Avengers - Age of Ultron

Cocky warmonger scientist Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) unwittingly merges his virtual assistant Jarvis (Paul Bettany) with the mind stone of Loki's potent, otherworldly sceptre in the next franchise installment "Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron."

The unholy progeny, "an android disguised by a robot," is the artificial intelligence asshole Ultron (smarmily voiced by James Spader), who infiltrates the Internet to attempt to exterminate the "discordant" human race, scoffing at Stark's Iron Man army as his "puppets; hollow men." The wisecracking allies try to hold their personal differences at bay to destroy the cyber beast and his genetically altered Russian twin cohorts (shorthand: "he's fast; she's weird").

Throughout the mission, Captain America, or Cap (Chris Evans) reminds the team to keep their language clean, and not to ponder pursing action as "the world's leading authority in waiting too long."

The only one without an alter ego/name, Thor (Chris Hemsworth), makes a party trick of trying to get his buds to lift his hammer. Clint Barton/Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) shows his softer side with his wife and young family at their rural farm during a recon hideout interlude. Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Bruce Banner/Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) explore their volatile relationship.

The writing by Joss Whedon (who also directed) remains zippy and clever - a message in blood on a wall is "Banksy at the crime scene;" a drawn-out battle is a "Eugene O'Neill long day;" and cyber enemies are "multiplying faster than a Catholic rabbit."

Exchanges are efficient as well:

Ultron: "You're incredibly na�ve."
Jarvis: "Well, I was born yesterday."

The special effects, fights and chases are energized, as expected, especially when Cap uses his trademark motorcycle as a projectile. Cartoon creator Stan Lee has his cameo as a war veteran, and the action juggernaut continues apace, reflecting on what makes humans human, and are they still worth saving.

"Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron"
DVD
$14.85
http://marvel.com/avengers