On second viewing I think it held together better than my first impression. Apparently I took a bathroom break during Fury's critical Win One for the Gipper speech in Clint's farmhouse that really tied things together.

Still think Spader made Ultron too smug and human for his origins. In this case I think a Black Manta-esque voice effect and a few less wisecracks would have helped immensely.

Just saw Ultron. My first impression is that no one does snappy dialogue better than Joss, but I didn't really love it. I would like to see it again not in 3D, because I found the 3D dizzying and distracting. We could only get the assigned stadium style theater in 3D.

The movie was fun, but there were a lot of parts that made me go "meh?", and I think the fight scenes should have been shortened so there could be more plot.

Definitely. Less shit goes boom more plot.

I also thought Clint was going to die the minute they showed him with a happy famiy, because that would be a very Joss thing to do. So, I was pleasantly surprised.

In the scene where everyone is sitting around discussing Ultron after the attack, I had thoughts of I Robot, You Jane.

Also the scene where Scarlet Witch takes out Ultron's heart and crushes it made me think of a similar scene with Buffy and Adam.

I assume that very little of that is under the control of the director and writer

I think the parts I liked least and thought were the worst done specifically the Bruce and Natasha stuff, which could have been done well and just... yeah were entirely under the control of the writer and director in this case, based on the various reports that were coming out while it was being made.

I largely think said writer and director failed to stick the landing and didn't adequately review the canon to which he was adding, thus choosing to ignore, oh, pretty much the last three solo films in terms of character development, and also possibly his own previous effort.

There was a lot of "character development" that felt shoehorned in.

And everyone's got buddies but Tony. Rhodey is someone who's been around forever, but relationships with constant needling never struck me as pleasant.

Though Tasha asking Steve if he was done gazing into Tony's eyes was amusing.

But Tony always seems like he's on the defensive. I was sorry to see The Science Bros break up.

Amen to the more plot, less fight. I wish Joss had fought for that.

Enjoyed Joss' dialogue as always.

Re Ultron, I think there was too much movie in that movie. While it was interesting to meet the Hawkfamily, I don't think it was strictly necessary. Except that it provides a reason for him to retire from the Avengers.

I went with a huge group of friends and most of them decreed that Ultron, as a villain, was boring. The consensus on him was "meh." I mean, what villain reads the internet for 5 seconds and decides humanity needs to die?

Things I did enjoy were the Hawkeye/Quicksilver byplay. Even to the very end. ::sob:: The group ragging on Steve for his "language." Thor's "if you're worthy" and the look on his face when Vision picked it up. And! I had no idea this movie was going to show the creation of the Vision. And that, of course, Paul Bettany would play the part. I stayed off of IMDb and I'm very glad for it.

There was some questionable stuff that bugged, the main one being when Natasha says she can't have kids either, because she's a monster. Oh, wow. Yeah, all women who can't have kids are monsters. I'm pretty sure that's not the way Joss meant that to be read, but that's what some of my friends took away from it.

All things considered, though, I thought it was a good popcorn movie: enough plot, enough action, good characterization; I'd give it 4 out of 5 stars.

I don't think Natasha believed her speech, I think she was just repeating what she'd been told, explaining how she'd been taught to see herself. The sterilization was something done to them because they didn't deserve to have children, and, as a practical matter, it does cut potential ties.

edit: When the city started rising, I'm afraid I said to myself, "They already did that on Avengers, Earth's Mightiest Heroes!" And the whole "I must destroy you to save you" thing is pretty cliché by now.

At least Loki was straightforward megalomania. It's a classic.

Tony never did fix the tractor. Unless that was a plot to get him to see Fury. And since when does Fury care so much about Tony?

There should be something in that bar a la Iron Man 2. Though Clint would not appreciate a repulsor powered tractor.

All things considered, though, I thought it was a good popcorn movie: enough plot, enough action, good characterization; I'd give it 4 out of 5 stars.

On a regular movie scale I could give it a 4, but by both my standards for Joss and for the Marvel movies in general, I can't give it more than a 3.

I mean, what villain

Actually, when you put it that way, it makes more sense. Ultron must have read the comments .