Is Bigger Better?

Even if Joss Whedon hadn’t already been telling the press that he’s (probably) done directing Avengers films, it would’ve been clear to Whedon fans that Avengers: Age of Ultron is his finale. There’s the iconic tracking shot that opens the film, nodding to each of our superheroes as it checks in with them amid a snowy forest fight. And there’s the Hellmouth, a gaping hole in the earth where a small town once stood. There are a few other Whedon tropes, but those are the big ones, borrowed from closing statements in previous movies like Serenity, his send-off to the short-lived TV series Firefly.

If only there was a little more Whedon in the rest of the film. Age of Ultron picks up mid-battle for what’s left of Loki’s staff and its pretty gem, which proves vital to Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.)’s dream of creating a global peacekeeping robot army.

Nothing remotely dubious about that, right? Right.

When it all goes awry, the Avengers have to fight the resulting homicidal robot with daddy issues — as well as each other (a Hulk/Iron Man fight goes on endlessly) and, for a little while, their own demons. That’s thanks to the introduction of the telepathic/telekinetic Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) who, along with her speedy twin, Pietro (Aaron Taylor-Jones), is a super-powered human created by a bad guy’s experiments with that mystical gem. Olsen, even saddled with an awkward accent, might be the best thing about this movie; she ghosts around like a haunted child and then switches to full-on rage at the drop of a hat (or building).

Age of Ultron is full of introductions, explanations for where the other women are (Pepper Potts and Jane Foster are far too busy to help save the world) and shoehorned-in love interests, as well as heavily computer-generated fight sequences and, occasionally, a really good Whedon crack or nifty stunt for Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson). She’s still making the rest of the Avengers look a little tired, which is why it’s extra frustrating when the plot sidelines Black Widow for part of the finale.

But there’s so much crammed into this film that everything feels a little sidelined: the hit-or-miss quips, the lackluster fight sequences, the vague locations, the cameo appearances, the fact that Ultron is in the internet but never does anything diabolical with it. Age of Ultron goes big — big cast, worldwide destruction, giant robot army — but in the end, it feels like very little happened.

Good job, kids; you saved the world. Status quo maintained. We’ll see you for the next round.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

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None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!