Avengers: Age of Ultron was one of my most anticipated movies of 2015, and I’m happy to say that it lived up to the hype. I found the heavily hyped follow-up to be an absolute blast, with a fantastic blend of bombastic action, consistent humour and an added tinge of darkness, plus a wealth of moments that, as a comic book fan, made me extraordinarily happy. I’ve put together a list (in chronological order) of the five best scenes in the film that did just that.
1. Attack on the Hydra Base
Age of Ultron kicks off in a very different way to its predecessor; where the first film took its time establishing the threat and bringing the team together, here our heroes are already assembled and in combat. Whedon drops us into a breakneck opening sequence that is an absolute rush, as the Avengers raid Baron von Strucker’s Hydra outpost in Sokovia. After the events of The Winter Soldier, I was curious as to whether this film would feature the team cleaning up Hydra’s mess, and I was glad to see that was the case. We get some great interaction between the six heroes, plus an amazing tracking shot. Reintroducing us to the characters while showing off their new skills and tricks, it’s a frantic, but fantastic, extended intro.
2. Enter the Hulkbuster
Everybody was looking forward to the colossal smackdown between the Hulk and Iron Man (kitted out in a glorious fan-favourite armour), and thankfully the fight delivered in spades. Unleashing the Green Goliath on a destructive rampage through the streets of Seoul (thanks to some mind-games from Wanda Maximoff), Whedon creates a lot of carnage but keeps it personal; we feel every single hit as Tony Stark attempts to take down one of his greatest friends.
3. Behold… the Vision!
Up until lately, the Vision has been one of the most secretive aspects of this sequel, with the character being used sparingly in the official marketing material (except for the wealth of concept and promotional art that’s surfaced). And that secrecy beforehand makes the iconic android one of the best things in Age of Ultron. His explosive reveal towards the final act is a joy, as the artificial intelligence J.A.R.V.I.S. gains a great red, green and yellow form. Paul Bettany does a fantastic job, acting as the paragon for Ultron’s renegade, and as the smoke cleared and the Vision stood before Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, I was a very happy man.
4. Fighting Together
I found the third act to be extremely satisfying, and the strongest section of the final battle to be the team assembling together to fight an onslaught of Ultron bots. As Sokovia is pushed further towards Earth’s atmosphere, our heroes are beginning to feel outmatched and outgunned. With Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver joining the original six Avengers, however, we get to witness an amazing combination of powers and abilities attempt to stop the film’s most formidable force. I’m incredibly happy to see the direction and cinematography really step up in this sequel, and this scene is a prime example.
5. Thanos Takes Matters Into His Own Hands
There was a heavy amount of speculation as to what a post or mid-credits scene in the movie would entail — would we see Captain Marvel? Spider-Man? Black Panther? Well, in the end, it didn’t set up any of those MCU newcomers. Instead, we’re treated to a short, but sweet, Infinity War teaser, with Josh Brolin’s cosmic big bad Thanos retrieving the Infinity Gauntlet. In truth, it’s not much, but it’s still amazing to get a glimpse at the bigger picture looming on the horizon.
Honourable Mention: New Avengers Assemble
Once the threat of Ultron is extinguished, a new Avengers facility is unveiled, and a new team is formed. Iron Man, Hawkeye and Thor depart (and the Hulk goes missing), but of course, new members take their place. Captain America brings together Black Widow, the Vision, War Machine, Falcon (sporting great new duds) and redesigned, more comic book-y Scarlet Witch (who looks amazing, by the way), and as Chris Evans goes to declare the team’s famous battle cry, the film cuts to the titles. Whedon, you tease!
Well, there’s my list! I’m certain that you guys will have other moments that stood out to you, and I’m curious to know what they are. Feel free to leave your thoughts on this article, the film, and whatever else in the usual place. It'd also be great if you could hit that red glove if you enjoyed reading. Final question: when will we hear the words "Avengers, Assemble!" spoken on screen? (My guess is in Infinity War.)