At last the wait is over. After three years we finally have the next episode of Marvel’s Avengers.

But has the film lived up to expectation? Well read on.       

Since we last saw our team of Superheroes they have formed into a tight unit still driven by the natural born leader and army strategist Captain America AKA Steve Rogers (Chris Evans). He is ably assisted by this band of brothers (and sisters) who make up The Avengers.

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The Avengers reside in the refurbished Stark Towers (their Tracey Island) and some of them have had one or two upgrades courtesy of Mr Tony Stark AKA Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.). Captain America now has a shield that is retrievable with the use of a gauntlet and magnetic homing device in the shield. Hawkeye AKA Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) has faster loading and improved arrowheads and Tony Stark has developed his own giant Hulkbuster robot suit used to pacify the monster should he get way out of control.

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The film has one of the most action packed opening scenes that I have ever seen (filmed in Hawley Woods in North Hampshire) with a battle against the soldiers of the evil Hydra, which pretty much sets the pace for the rest of the film.

During the aftermath of the rumble Tony Stark gets his hands on Loki’s sceptre and discovers a dormant program that could create an ultimate artificial intelligence that could and I quote ‘bring peace in our time’. But things don’t go to plan. The Avengers now face a new nemesis in the form of a megalomaniac android called Ultron (Voiced by James Spader) whose soul aim is to eradicate The Avengers forever so he can save the human race by destroying them and letting evolution create a better world.

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Ultron

Along the way we are also introduced to a couple of sibling mutants that were experimented on by Hydra. Pietro Maximoff AKA Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his sister Wanda Maximoff AKA Scarlet Witch (Elisabeth Olsen). Quicksilver has the ability to move with lightning speed and Scarlet Witch can use her mind to destroy her enemies and also get into the head of her victims and discover their weaknesses.

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The Twins

Director Joss Whedon, creator of TVs Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly fame and Toy Story screenplay, has a real flare for great storytelling. However, he does have the habit of taking the audience down one path only to pull the rug from under your feet and send you another direction. At the same time he is the also responsible for the witty one liners that come out of Tony Stark’s mouth.

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Party time

There is a fun scene in a rare moment of relaxation for the Avengers when we see them play the party game of ‘who is worthy enough to pick up Thor’s hammer from the coffee table’. Chris Hemsworth still brings a quaint naivety to the character of Thor who takes everything too seriously.
But Hemsworth knows how to play the audience and can make us laugh with one subtle confused expression or raised eyebrow.

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There is even some time made for a budding ‘will they, won’t they’ romance with Natasha Romanoff AKA Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Bruce Banner AKA The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). And yes Scarlett Johansson does spend most of the film running around in a black cat suit…so something for the Dad’s.

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It’s good to see Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye get a bigger role in this sequel and we discover more about his past.

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Hawkeye

Watch out for the return of Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Col. James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) who brings some light relief. Plus the appearance of another new character with a familiar voice called Vision.

The Avengers are at their best when the motivational Captain American rallies the guys together with one of his team speeches and they become a force to be reckoned with. None more so than in the ‘Rorke’s Drift’ style finale.

I’m not the biggest fan of CGI as it can sometimes be overused but the special effects in this film are outstanding. Whedon has done a great job with the character development and shows us the occasional vulnerability of the group.

So if you want to be entertained then look no further than this rollercoaster of a Movie.

A big Foker On Film 5 out of 5 stars.

In cinemas from April 23

See trailer