And by Yes No Maybe So I mean Yes Yes and Also YAAASSSS.
Tony Stark modelling the signature look from Hulkbuster Summer Line 2015
Though the thought of 20 plus superhero movies in the next few years makes me psychologically ill (nothing is special if it's all the time - see also Streep playing every part for women over 60 and tv shows about lawyers/doctors/crimescenes) at least roughly half of the Marvel movies are actually good examples of this soon-to-be oversaturated genre, generally getting the balance right of big pop flair, comic relief and stylized gravitas. And by "half" I'm referring of course to both Captain Americas, Joss Whedon's take on The Avengers and every other Iron Man. I'm hoping the genre goes out* with a big bang, that bang being Avengers: Age of Ultron.
But before we begin a word about "premieres." why do movie studios even bother announcing "premieres" or anything anymore when they then immediately retract the specialness of every debut by shooting their wad early. On Tuesday night's Agents of SHIELD they made a big fuss about how the Avengers Age of Ultron trailer would premiere on next Tuesday's episode (theoretically to boost ratings/interest) and then within 24 hours Marvel had officially posted the trailer online thereby killing the excitement of watching it next week during Agents of SHIELD.
Anyway, for this supersized Yes No Maybe So (our series wherein we break down movie trailers to those three categories) we're doing roughly every image, in the order it appears because we can't help it. Mmmm, can't get enough.
YES. We're listening, evil voice. All our ears belong to you. What is it? Show us. Show us.
A cloud of smoke? Huh. Unexpected but nice burnt ochre. Yes.
Everyone screaming.... for Mercy."
Dramatic much? Robotic voice by James Spader. Cinematography by Ben Davis (Guardians of the Galaxy, Masters of Sex pilot, Stardust) Maybe so. Because yes, you're a super villain and threatening and all and this movie will have great production values but this image reminds one exactly of early images from the set of the original Avengers where civilians were gathered around stopped cars in city streets, freaking out.
Yes. First sighting of The Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Quicksilver (Aaron Johnson) aka 50% of why Nathaniel is excited to see this movie. (Two of his favorite characters from superhero-loving childhood, Scarlet Witch definitely his all time favorite Avenger)
YES. Start with your strength. And by strength we mean your most successfully cinematized character and Chris Evan's physiolocially impossible V shape with shoulders the width of two men.
Yes. Nice of you to jump immediately to Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) when he was the only character to not wholly win over the masses last time. There's another shot of Thor's hammer arriving that I forgot to snap. Sorry bout it.
You want to protect the world. But you don't want it to change...
Yes, it's important to give a sense of mystery especially in this overspoiled genre. And this is odd wide shot with The Avengers looking totally bummed out instead of Role Call iconic is a great way to reintroduce them as a team. And why is Bruce Banner so mental patient jittery?
YES, by all means cut to: a closer look.
You're all puppets. Tangled in strings.
YES. Future Robot Overload as Weird Lumbering Zombie. Promising! The Avengers being all WTH but not scared in reaction shots also a plus. It's a zombie robot. They've seen worse, whatevs.
Maybe So. Ultron looks good and appropriately freaky/evil... but also there's something inherently meh about killer robots that don't look like naked Robert T Patrick or Arnold Schwarzenegger in leather jacket. Just saying. But this doubting moment is mostly brought to you by a track record. Marvel Studio's #1 moviemaking problem has been crap villains. Almost every time.
Yes. Captain America storming the castle. Or dungeon or Unknown Place. I love him with so much muchness. What can I say?
YES X 1,000,000 though for the creepy "There Are No Strings On Me" cover in the background of this whole sequence of destruction shots
Maybe So. What kind of storytelling are they doing here to explain Quicksilver and The Scarlet Witch as accomplices to a robot? Will it make any kind of sense... even comic book sense?
Yes. This image of Ultron emerging from water is weirdly incongruous. Robots and Water seem like they shouldn't go together. How do they not short circuit? Are they dropped into vats of rice for healing like iPhones that took an unfortunate liquid spill? But then suddenly Maybe So because a whole legion of robots behind him is a reminder of how generic villain armies are. Think the aliens in The Avengers finale. Villains thrive on personality.
Maybe So. Heroes worried, beat up, defeatist. THE DRAMA OF IT ALL. Tony Stark promises that it's all over "the end of the path I started us on." and Natasha agrees "Nothing lasts forever" but don't they know that Avengers 3 is already on the books for 2018?
YES. Freakily empty post apocalyptic rubble shot with Scarlet Witch falling to her knees, screaming. What is happening? Is she doing a super hex? Is Quicksilver buried in rubble? Is she longing for her weird pointy red face cowl from the comics? Or wishing her current robot boss was actually her future robot lover The Vision? What is happening!
Y
E
S
Yes. The Black Widow dropped from a plane without missing a beat. Plus Scarlett on a motorcycle can summon flashes of Under the Skin if this movie is disappointing and we need distraction.
YES. Quicksilver attacking Captain America on a moving train. Moving train action sequences are so de rigeur but they're usually exciting, right? Spider-Man vs Doctor Octopus, Wolverine on the Bullet train, James Bond versus whomever/whenever, Etcetera back to the early days of cinema.
No. As previously stated I was bonkers for The Scarlet Witch from childhood but I am also deadly deadly deadly bored of shapeless colored CGI globs of light always representing superpowers and magic in the movies. Like every time. It's so generic looking. Aren't there enough visual artists working on movies to think of some other way. May her hexes be more visually interesting that his milisecond shot suggests.
Maybe So. Andy Serkis! A full yes if Andy filmed this in a motion capture suit and then the animators added his Andyness through technological wizardry afterwards.
Maybe So. But Steve, how can you see where you're going?
YES. Whatever fancy plot footwork was required to rob Thor of his costume was well worth the scripted effort. If you're going to spend that much time in the gym, actors, show it off in the movie!
YES BECAUSE WHAT? Hulk and Black Widow, last seen together in a very very tense highlight of The Avengers when he was basically trying to smash her puny self
YES BECAUSE WHAT. PART TWO? Cut to: Ballerinas in a studio? Okay! Non sequitor red herring or stock footage for "regular life about to be destroyed" ambience?
Maybe So. Almost a yes because I love winter action sequences and super-love Hawkeye's weird handless finger gloves. But verging on No because how many locales and setpieces does this movie have. They are all over the place in seasons and places. Will it be an incoherent mess?
No. There was no need for Thor to find his clothes. Come on now. Be reasonable.
No. Black Widow is worried/confused/reacting. I like her more proactive, like riding that motorbike. And why revert to that curly bob after the awesome action swinging of that sleek flatironed do in Winter Soldier?
YES X 2. Iron Man vs. Hulk. Weapon of choice: automobiles. It moves too quickly for much screencapping but damn it looks exciting.
No. Ugh. Stop pretending that you kill characters off before the movie stars contract is up. Especially not Oh Captain, My Captain.
Okay, yes. From this very brief glimpse Ultron really does seem threatening/interesting and like he might be Marvel's first successful attempt at a great villain. (Loki I view in the Catwoman kind of "not really a hero/not really a villain" way) Though it gives me hives to cede any credit to James Spader (of whom I am deadly allergic) I like his voicework in this sneak.
The Trailer in Case you haven't yet seen it. Tell us: Are you a Yes No Maybe So YAS, Yes, Sure, Against my will but probably, Undecided, or Superhero Abstaining on Principle?