STEPHEN: Ultron is indeed one of the better MCU villains to come along so far, though his impact wasn't quite as strong as I was hoping. He starts off creepy and menacing, then sort of retreats into comedic asides as the film progresses. I'd have liked the father/son aspect to have been explored further between Tony and Ultron, and of course between Ultron and his son (and MVP of the film, in my opinion) Vision.

 

What did you think of Vision, Ant?

 

ANTHONY: Vision's appearance on screen actually left me elated. I was overjoyed at this weird, interesting character - an odd mix of pragmatism and optimism - who is so unusual both in look and manner. Paul Bettany takes the best of JARVIS and adds in an ambiguous appeal. A welcome addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as is Scarlet Witch.

 

There's so much going on in Age of Ultron, it occasionally strains at the seams. Apparently there was an original cut of three hours plus and weirdly, I think I'd like to see that. It's not often I watch a 2.5 hour movie and want more but there you go, that's the weird situation I find myself in.

 

STEPHEN: At the same time, it also might've benefitted from dropping one of its major set pieces, which is not to say that they weren't all thrilling and exciting in their own right, just that it got a little superfluous. 

 

Still, the overall film is better paced than the original. The Avengers took a little while to warm up as it brought its group together and set up its conflict, leaving the first 20 minutes or so to be a bit of a snooze. Thankfully, Age of Ultron jumps straight into the action, giving us an established team that's already working together on a big mission to take down Baron von Strucker. It's here where we are introduced to Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. I thought both characters were a welcome addition to the franchise, in particular the latter. I've also heard many people say that they prefer the version of Quicksilver that appeared in X-Men: Days of Future Past, but I don't entirely agree. That version was fun and provided the standout scene of that film, though this version of Quicksilver proves to be more heroic and have more depth. I found the small scenes between he and his sister to be quite affecting, even if they weren't really focused on.

ANTHONY: Agreed, the additions to the team were great and felt organic, even if perhaps it came at expense of the big three (Iron Man, Thor and Captain America). I also thought the third act and climax had some of the best superhero action I've ever seen. You described one sure-to-be iconic moment as a "Caravaggio with superheroes" and it's an apt description of a jaw-dropping set piece. For all the quips and banter (which are uniformly hilarious and deft) there is a sense of giddy optimism and truly heroic heroes that represents the best of Marvel. Essentially Avengers films are the cinematic equivalent of big crossover comic book events and done well, they're as stirring as they are grandiose.
 

STEPHEN: Yep – that moment sent shivers of delight up my spine. It's like the world's best comic book double page spread, only in glorious motion. 

 

I want to bring up Hulk, as I feel that he wasn't used as well in this film, which is a shame, because he was used so magnificently in the first Avengers film. For the first time, he was used in a way that embraced the fun aspect of the character. Now, he's kind of retreated into the tortured-soul character that people didn't quite connect with in Ang Lee's Hulk 

and The Incredible Hulk. There are no great "puny god" or 'Thor sucker punch' moments in this film, or if there were, I've already forgotten them. Considering that the Avengers movies are the only time we get to see Hulk explored in the MCU, it's a bit of a let-down. 

 

ANTHONY: Hmmm. The Hulk stuff didn't bother me as much. I love Hulk, he may be my favourite Avenger, but I think Whedon was trying to draw out his softer side in the story. Self loathing is just part of his character. Although I do rather wish we'd get to the stage where he's intelligent in Hulk form. And OF COURSE I'd love to see a standalone Hulk adventure with Ruffalo. You're right, though, in terms of iconic moments he doesn't get a classic zinger.

 

STEPHEN: He's always been my favourite Avenger, too, though I feel in this film he was easily eclipsed by other heroes. 

 

Without going into spoiler territory, I can say I'm quite excited about the future of the Avengers series, and that things have indeed been shaken up. While I was initially upset about Joss Whedon;s decision to move on from the franchise before seeing the film, I'm now totally okay with Age of Ultron being his last Marvel movie. He once again did a fantastic job of creating characters of depth with a real sense of banter, though I can tell that he's already said everything he has to say on the franchise. It's better to go this way, rather than see him retreading the same territory in future films. I can't wait to see what The Winter Soldier's Russo brothers do when they take over the reigns.

 

ANTHONY: There was a sense of second act, or middle section, to this tale. It's laying the groundwork for the Infinity Wars two-parter and indeed the Captain America: Civil War storyline, where the status quo really gets shaken up. That said, I was happy to be back with the Avengers, even if their assembly was a little more complicated and less streamlined this time. While it doesn't always reach the giddy heights of the first film, I think it's a more consistent adventure that hits the ground running and rarely lets up. Joss Whedon brought a lot of warmth, humour and emotion to the MCU and it was a pleasure to have him playing in the Marvel sandbox.