Avengers: Age of Ultron

[dlbpharmd]

I was a bit overwhelmed by this, as I thought it felt rushed, and as of this weekend I hadn't seen Guardians (I watched it last night.)

I didn't know that the Aether was identified as one of the stones, so that line from Thor about 4 Infinity Stones confused me.

I had read online that there wasn't going to be an after credits scene so we left, only to find out yesterday that there was a mid-credits scene. Bastards! I'm staying til the bitter black screen from now on.

[Hashi Lebwohl]

I didn't know that the Aether was identified as one of the stones, so that line from Thor about 4 Infinity Stones confused me.

In the end-credit scene from Dark World, Volstagg comments to the Collector that the Tesseract is in Asgard and that it is unwise to keep two Infinity Stones together, which is why he and Sif went to Knowhere to give it to him.

The thing I can't figure out is how Thor knows about the Soul Gem from Guardians. Asgard knows of Xandar and Hala (the Kree homeworld), but it wouldn't be interested or involved in their conflict so the only logical conclusion is that someone sensed the fact that three sentient beings had held the Stone (poor Carina, Ronan, then Quill) and Heimdall saw it. Of course, Hugin and Munin get around a lot and those two birds are very stealthy--you never know when or where they may turn up. The fact that three Stones have seen active use on Earth in only a few short years should be troubling enough without knowledge of the fourth.

[sgt.null]

dlb - I am the guy who leaves last at every movie. I feel it is my obligation to stay for the credits. it is usually the only recognition those people get. plus I like knowing where films are filmed.

[aTOMiC]

Saw Age of Utron yesterday.

I generally enjoyed the film however the plot device that involves dozens or hundreds of automated Iron Man style armored assailants is wearing thin with me. I got it in Iron Man II and Iron Man III and would like very much if the creative minds behind Marvel films would finally let this go. And of course there were many story beats similar to the first Avengers movie (replace ultron-bots with chitari soldiers).
Ultron doesn't need minions, never did.

Still enjoyed myself though.

[Fist and Faith]

I also saw it yesterday. (No annoying brats or fire alarms this time!) I enjoyed it a lot. Ultron's personality is a surprise, and I like it a lot. The origin of the Vision is pretty darned cool, imo. The humor was very good, both for Iron Man and Ultron, and the long-running Cap joke. I have no problem with the romantic aspect.

Yup, the Iron Legion is a stupid as it gets. In all movies, the questions is, why not just attack with all of them in the first place? Who needs the Avengers attacking in the opening scene? Or at least why not the Iron Legion helping them attack? But whatever.

Wanda is pretty cool. Between the mind-screw she does and the apparently powerful tk (the shield held off quite a bit there), she can be extremely formidable.

[aTOMiC]

Who needs the Avengers attacking in the opening scene?

Well you hit on the only other problem I had with the film. The opening scene was supposed to be really cool, and in many ways it was, however it was so CGI heavy I almost groaned aloud. I don't want a 250 million dollar budgeted movie to lean so heavily on computer effects to tell its story. It would have been much more exciting if it were handled more practically and more intimately. Oh well. When they ask me to direct a Marvel movie I'll do it my way.

[Fist and Faith]

Yeah, the cgi there was not good. But I meant the Avengers weren't needed at all, because the IL could've attacked on their own.

[aTOMiC]

Yeah, the cgi there was not good. But I meant the Avengers weren't needed at all, because the IL could've attacked on their own.

I happen to agree with you however it seemed the IL was only capable of flying in and re assuring people that they meant no harm and were there to help which I assumed was to demonstrate that the IL's limitations required a drastic upgrade in order to be fully mission effective ie the "Ultron Initiative"

Another off topic issue I noticed in the coming attractions preview of "Batman vs Superman" (which is a laughable concept to begin with) was that in one of the final clips we find Batman wearing Iron Man armor complete with his signature glowing eye slots which seems to suggest that the only way Batman has a snowball's chance in hell against Superman is to turn him into Iron Man which is so lazy I can't comment on it properly.

[sgt.null]

in a fairly recent JLA, Amanda Waller asks Firestorm if he can make kryptonite.

finally some critical thinking. ask Dr. Alchemy/Mr. Element. or Metamorpho, or Mr. 104 as well.

[Hashi Lebwohl]

He can if he has a sample of it to analyze first. I am curious as to whether they have answered the question as to whether Kryptonite is an element or an alloy/mineral; I have always led towards "mineral"--a certain combination of radioactive elements that results in the very narrow effect it generates. If it is a mineral then it should be possible to create it in a lab so that the grown crystals have the same effect as the naturally-occurring ones.
In a rare crossover Dr. Doom once coated Superman with an adhesive Kryptonite dust as well as built lasers which emitted the same energy signature that Kryptonite gives off.
Lex Luthor once converted the Metal Men into Kryptonite.

Back on topic, none of the events of AoU invalidate my wife's working hypothesis that Loki and Odin have set up this really subtle plot to draw out Thanos into the open. Consider:
Thanos learns that the Tesseract is on Earth when the Tesseract transports Red Skull--who is not dead yet--to Sanctuary.
Loki falls from Asgard and, in his wanderings, meets Thanos, and they make a deal--Loki retrieves the Tesseract for Thanos and in return Thanos gives Loki command of his army with which to cripple the planet. He is given the Staff, containing the Mind Gem, to accomplish this goal.
He misses his chance to grab the Aether but now it is stored in Knowwhere, which is a much easier place to access than Asgard. Loki fakes his death, giving Odin a chance to slip away unseen, appointing Loki to be his doppleganger on the throne.
In frustration over the second attempt to destroy Earth via proxies fails and the fact that he lost control of the Mind Gem which he already had, Thanos decides to move forward on his own. My speculation is that he controls the Time Gem, which will make getting hold of the other ones easy.

[aTOMiC]

Back off topic...

Batman doesn't have any business fighting Superman, at least in the manner that is suggested in the film clip for BvS.
Its like a soft teddy bear attempting to inflict pain on a Blacksmith's anvil. There's no point in it.
Batman encased in an unfortunate copy of Iron Man's armor is like a soda can trying to inflict damage on a Blacksmith's anvil. Still there's no point in it.

This talk of turning Superman into someone with vulnerabilities just to give Batman a fighting chance is insulting to Superman, Batman and Iron Man all at once.

I'll still be there in the theater to see BvS.

[Hashi Lebwohl]

I concur. For all his natural gifts and his will to succeed at anything he tries, a fight versus Batman and Superman would be as follows:
1) Superman flies into the atmosphere away from buildings then uses heat vision on Batman until he is crispy.
2) Superman moves faster than Batman can react and squishes his skull.
3) Superman grabs Batman and flies into near-Earth orbit, then lets go.

Yes, I'll go see it too, just like I will go see all the MCU movies from now (well, July for Ant-Man and the close of Phase 2) all the way through Nov 2019. ugh. That's a long time and a lot of movies. I wonder if they really will be able to make it all the way through them?

Did anyone else watch the fan-made Black Widow fake movie trailer? It is really well-done and I would thoroughly enjoy watching that movie. Get on the ball, Marvel!

[sgt.null]

Superman stands in Chicago. sends a burst of heat vision to Gotham. liquifies Batman's brains.

movie over.

[ItisWritten]

Superman stands in Chicago. sends a burst of heat vision to Gotham. liquifies Batman's brains.

movie over.

All true, except that Superman rarely kills his enemies. Especially if they're mere humans.

[Brinn]

Haven't any of you read Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns"? In that graphic novel, which is still one of my all-time favorites, Batman and Superman square off. With a little help from Green Arrow, Batman holds his own...for a bit. Interesting to see if they are borrowing from this Batman story line but in a Superman movie.

[I'm Murrin]

The only reason Batman did that well in The Dark Knight Returns is because Superman had just survived being blasted by an actual nuke, IIRC.

[dlbpharmd]

The only reason Batman did that well in The Dark Knight Returns is because Superman had just survived being blasted by an actual nuke, IIRC.

Wasn't that "Kingdom Come?"

[Fist and Faith]

It was Return. And after being very patient, humoring Batman, and being hit by massively powerful attacks, Supes ended it in a couple seconds.

[Hashi Lebwohl]

Haven't any of you read Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns"?

I bought them when they came out. When was that? 1985? 1986? Somewhere around there. Sadly--very sadly--I do not have those books now--they didn't live through all the chaos and moves.

Batman's primary problem is that he has too many fanboys who think that he can do no wrong and that there is no situation in which he cannot win if given sufficient time to prepare. Unless he is prepared for all situations at all times, which is impossible for anyone--even Batman, then at some point he will encounter a scenario which will result in his defeat.

I would be much more interested in seeing Batman versus Ozymandias.

[sgt.null]

Miller has a pathological hatred of Superman, it colors his writing at all levels. if you read Miller's All-Star Batman you would see how insane he has become.