By the end of Phase 2, the MCU had established that this ambitious pipe dream was actually a success. The connected universe of these superheroes was working, and it once again led to a big team-up movie with Avengers: Age of Ultron.
While the first Avengers film is still beloved today and the back-to-back Avengers: Endgame were massive, Age of Ultron is often forgotten in the MCU. Is it better than its reputation suggests or is it better left forgotten? Here are some reasons Avengers: Age of Ultron is underrated and some reasons it's just bad.
Underrated: The Team
There was a thrill of seeing these iconic heroes come together in the first film and it would be hard to duplicate that feeling a second time around. However, Joss Whedon seemed to realize a lot of the fun comes from seeing these heroes together as a real team from the start.
The film opens with the team on a mission together, taking on Hydra. We get to see how they fight together, how they have fun with each other and how they still have disagreements. It helps add a lot of fun and personality to this super team.
Bad: Ultron
Given the ending of the first Avengers film, many fans were expecting the team to face off against Thanos in the sequel. However, Whedon switched out the Mad Titan for another classic villain, Ultron.
Though early trailers hinted at a creepy and evil robot villain, the Ultron we got in the film was a letdown. Despite a great performance from James Spader, the character's threatening nature was undone by the misplaced humor of the character. It felt like a lot of wasted potential.
Underrated: Vision
Vision is an unusual Marvel character and one that seemed difficult to bring into the MCU. However, Whedon managed to find the perfect way by linking him, not only to Ultron, but to Jarvis the A.I. as well.
Though he makes his first appearance in the third act of the film, Vision immediately becomes an incredibly interesting addition to the Avengers. Whedon writes him as a truly complex being and Paul Bettany nails the performance. His final scene with Ultron is a highlight of the film.
Bad: Overstuffed
There are so many amazing Marvel characters out there that it must be difficult for an MCU director not to get carried away with all the heroes they include in a film. While the first Avengers film was full with the original six heroes, Whedon still wanted to add more.
As mentioned, Vision was a successful addition even though Whedon had to squeeze him in at the end. However, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver felt unnecessary and under-developed with everything else that needed to be covered. With Whedon also wanting to include Captain Marvel and Spider-Man, it seems like he was getting carried away with himself.
Underrated: Improved Hawkeye
It's no secret that Hawkeye was underused in the first Avengers film. The original member of the team spent most of the movie under Loki's spell and fighting his would-be teammates. Whedon seemed to feel bad about this so he rectified it the second time around.
Hawkeye is given considerably more screen time in Age of Ultron and made much more interesting. The film shows him as a family man, it explores his role in the team and it even pokes fun at the character.
Bad: Too Much Destruction
By the time Age of Ultron was released, there was a sense that superhero films were becoming too destructive. And this film did not help to disprove that stance. The movie features the heroes causing unbelievable damage to cities, from the Hulkbuster fight to the final Battle of Sokovia.
Captain America: Civil War acknowledged this fact in its own story, but that doesn't make Age of Ultron a better movie. seeing buildings destroyed and cities ripped apart grows tiresome if you see it enough in these stories and feel lazy to a degree.
Underrated: Prelude To Civil War
One of the most interesting relationships in the film is between Steve Rogers and Tony Stark. When they first met in The Avengers, they didn't get along very well. In Age of Ultron, they have formed a friendship yet there's no escaping their differences.
We get to see the early crack starting to form in this relationship and the seeds being planted for their coming conflict. It doesn't distract from this story and, in fact, adds to it. But it creates a nice tension for the film.
Bad: Too Much Set Up
Whether or not Whedon was intentionally setting up Captain America: Civil War with Tony and Steve is unclear. However, it's quite obvious he was forced to set up a lot of future projects at the expense of his own storytelling.
This movie touches on a lot of storylines, including Avengers: Infinity War. These inclusions feel really forced and shows the flaws of the connected universe. Luckily, the MCU seems to have learned the overall story cannot dictate the individual ones.
Underrated: The Hammer Scene
The most memorable scene in the whole movie doesn't involve any action or world-saving adventures. It is a simple scene of the heroes hanging out and having some fun together. After a victory party, the Avengers take turns trying to lift Thor's hammer as a party trick.
It is the kind of scene that makes the MCU so wonderful. Bringing these iconic characters together and having some fun feels like comic books being brought to life. It also serves as some nice foreshadowing to Vision's later reveal as well as Steve Rogers being able to nudge the hammer slightly.
Bad: Too Quippy
Joss Whedon proved to be the perfect guy to bring the super team to the big screen the first time around. He understood these characters, what makes them special and, most importantly, how they should interact.
The humor Whedon infused into that first film helped make it so special. The heroes trading quips back and forth was incredibly fun. However, he leaned into it too hard in the second film. Suddenly, every character had a one-liner at the ready, including Ultron, which just felt weird. It got to the point that all the characters started to sound alike and became a little irritating.
