Avengers: Age of Ultron’s IMDB page currently features a giant countdown screen, informing visitors that as of this writing we are 20 days, 17 hours, and 26 minutes away from its release date. Here’s the thing, though: that’s not actually true. Yes, Age of Ultron comes out in 20 days in the United States and Canada, but by the time it makes it to us it will have already opened in around 50 countries, most notably France, Italy, Australia, the UK, South Korea and Russia. So, I imagine the countdown clock must be region specific (e.g., if you live in Finland, the clock says 12 days, if you live in New Zealand it says 13 days, if you live in Chile it says 19 days).
I highlight this to simply remind everyone of something we’ve all already experienced with prior Marvel Cinematic Universe movies like Thor: The Dark World and Iron Man 3: we’re not going to be getting this at the same time. There will probably already be an illegal bootleg copy of Age of Ultron on the internet before it ever hits a North American theater. Moreover, the internet will be inundated with spoilers from people who saw the movie and want to talk about it with everyone else, forgetting that some of us won’t have had the chance to see it yet.
Laughing at all of this, though, must be every single person in New York and Los Angeles who attended the Age of Ultron press screenings last night. As per usual, there is a press embargo preventing them publishing their reviews until a certain date, which then leads everyone to obsessively follow Twitter to at least get a sense of whether or not the critics like it. There is, after all, cause for concern with Age of Ultron. The sequel to one of the biggest films of all time has responded by adding in 3 new Avengers, two of whom we’ve merely glanced (Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver) and another we’ve never met (The Vision), and giving us yet another A.I.-gone-wrong robot villain (Ultron). That’s a lot to add to the table, especially considering that upon re-watch many have realized what Joss Whedon himself has argued which is that the first Avengers is not actually a very good movie (the first half drags, the plot often makes no sense or is it just lazy). It is, however, a phenomenal cinematic experience, providing many with the best time they’ve ever had seeing a movie in the theater. So, the critics can’t (and SHOULDN’T!) spoil Age of Ultron for us, but did they at least like it?
No, they didn’t.
They loved it!
AVENGERS AGE OF ULTRON is loaded with insane action, great character moments, and funny dialog. Joss did the impossible again.
— Steven Weintraub (@colliderfrosty) April 10, 2015
Important to note AVENGERS AGE OF ULTRON is a completely different movie than the first one. And that's why it works.
— Steven Weintraub (@colliderfrosty) April 10, 2015
We did see the after the credits scene at the press screening tonight but I won't spoil anything here.
— Steven Weintraub (@colliderfrosty) April 10, 2015
By all means @Marvel is still firing on all cylinders – was fun to geek out to Avengers: Age of Ultron – a highly entertaining follow-up!
— Jeff Goldsmith (@yogoldsmith) April 10, 2015
Big love for Avengers: Age of Ultron. Tons of fun, awesome action, and fantastic performances from all
— Eric Eisenberg (@eeisenberg) April 10, 2015
#AvengersAgeOfUltron is spectacular and a very different film than the first Avengers. Joss leaves on a high.
— Adrian Askarieh (@AdrianAskarieh) April 10, 2015
AGE OF ULTRON is a blast and there's a ton of cool Marvel surprises!
— Silas Lesnick (@silaslesnick) April 10, 2015
Just saw AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON. Soooooooo many characters and soooooo much going on, I can't believe it's coherent, let alone so fun.
— Mike Ryan (@mikeryan) April 10, 2015
And out of all the AGE OF ULTRON chaos, somehow Hawkeye gets the best role in the movie. AND the best line of the movie, maybe the series.
— Mike Ryan (@mikeryan) April 10, 2015
Okay, I've decided: Avengers: Age Of Ultron > First Avengers — mostly because Hawkeye is basically the main character.
— Mike Ryan (@mikeryan) April 10, 2015
Also, the usual Avengers supporting players stand out this time. Black Widow kicks ass and Hawkeye has the best lines.
— Mike Sampson (@mjsamps) April 10, 2015
#AvengersAgeOfUltron is darker, weirder and more emotional than the original. It's also the thrill ride to beat this summer.
— Drew Taylor (@DrewTailored) April 10, 2015
Avengers: Age of Ultron: An entire "phase" in Soylent brick form. More nerd plot, more spectacle, more sarcasm. Feeling good dizzy.
— Matt Patches (@misterpatches) April 10, 2015
Whedon stuffs Avengers Age of Ultron with an impossible amount of great geekiness. Sometimes it feels like too much, but he pulls it off!
— Kevin P. Sullivan (@KPSull) April 10, 2015
Avengers 2 is way more fun and great than the trailers let on.
— Meredith Woerner (@MdellW) April 10, 2015
.@Avengers #AgeOfUltron might be the most true to the comic movie ever. So many images taken right off the page that made me faint with joy.
— Alex Zalben (@azalben) April 10, 2015
No spoilers, but biggest surprises: Thor is hilarious and Scarlet Witch kicks so much ass. Rest of the #Avengers ain't too shabby, either.
— Alex Zalben (@azalben) April 10, 2015
Avengers: Age of Oh Yeahhhhh It's Good!
— Christopher Rosen (@chrisjrosen) April 10, 2015
#AvengersAgeOfUltron is exciting, funny, and satisfying. James Spader & Paul Bettany rule and FINALLY, Hawkeye gets some worthy screen time.
— William Bibbiani (@WilliamBibbiani) April 10, 2015
#AvengersAgeOfUltron is darker, weirder and more emotional than the original. It's also the thrill ride to beat this summer.
— Drew Taylor (@DrewTailored) April 10, 2015
While #Avengers felt like a bookend to Phase 1, #AgeofUltron definitely feels like a conduit of things to come. That being said, it rocks.
— Terri Schwartz (@Terri_Schwartz) April 10, 2015
So, there you have it. The movie that is currently tracking to make box office history might just be pretty good. And, surprise, surprise, Jeremy Renner’s justified complaints about how little he had to do in the first movie may have resulted in him being the surprising scene-stealer of Age of Ultron (As someone with no investment in the character of Hawkeye all that really makes me think is, “But what about Thor?” and then I see that someone said he is also hilarious in the movie).
As many have joked at this point, to anyone lucky enough to see Age of Ultron last night if you spoil it for us we will go Liam Neeson on your ass:
P.S. If you're a film critic who saw #AgeOfUltron, know that this will happen if you spoil anything about it #OnHere: pic.twitter.com/NavNIOuj2J
— hellresidentNY (@hellresidentNY) April 10, 2015
That IMDB countdown clock I mentioned? It now reads 20 days, 16 hours, and 34 minutes, if you care to track such things.
