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Revisiting Avengers: Age of Ultron’s Legacy: The MCU Sequel That Deserves More Love

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Marvel recently paid tribute to the 10-year anniversary of “Avengers: Age of Ultron” by highlighting key scenes from the movie. The much-awaited sequel to “The Avengers” featured Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man, Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America, Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/the Hulk, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, and Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton/Hawkeye. These original Avengers were joined by new additions Elizabeth Olsen, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Paul Bettany in this film.

As a dedicated Marvel fan, back when I was still in high school, the anticipation for “Avengers: Age of Ultron” was palpable. In the countdown to its premiere, my friends and I planned an epic road trip to catch it on the big screen. We crammed into my friend’s van and drove all the way to a city theater for a 29-hour non-stop Marvel movie marathon. From “Iron Man” to “Avengers: Age of Ultron”, we aimed to rewatch every Marvel film up until then. I proudly wore my Her Universe Loki dress, sneaked in a Subway footlong, and braced myself for a marathon session—a big thanks to my mom for letting me skip school that day! Surprisingly, out of the seven of us, I was the one who stayed awake throughout the entire movie extravaganza.

Regardless of my growing anticipation, my initial take on Avengers: Age of Ultron wasn’t particularly positive. While it certainly lived up to being a visual feast, I ended up feeling let down by the way the movie introduced its fresh characters and tackled the Black Widow/Hulk relationship, among other minor criticisms.

Avengers: Age of Ultron Didn’t Land With Me In 2015

The Avengers Sequel Failed To Live Up To Its Predecessor

A frequent criticism among movie enthusiasts today is that trailers reveal too much about the plot. This was definitely true for the film Avengers: Age of Ultron; just from watching the trailer, my younger self inferred that Taylor-Johnson’s character Quicksilver would die because there was a scene showing his sister Scarlet Witch crying. Even though I made this prediction, I was still let down by how Marvel’s equivalent to The Flash met his endsurrounded by gunfire. However, Quicksilver did manage to meet his demise in a noble sacrifice, which allowed the team’s family-oriented member, Hawkeye, to return home to his children and wife.

In my humble opinion as a movie critic, while Quicksilver’s exit was disappointingly underdeveloped, “Avengers: Age of Ultron” still had its share of intriguing yet problematic aspects. A notable point of contention for me was the evolving romance between Black Widow and the Hulk. Initially, Natasha seemed capable of calming the Hulk’s rampage, only to later witness the Hulk making a drastic decision to depart Earth, choosing to leave our planet to protect both Natasha and other dear ones from his potential destructive outbursts.

In this romance, the most troubling scene was when Natasha referred to herself as a monster following her enforced sterilization. Though it might be understandable for her to mourn over her inability to bear children, the movie “Avengers: Age of Ultron” reinforces the notion that a woman’s self-worth is tied to motherhood by focusing on Natasha’s predicament without fully exploring ways for her character to discover value beyond it.

In addition to my main issues with the movie, there are a couple of smaller points that bother me as well. For instance, I find it odd that they left out Ultron’s creator, Hank Pym, and ended up killing off Hydra leader Varon Von Strucker before he had the chance to make a more significant impact in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, the anniversary tribute was so well-done that it made me focus on the film’s stronger aspects instead.

How The Avengers: Age Of Ultron Tribute Changed My Mind

Avengers: Age of Ultron Has A Number Of Standout Moments

To explain why the anniversary video of Avengers: Age of Ultron resonated with viewers, it’s crucial to examine each scene. The video commences by depicting the Avengers trying to lift Thor’s hammer; Tony and Rhodey together, Bruce, and Captain America individually. Notably, Cap manages to move the hammer slightly, causing concern on Thor’s face. When Natasha is offered a turn, she replies: “That’s not a question I need answered“. This exchange beautifully encapsulates the dynamic between all the Avengers, even though her character development in the film was less satisfactory later on.

Following this, the conversation shifts to a frequently referenced scene where Iron Man and Captain America are seen chopping wood at Hawkeye’s residence. They engage in a discussion about the visions that Scarlet Witch had shared with them, and Tony questions Steve due to his apparent absence of a “dark side.” The heroes then have a heated debate over Ultron and Tony’s intentions behind creating him. Enraged, Steve demonstrates his strength by tearing a log in half with bare hands and declares: “Whenever someone tries to wage war before it begins, innocent lives are lost. This is always the case.” Such dialogue exchanges play a crucial role in fleshing out characters with contrasting viewpoints.

After that, the focus moves to Iron Man (wearing Hulkbuster armor) battling the Hulk in an effort to reduce destruction. Later on, the Avengers engage with Ultron but are unable to defeat him. This leads to Ultron lecturing the Avengers about their need for elimination. Following this, Vision’s creation is demonstrated, and the Avengers—including his future spouse, the Scarlet Witch—are depicted reacting to it. A scene mirroring the famous 360-degree shot from The Avengers occurs next, featuring the original team joined by Vision, Quicksilver, and the Scarlet Witch, battling Ultron’s minions. Eventually, the broader fight transitions into a confrontation between Vision and Ultron.

Each scene in this tribute highlights the top-notch offerings of Avengers: Age of Ultron. If you’re feeling sentimental, it might just convince you to revisit the entire movie for the first time since 2015. To my delight, I found a plethora of enjoyable aspects in the second installment of the Avengers series.

Avengers: Age Of Ultron Aged Better Than I Expected

Many Threads Started In Avengers: Age of Ultron Have Paid Off Elsewhere

Although I may not consider Avengers: Age of Ultron my preferred Avengers film or Marvel Cinematic Universe installment, it turns out to be a more impressive movie than many viewers, including myself, recall. One significant reason for this is that hindsight has given us a better understanding of its impact on the storyline. For instance, it introduced the beloved character Scarlet Witch, advanced the Infinity Saga by delving into the Mystic Stone, and hinted at War Machine and Falcon’s future roles as Avengers. These plot points have since come to fruition, with Scarlet Witch getting her own series, the Mind Stone playing a crucial role in Avengers: Infinity War, and Falcon assuming the mantle of Captain America. This is just a small part of what the movie laid the groundwork for.

Beyond that, Avengers: Age of Ultron featured many captivating action scenes, like Iron Man battling Hulk. With its diverse components, watching Avengers: Age of Ultron once again becomes quite rewarding, particularly following an additional decade of Marvel Cinematic Universe productions.

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2025-05-12 06:29

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