformers, but they're all different series, like the Mario Kart series, Mario Party, and more. They're all tailored to fit into different genres, and about every two years we get the traditional Goomba-stomping platforming that has become the trademark for the series. SEGA's issue seems to be that they try to keep adding more and more onto their original fast-paced idea while pulling different aspects like cinematic sequences, sword combat, or expanded traversal into it. The final product doesn't feel like it's one completed product, but rather like someone went digging around for a bunch of different parts and put it all together to see what would stick.

I don't mean to hate on SEGA or The SonicTeam, far from it. I want to see Sonic and his friends in some awesome games, because the potential is always there! We know this because we've seen it before. It's the same thing when a company like Nintento or Microsoft or Sony messes up; us fans don't complain because we want to, but because we want to see the very best these guys can give us. These companies were part of many peoples' childhoods, and they might have even helped people grow into who they are; the dreamers, the creators, the storytellers of tomorrow. Video game have come a long way from the single SEGA/Nintendo wars, and now we live in an age where two companies like those can work together in the hopes to give fans something truly fun to play and enjoy, maybe so much so that they can garner new fans out of the endeavor. The big issue standing in SEGA's way is they need to go back to Sonic's roots, and find out why fans truly loved those games. Maybe after working for so long with Nintendo, they picked up a few new tricks and have a better idea of how they can improve themselves. I sure hope so; I'd hate to see Sonic run off so soon.

Why the Transformers Movies Are Actually Awesome

Now, before people get in a fussy argument with me, I'd like to make something clear: like any form of art or entertainment, whether it's music, video games, dance, paintings, or books, art is always subjective. It's impossible to please every single person all at once. There are so many of us now, and we're all so different in terms of life experiences and who we are that a task such as that is too daunting to even consider. For movie studios, their objective is to get the majority of people to enjoy their film and go pay money to buy their ticket, their merchandise, and more. Many films, such as those in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, are great examples of when a studio has continued success with a franchise and the benefits that can come of that. What I'm talking about is in a different place...

Yes, the Transformers franchise has been around for over 30 years now. Many adult nerds will often fondly look back on their blissful youth and thank the Transformers for a lot of their imagination and love of storytelling nowadays (I'm not kidding; go look around the internet, those guys love Transformers. Be careful, though, some of 'em can be kind of weird). Truly, though, the fact that a fully-fledged TV show dedicated to be an ultra-advertisement for transforming toys has become a million-dollar blockbuster franchise is, when you think about it, kind of impressive.

However, just because those movies are essentially a giant commercial doesn't mean it gets to be treated as such. Time after time, over the course of four films and under the tutelage of Michael Bay, critics have slammed the films for being devoid of character development, cohesive plots, and too many explosions. Whether or not you're a fan of the series, it's hard to have a proper argument without acknowledging the faults, whether you agree with them or not. I do, I  see where those people come from: they don't bother me, but I can see where those people come from.

But, I'm not here to understand others' arguements for why they don't like these movies. I'm here to tell you, good reader, why they're awesome, and why you should be able to enjoy them as well. I have compiled these reasons into a list of five, and I'd like to share them with you now.

1.) They give you the opportunity to turn your brain off for a short while - Life isn't always fun. There are hard times, long days, and stressful nights. We as humans in a first world don't like to do hard work, we like to be able to relax. These four films provide an opportunity to let the hard-workers kick back and turn off their brains to watch giant robots fight each other to the death. No, these movies aren't the next 2001: A Space Odyssey, but that's okay. These days, we have enough movie money where we can have both experiences.

2.) The mythology is rich - The Transformers have a rich backstory and plenty of dynamic and interesting characters to boot. Even though they may just be caricatures in the movies, that's pretty much what they were in the original 80's TV series. The best thing is that even just four movies in, the producers have barely scratched the surface - there's plenty more source material to choose from and utilize. If you're already a fan,  you've got a lot to look forward to.

3.) The action is stupendous -  These movies also redefine 'action'. One of the most jaw-dropping action shots I've ever seen was in Transformers: Dark of the Moon when Optimus Prime is gliding in with his jetpack (I know right!) and he starts road-skating along the line of fire, shooting every last Decepticon in sight (I KNOW, right!), and then when he runs out of bullets, he pulls out his sword and starts chopping heads off  (I KNOW, RIGHT???), and then when he gets to Shockwave he just pulls out his Cybertronian brass knuckles (I KNOW, RIGHT?!?!?!?!?!) and punches him practically in half...I'm sorry, I got a little carried away in my nerdness. Point being, the action is really cool.

4.) They're easy on the eyes - These movies aren't bad-looking. That's why all of the people that said they hate it went out to buy the ticket to see it in the first place. The CGI (Computer Generated Image) work that is done by the teams over at Industrial Light & Magic is absolutely gorgeous to look at, and it really makes you see the robots as if they were there acting alongside the actors. The lighting is where it needs to be in every shot, and the movies just overall are very cool-looking.

5.) They secretly plant the desire each and every one of us have in their plots to keep us engaged - Everyone, even the naysayers are guilty of this, desires to do great things. Big or small, notable or not, we all have a part of us that wants to be able to do something unique, whether it be for our own benefit or another's. Throughout the sequel films, that is the main drive for the main characters. In Revenge of the Fallen, Sam wanted to go to college and prepare for his life of providing for himself. In Dark of the Moon, Sam wanted to help the Autobots protect the Earth and do good for his country. In Age of Extinction, Cade wanted to keep his daughter safe and get himself on the map as a legitimate inventor. Albeit on a much broader and sillier scale, these characters all reflect our own individual desires to do good things. We all want to improve life because we have great examples of those who actually did do such things to follow.

So, with all that said, what do you guys think about my ideas? Am I deluded and not a true film fan, or am I right on the money?  Get back to me with your own thoughts, oh, and while you're at it, give these movies another try with all these points in mind. I'm sure you'll enjoy them more.

Mad Max: Fury Road Review (SPOILERS)

After 30 years, the blockbuster post-apocalyptic franchise returns to rev up the engines and ride like hell. Not having much knowledge of what Mad Max was, it still isn't hard to see the influence the series has had over the years. Naturally, die-hard fans were psyched to see its return, and the film has been considered all but flawless by most critics, citing a 98% approval rate on RottenTomatoes. I was impressed with the positive buzz the film was garnering, and I was liking what I was seeing from the trailers: the action, the craziness, and the out-of-this-world premise was enticing enough to get me into the theater and check out what all the fuss was about.

The film follows title character Mad Max (Tom Hardy) as he is almost immediately captured by a group of savages known as 'The War Boys' and immediately enslaved as a human blood bag for the weaker of their clan. While this is happening, leading fighter Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) begins to leave for a raid on a neighboring clan to steal gasoline to run many of the clan's trucks, cars,  and motorcycles. Little does the clan know that Furiosa is really smuggling five of the clan's resident child bearers from their life of enslavement and bringing them to a female encampment known as 'The Green Place'. When her true plans are discovered, leader of the War Boys Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne) rallies all of his forces to chase after her. Desperate to join, sickly War Boy Nux (Nicholas Hoult) straps his bloodbag Max to the front of his car and joins in the race to get to Furiosa. What ensues is a chaotic fight along the Fury Road, and it's quite the show.

Before I talk about what I didn't like, I do want to clarify that Mad Max: Fury Road is  a good movie; it has high-stakes action, emotional depth, and great characters. Plus, like I said, the spectacle is something that I haven't personally seen yet, which is hard to say nowadays.

However, even with the emotional depth the film provided, there isn't much there. I felt, myself, that the movie was kind of simple in terms of the premise: warriors take girls, everyone chases, car fights, car fights, more car fights, heroes win. It's pretty thin in terms of a story, and that didn't really help in my case. Without a gripping narrative to keep me engaged, it got to the point where the action of the movie felt slightly overwhelming; like if you had a lot of tortilla chips, but didn't have a lot of guacamole or salsa. The film felt empty of dialogue, which it was, and that kind of wore me out since dialogue was replaced with fire and loud music.

Another thing is I was surprised where the emotional depth came from, which wasn't our main madman. Imperator Furiosa was, essentially, our main character for the epic, with Mad Max being sidelined. I don't have a problem with this fact, quite the contrary: Furiosa is a compelling and interesting heroine, someone who you root for. She's great, and Theron did a fantastic job bringing her to life. However, when you examine her brilliance, there is a bit of a downturn from her fellow cast. Hardy could have played this role in his sleep as far as the pure acting goes, which I found a bit disappointing considering he's clamoring for a franchise he can sink his teeth into. Hoult as Nux is definitely crazy, and probably embodies the spirit of the movie the best, which made me laugh. Nux was really the comic relief of the movie, which I was asking for since mostly what I was getting was car, desert, and BOOM!

I do have to give credit to the production value, though. The cars looked cool, the desert looked lifeless (and yet, became a character on its own in that sense) and the atmosphere was ecstatic. George Miller really painted a picture of how quickly people can lose their minds in order to survive, and I picked up the message he may have been trying to convey: in order for survival, we must work together. No one can get through life alone, and no one should. It's weird that, after everything Max had to do in the film, he still ended up going off on his own. I don't know, maybe it was due to the fact that the leads didn't get along, maybe it was because the studio doesn't want Furiosa in the sequel, but I just saw it as being a bit of an unrealistic reaction of Max to just up and leave after all they had been through; after all, he told Furiosa his name when he thought she was going to die, but then he just up and leaves her? I don't buy it.

In the end, I did have a good time watching Mad Max: Fury Road. The characters were fun, the action was spectacular, and the environment was an excellent backdrop for this tale. Had it not been for the over-stuffing of the action and the thin storyline, I would have gone to see this movie numerous times. However, now I may only watch it again to engage with someone else on their thoughts. And I'm sure when that time comes, it will be a lovely day.

Rating: 8/10

Avengers: Age of Ultron Review (SPOILERS)

 

So, here we are. As the blockbuster movie season has begun, we get it rolling off the right track with Marvel's new film, Avengers: Age of Ultron. Your favorite superheroes return to defend the Earth from the evil ready to knock on your front door; this time, we see our heroes trying to remain a unit through their dark times. Will they succeed? Or has the effort to supersede the original dragged the sequel down entirely?

 

First off, I'd like to clarify that I actually had a really fun time with this movie. It lives up to the hype in ways you wouldn't expect, while still giving you some surprises to enjoy. However, there are aspects of the movie that detract it from being a truly outstanding picture.

 

The movie starts off with us rejoining our heroes in their efforts to destroy the recently reborn HYDRA organization as revealed in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Hulk smashes, Cap punches, Iron Man flies, Hawkeye shoots, Thor electrocutes people, and Black Widow kicks people in the head. It's the typical superhero fanfare that we're now accustomed to in this universe, but I must admit it caught me pleasantly surprised; I like the fact that Marvel feels they're in a comfortable enough place to just launch us into the story head-on, instead of taking it slow for a big opening build-up. I feel kind of silly feeling surprised, though, because after eleven films this should have been expected.

 

Anyways, as the Avengers make their appearance, you will notice that a lot is actually going on in these first twenty minutes. As Tony Stark is looking for Loki's staff from the aftermath of the Battle of New York, Cap is busy hunting down the head honcho Baron von Struck and Pietro Maximoff, a.k.a Quicksilver, has a bit of banter with an impaired Hawkeye. It's all very quick, and leaves you with very little time to catch your breath. However, this isn't where director Joss Whedon wants your focus. This movie once again follows Tony Stark's ploy to try and be the ultimate defender of Earth, as telepath Wanda Maximoff, a.k.a. Scarlet Witch, shows him visions of what can happen to the world should the Avengers fail. And thus, we have our drive for the story.

 

As far as the rest of the movie goes, there isn't much to complain about. The action is spectacular, the characters are great, and the story is compelling. However, there are a few beats of the movie where I was just asking myself...what's going on? Has this been edited? Why is this happening here, now?

 

To address those problems, the first thing I'd like to tackle is the Thor side-mission. At one point in the film, Scarlet Witch manages to show all the Avengers' fears to them, but for Thor he sees a vision of the future: this would include seeing the rare Infinity Stones scattered throughout these films, as well as certain characters and locations to be featured in the next Thor film. This is fine and all, but what Thor does is go off on his own for a sub-subplot which detracts from the rest of the movie as a whole. There is a small part which plays into the Vision's creation (which I'll get to later), but that's about it. Thor's just gone for a good half-hour. I get it - Marvel has such a huge slate on our hands, and the fans are always anxious to see what's next from them, but it just seemed like the movie's focus was more about what's to come rather than their current issue with a sentient robot hell-bent on the destruction of mankind.

 

 

 

Another thing that felt really weird about the movie was Nick Fury's involvement. Since we saw him last, he was preparing to go undercover to wipe out scattered HYDRA forces, just like the Avengers were. However, in this movie he shows up out of the blue to smart-mouth Tony Stark a bit. And hey, I love Sam Jackson's Nick Fury. But, it seems to me like he was just there because Marvel said to themselves, "Well...he was in the last one...". Honestly, it just sort of felt surprisingly random and convenient, more so than in the past with these movies.

 

 

 

Thirdly, there is the Banner-Romanoff romance of the film. Now, I'm not sure where this idea came from, whether it was just that it hadn't been done in the comics or that there was never a romance story in an Avengers movie or what, but this was really a left-field move to make. However, I've got to praise Marvel on this one - this was a good move. Not saying it's the route I would've originally wanted to take it, but what they did with these two characters by putting them in a relationship really opened them up in ways we just haven't seen before. For all those fans clamouring for a Black Widow backstory, Avengers: Age of Ulton has you covered; it's all revealed here. And with all this craziness going on, Natasha's reasons for falling for the Hulk make sense: "All of my friends are fighters, and here comes this guy who tries to stay away from the fight because he knows he's gonna win". I'm paraphrasing, but that's the general notion. I was pleasantly surprised by this, because after the Hulk is hacked by Scarlet Witch, Bruce is reminded what kind of a monster he can be at times - this brings us back to the vulnerability aspect of Bruce Banner that makes him so human. Props to Mark Ruffalo and Scarlet Johannsen, they knocked it out of the park in this one.

 

 

 

Before I end it, I have to talk about Vision, Ultron and the twins. Coming in at about two hours, you wouldn't expect much from Vision. But he's an interesting character, in that he is able to manipulate one of those Infinity Stones I was talking about earlier. He's a synthetic robot built to be the ultimate form of Ultron before the Avengers get to him first. He has the mind of J.A.R.V.I.S., Tony's helpful A.I. system. The thing about Vision is he's also very hopeful yet understanding about humanity. He even tells Ultron in the aftermath of the final battle: " Yes, humanity is doomed, but there's a certain beauty to their kind; the fleetingness of life is what makes them fight for it even harder". Again, paraphrasing, but Vision is very interesting. Having not seen him that long, I can't comment much of what I think - only that I can't wait to see more of him in the future.

 I want to also get to Ultron. Voiced by James Spader, who did a fantastic job, Ultron is menacing, full of rage, and even comedy. The comedy, I have to be honest, threw me off a bit - Ultron has traditionally never been one to joke around, but I guess if you're built by Tony Stark, that's something that just kind of comes in the package. Ultron is a man -er, machine -  with a plan, and he executes it very well. He's imposing, he's dramatic, and he has the strength to challenge Thor! Ultron is an amazing villain, and someone who Marvel can add to their awesome villains list, alongside Loki, Red Skull, Abomination, General Ross and the Winter Soldier. Now, even though he may have been destroyed, have no fear - nobody really stays dead in comic book films.

 



 

Finally, we get to the twins, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. I was pleasantly surprised by the two, especially Quicksilver. I mean, after coming out of X-Men: Days of Future Past, I didn't know how Marvel could top it. In my opinion, they did. I liked Quicksilver's spunk attitude in this movie more, especially since we saw just straight-up more of him in this one. He was witty, he was quick (Heh), and his death hit me hard.

 

 

However, this is probably due to the fact that Quicksilver was so closely connected to his sister. Scarlet Witch impressed me with who she was: someone so clearly competent and super-powerful, yet vulnerable in her own right...kind of like the Hulk. She was dark, she was even really creepy when she needed to be. Scarlet Witch was also just someone whose pain you could feel, whether it was her personal weaknesses, her lack of faith in herself, or her brother's death, you felt for her. Hats off to Elizabeth Olsen, because she became my favorite part of the film.

 

In the end, Avengers: Age of Ultron was another successful entry to the cinematic universe, and something that Marvel should be proud of, and fans should be loving. This really was a love letter to the fans that have been with it since back in 2008 with Iron Man. While there might be some focus issues with the story, the characters, both old and new, were refreshing and compelling enough to keep me intrigued and wanting me to see more from them. After all has been said and done, I love Avengers: Age of Ultron.

 

Rating: 8.75/10