Age of Average

‘Avengers Age of Ultron’ is the second Avengers film and last instalment in what has been dubbed as ‘Marvel Phase Two.’ In this film Ultron is an artificial intelligence created by the infamous Tony Stark, or as he is more popularly known, Iron Man. But, as you might expect due to the fact that he is an artificial intelligence and created by one of the smartest characters in any comic book universe, Ultron decides that the human race isn’t worthy to rule over the planet and so need to be destroyed. Naturally, he is the one to do this and again naturally the Avengers, the Marvel superhero dream team, are the ones to try and stop him.

Due to the overwhelming success of the first Avengers film ‘Avengers Assemble’ this movie had a lot to live up to. Unfortunately, a lot of the expectations were not met. The first Avengers film had it all; action, suspense and most importantly all the main characters in a film together which comic fans could only dream of a few years prier. You could say this film had it all as well; action, suspense and the famous team together once more. But that’s the problem; it was the same old same old. The same tricks and plots were recycled to create this film and it meant that you spend half the film feeling like you have seen it all before. Another big problem with this film was the inconsistency in the characters personalities to the first film. You can’t have a character fighting of villains single handedly in one film and crying for the help of their unnecessary love interest in the next without viewer questioning things.          

There were, having said that, some great moments in the film. For example the character of Vision played by Paul Bettany. As a fan, and personal, favourite I was sceptical about the addition of this character and whether he would live up to his high status amongst the marvel comic’s fans. Thankfully Bettany didn't disappoint and his interpretation of the character was better than even some of the biggest and loyalist fans could have hoped for. 

The ending of the film, while predictable, wasn't overly disappointing. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has found their formula and they have made it work to the almost dangerous point where it didn't really matter how the film had ended. They have us around their little finger and the sheer fact that they have made a film with our favourite characters means that the majority of the cinema will walk about feeling like they haven’t wasted two and a half hours, regardless of the content of the film. The fact is we have seen this kind of film again and again. But you can’t deny the good guy/ bad guy formula works. If it didn't Marvel wouldn't be making its continuous millions.  

Irwin and Posner's Relationship on Pages 60 - 62

Essay Question – Discuss how Irwin and Posner’s relationship is presented in this extract.

During this extract which is set five years after the main body of the play we see Irwin talking to an, at the beginning of the extract, unidentified person. During the course of the extract we learn that this man is Posner who has come to interview Irwin, now a television celebrity. At the start of the extract we see Posner and Irwin talking after Irwin has finished the scene he is filming for his show. Irwin begins to speak in a simple, fragmented sentence saying ‘Familiar?’ This suggests a sense of awkwardness between the two characters as if they don’t know what to say to each other and so can only speak in a very simple way. Irwin’s use of an interrogative also suggests that he wants to find out information from Posner, suggesting that he still somewhat cares about what he thinks of him.

During the scene we find out that Posner is ‘miked’ and is speaking to Irwin to try and find out information to sell a story to the tabloids. Posner tries to find out information about the relationship Irwin had with with Dakin, and to do this asks him ‘he liked you… didn’t he?’ There is a lot of subtext hidden in this interrogative as while Posner wants to know the answer to this question to gain information to sell a story for the money that he needs, he also wants to know for personal reasons. As Posner was in love with Dakin during his time in school he wants to know if Irwin had what he desperately wanted to have, a romantic or sexual relationship with Dakin. The use of ellipsis could be interpreted by a director to emphasis this point, using the pause to have Posner stare into Irwin’s eyes trying to find out the answer to the question for personal gain rather than on mike for financial gain.           

The use of vocatives in this scene, as with the whole of the play, provides us a key insight into the different characters relationships with each other. At the end of this scene Posner asks Irwin to sign his copy of Irwin’s book. This comes across as strange as they have just has an argument after Irwin finds out that Posner is taping him. The way he refers to Irwin as ‘sir’ during this encounter shows us that Posner might still be living in the past. He is trying to recreate his school days when he was a lot happier and care free than he is now. Irwin replies to Posner’s request to sign the book to David, his first name, by saying ‘I never called you, David. I called you Posner.’ Irwin still calls Posner by his last name to try and offend him. Irwin wants to still have the authority and high status that he had over Posner while teaching him and Posner, by calling Irwin ‘sir,’ is complying to what Irwin wants.