Joss Whedon’s Avengers sequel was a huge box office hit.
But why - when it tries so hard to c’mon fans - don’t more love it?
And then theresAvengers: Age Of Ultron.
We liked it, but with caveats.
Avengers 2was rich in the things everybody said they wanted out of Marvels Cinematic Universe.
It had multiple female superheroes.
It introduced a slew of new characters taken from the comics.
That breathtaking seven-character shot during the climactic fight scene of the firstAvengersfilm?
That was where this film began its action sequences.
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And yet ultimately, the film underperformed.
Were not necessarily talking about money, though its worth noting that the firstAvengersdid do better business.
Were talking about a films ability to entertain and engage its audience.
you could blame a lot of factors.
A worn-out sense of novelty, perhaps.
Phase 2 Fatigue, if thats a thing.
A tougher production, at least by Whedons account.
The writers job is to give the fans what they didnt even know they wanted.
Its a philosophy Joss Whedon knows all too well.
And thats why fans respond to his work.
It makes you care, and then it punishes you in a proper way for caring.
It wasnt a rollercoaster, but it did seem to be on rails.
There was little in the movie that didnt seem to be there to hey fans.
A Hulkbuster Iron Man.
The appearance of a classic comic villain.
Cameos by the supporting cast of previous films.
It did almost everything fans demanded a sequel toAvengersshould do.
And how did fans respond to it?
Moderate enthusiasm for the movie soon gave way to vocal and often vitriolic attacks on Whedon.
Fans said he undermined the female characters.
Fans complained his version of Ultron was too funny.
Fans accused him of falling back on tired tropes.
Maybe thats whyAvengers 2was ultimately never going to be the hit we wanted it to be.
But for all our good intentions, fans dont really know whats good for them.
And its what gets us anAvengersfilm that ticks every box and somehow comes up short.
Be careful what you wish for.
Not because you might get it, but because you risk getting only that and nothing else.
Its fine to think about what you might like to see.
Its fine to criticise developments you dont enjoy.
Some loveAge Of Ultron, we should note.
But nowhere near as many as love Joss Whedons firstThe Avengersmovie.
