“The city’s flying; we’re fighting an army of robots; I have a bow and arrow; none of it makes sense…” Nor will it to anyone not thoroughly au fait with previous instalments, although Joss Whedon insists otherwise. Thus, we leap straight in, mid-battle, our avenging angels laying siege to the heavily guarded fortress wherein Loki’s sceptre is being put to nefarious purposes. This time, the rapidly disbanding superheroes will face their greatest opponent in the form of the Terminator-like Ultron – a “Peace in our Time” misfire which (like its narcissist creator, Tony Stark) can’t quite tell the difference between saving and destroying humanity.
New to the pack are Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen as modified twins Pietro and Wanda Maximoff (aka Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch – “he’s fast, she’s weird”), while Paul Bettany finally gets to put some flesh on his silver-tongued operating system.
Inevitably, the abundance of characters means constant cross-cutting between the multiple stars who all end up jostling for centre stage (strangely, Hawkeye wins). The visual effects are good, but not great, the zingers lively if unmemorable (Thor and “The Vision” discussing the balance of his hammer is a fleeting hoot), the narrative arcs defined by costume rather than character. Whedon may still be a maverick but the Marvel behemoth proves an ever more levelling corporate force. Worth it, though, to hear Linda Cardellini tell her screen husband; “You know, I totally support your avenging…”
