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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW UPDATED: Shoplifter killed by off-duty officer identified ... Crab toxin scare over, but prices still plummeting ... Storm expected to bring snow and wind to mountains ... UPDATED: Shoplifter killed by off-duty officer identified ... Crab toxin scare over, but prices still plummeting ... Storm expected to bring snow and wind to mountains ... Movie review: 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' has a lot going on Comment By Ed Symkus More Content Now MailTribune.com By Ed Symkus More Content Now Posted May. 1, 2015 at 12:01 AM Updated May 1, 2015 at 6:15 AM By Ed Symkus More Content Now Posted May. 1, 2015 at 12:01 AM Updated May 1, 2015 at 6:15 AM » Social News There’s nothing like a great first line of dialogue in a movie. This one’s is, “We are under attack!” But, in a refreshing change of pace, it’s the good guys assaulting the bad guys, the good guys being our heroes — Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Captain America, Black Widow and Hawkeye — the bad guys being the nasties at Hydra Research who are claiming ownership of the scepter, a blue glowing object, the powers of which aren’t yet known, but are no doubt ... I guess the word would be powerful. Our heroic avengers, who are as apt to trade witty banter among themselves as to argue with each other, do a pretty good job invading Hydra, and that action, to borrow a phrase from a different movie franchise, is fast and furious. But in completely understandable defense, the bad guys “send out the twins,” the twins being Pietro (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), who is blurringly fast, and his sister Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen), who has the ability to really mess around with people’s minds. Despite these new adversaries, the Avengers team does indeed get the scepter, and then has to figure out what to do with it. Confused? If you’re a fan of this Marvel Comics-based series, which now has either nine or 11 entries (depending on whether you include “Guardians of the Galaxy” and the TV show “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”), you shouldn’t be. But if you’re walking into this not having seen any previous installments, or even having seen only 2012’s “The Avengers,” there’s a strong chance that that you’ll be as perplexed while trying to figure out what’s going on in one of those “Transformers” movies. This much-awaited follow-up to all of the above has all sorts of things going for it: It’s big and loud and full of visual effects-heavy action; it has a prominent and snarky sense of humor; there are great heroes and great villains. It even has a few quiet moments where characters get to open up about personal feelings and hopes and dreams. Being a true ensemble film, there are lots of stories going on at once, with each plot’s focus spreading around to different characters. So we’ve got the two scientists Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and Bruce Banner/Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) working on a secret artificial intelligence project involving a computer program (at least I think it’s a computer program) called Ultron which, if successful, will result in world peace. Banner is also caught up in wondering if he might have something going on with Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson), who’s the only person who can calm him down when he goes green (and we’re not talking about environmentalism here). Both hunky Thor (Chris Hemsworth), who is from the planet Asgard, and no-nonsense Captain America/Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), who is still emotionally thawing out from being frozen (you know, like Ted Williams’ head) in the 1940s, haven’t quite adjusted to life on Earth in the 21st century. And Hawkeye/Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) ... well, hot damn! Hawkeye’s got a secret life, complete with a wife and kids! But remember, this is about villains and heroes. The Ultron experiment goes wrong. Ultron becomes a living, if not breathing thing (voice of James Spader), and has his own idea of what world peace should be, that idea being one without the presence of any Avengers or even regular people. And don’t forget about the sibling team of Pietro and Wanda, who have plenty of havoc to wreak. For anyone keeping track of these things, Marvel Comics co-creator Stan Lee, who’s become the king of cameos, makes one this time out at around the 25-minute mark, at a party, blathering about Omaha Beach. And good old Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), head of the now defunct superhero organization S.H.I.E.L.D. (or is it defunct?) shows up just past the one-hour point. Of the battles among friends, the best is the tumultuous one between Iron Man and Hulk. Of the constant hints that the script is pushing the film toward a blow-out confrontation, it is. Things do get very complicated, and a second viewing might be necessary for those without peripheral vision and 360-degree hearing. Things also get too big and too loud and due to the lengthy fight scenes, the film runs a little long (141 minutes, with one Easter egg in the middle of the end credits). So if you don’t enjoy onslaughts on the senses, skip it. But if you’re into an enjoyable celebration of chaos, go for it. Ed Symkus writes about movies for More Content Now. “AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON,” written and directed by Joss Whedon. Rated PG-13. With Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner. By Ed Symkus More Content Now MailTribune.com By Ed Symkus More Content Now Posted May. 1, 2015 at 12:01 AM Updated May 1, 2015 at 6:15 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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