Epic in every freaking way

Nothing kicks summer off like a Marvel movie, and Avengers: Age of Ultron continues that consistency. Picking up after the events from last year's Captain America: The Winter Soldier, we find the Avengers storming the remaining Hydra outpost and recover the scepter originally wielded by Loki. Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Banner (Mark Ruffalo) discover a hidden resource in the scepter's gem which is similar to an artificial intelligence, a key item that will complete Stark's Ultron program; a global defense network that would protect the entire planet from any kind of danger. Upon completion of the program, Ultron (James Spader) "awakens" and withdraws information on the world, and takes it upon himself that the only way to protect the world is by destroying it. Now the Avengers must unite once more to battle the very program that was meant to protect them to begin with. Sequels that surpass the original are a rarity these days, but luckily Age of Ultron can stand alongside its' predecessor in terms of scope and fun, as well as staying true to the comics. Instead of trying to outdo what Joss Whedon accomplished in the last film, he goes a different direction with our heroes; facing the fear of what they may fail to do or the consequences of doing wrong things for the right reasons, and he pulls it off amazingly all the while keeping it close to the film's comic roots. While it's a shame he won't direct anymore of the Avenger films after this, at least it's comforting to say that Whedon has masterfully set up the playing field for the epic final chapter in the Marvel universe that is closely approaching within the next few years. And Age of Ultron serves as another brilliant example of how to do sequels and how to properly prepare for the next ones. Avengers: Age of Ultron is a definite must-see.

-Reviewed by Razor, 6/1/15