Avengers: Age of Ultron spoiler-free review: Spider-Man might not be in it but this is still the best comic book film to date!

First of all let me just start by saying that there’s nothing for Spider-Fans in this film, there’s no Easter-egg for Spidey, or at least I didn’t notice one throughout the film. And he definitely doesn’t turn up anywhere near the credits.

However after seeing Avengers: Age of Ultron I’d be looking at that 2017 Spider-Man film with as much enthusiasm and excitement as possible because once again Marvel have not only proven that they deeply understand their characters but they’ve probably gone and given us their best offering yet.

That’s right folks, at the moment I’m saying that Age Of Ultron is better than the first Avengers, heck it’s even better than Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier which makes it the best Marvel made superhero film to date. Until Spidey, that is!

Any film that starts off with a fast-paced and amazingly shot action sequence in media res that shows us Captain America throwing a motorbike through a jeep and Thor using Cap’s shield to mow down a line of enemies, including a tank, is going to be good! It’s also a great way to launch the audience back into the world of the Avengers, as we learn they’ve been assaulting Hydra bases to find Loki’s sceptre.

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From the outset Age of Ultron is permeated with an array of visually accomplished and absolutely stunning action sequences that would make any comic book fan weep with happiness. The prolonged fight between Hulk and Iron Man, as well as the opening assault on Strucker’s base plus Black Widow, Cap and Hawkeye rescuing Vision and the end gambit between the Avengers and Ultron’s Iron Legion are all literal spectacles and even then there are more amazing moments of action.

But this isn’t just a Michael Bay CGi-fest. Avengers: Age of Ultron presents us with very realised, extremely developed characters as once again Joss Whedon manages to find a balance between all of his disparate protagonists, with each one getting ample amounts of screen time and development. In fact this film is littered with character moments. Some of the stand-outs being Iron Man’s reasoning for creating Ultron, Black Widow and Hulk’s growing relationship and Hawkeye’s graduation as an important character with a back-story, some could even argue that this is ‘his’ film.

Several of Marvel side characters like Maria Hill, Nick Fury, Heimdall, Agent Carter, Alexander Selvig, War Machine and Falcon all appear giving you some idea of the truly vast scope of the Marvel cinematic universe but none of their appearances feel gratuitous or forced. In fact the new additions we see in Avengers: Age of Ultron, such as main characters Vision, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, as well as supporting characters Helen Cho and Ulysses Klaue quickly establish themselves and also have great moments throughout the film.

James Spader’s rasping Ultron was an interesting villain who genuinely seems dark and twisted in the trailer. In the film he’s slightly lighter whilst still unhinged and makes the odd amusing villainous quip. However the nature of his character makes for plenty of great moments as you are never entirely sure when Ultron is actually down and out.

Ultron also masterfully sets up several plot points for future Marvel films as Black Panther, Thor 3, Cap 3, Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and, of course, Avengers 3 all get set-up in this movie but it falls seamlessly into the action and doesn’t detract from the movie in the way that the universe building in Amazing Spider-Man 2 did.

Honestly this film is a blast, there’s tons of everything from action, to comedy, to character moments, basically everything you’d want from a comic book movie. It’s well paced and well plotted and superbly acted by the ever-increasing cast. I’m probably going to go and see it again and I’d recommend anyone and everyone to take a few hours out of their time to go and watch Avengers: Age of Ultron if they haven’t already, Spider-Man or not!

Next: Which Spider-Man characters appear in Marvel's Daredevil?

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