Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow

Marvel Animation has been a consistent contributor to the greater Marvel multiverse for years, creating diverse and impressive reimaginings of canon favorites, and adding entertaining, new characters to the already eclectic mix. "Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow" does a spectacular job of making its young protagonists feel like natural fits in the already established mythos surrounding them, while also keeping everything family- friendly and fairly lighthearted - in fact, this is Marvel's first PG- rated animated film, and it definitely has a certain cutesy, Saturday morning cartoon appeal.

All of Marvel Studios animated films in the last 3 years starting with The Invincible Iron Man, Dr Strange, and Avengers 1& 2 were first rate comic book animated films that truly delivered the character drive and action that comic book fans have lusted for decades. They now follow up with a suspiciously kiddish animated movie set in an alternative future where the avengers have been long wiped out by Ultron apart from Tony Stark who takes the children of the Avengers into hiding to raise them away from harm. This is definitely a more kid friendly entry but don't let that put any of you off. The children behave like normal children with powers (did that make sense?), are likable, very vulnerable and needing adult guidance. The story is entertaining if rather straightforward with a couple of interesting revelations and welcome cameos. The voice acting for the children Avengers are charming (much akin to those in The Incredibles) with production levels on par with Marvel's previous films. This is not the best of the Marvel series but it is certainly a great deal of fun for both children and adults.

When I go into these Marvel animated outings I expect play by numbers stuff, whether it be a dark or kiddie friendly one they rarely surpise but manage to entertain to some degree.

With this one I went in with even lower expectations than usual. The children of the Avengers? Sounded like a blatant cashgrab and the plot seemed to confirm that further.

However from the opening sequence, it's writing and perfect score I realised I was mistaken and this was going to be something quite special.

Telling the story of a world where Ultron defeated the Avengers and killed most of them, Tony Stark has hidden away their offspring keeping them safe and off the grid. But of course things go wrong and they find themselves forced to embrace their destiny.

The whole thing looks beautiful and almost feels like a AAA movie, the score is outstanding and the movie is a kid friendly riot of fun.

Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow exceeded all my expectations and showed that these things can rise above mediocrity. Really good stuff.

The Good:

Great opening

Very well constructed

Excellent score

Some good ideas

The Bad:

Some really dumb ideas

Few unanswered questions

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

Fred Tatasciore is more Hulk than Mark Ruffalo, seriously he's in every one of these things

In an alternative future, where the Avengers grew complacent and softened considerably opting to give up heroics for family life raising their respective children. Ultron kills them off one by one (save for Tony stark, who keeps vigil over the offspring of the Avengers, Thor, who's retreated back to Asgard, and Bruce Banner). Now Ultron has found out about the teen kids and it's up to them to save the day.

Perhaps I'm not really the true demographic of this movie, comic loving tykes might get a lot more entertainment out of the kid-friendly silly little shenanigans then this late twenty-something did. I will say that the movie is much much better than the simply atrocious but similarly themed "Avengers United"

My Grade: C

DVD Extras: A 10 and a half minute Making of featurette; 'Kid Power: Next gen Marvel" (a 9 and a half minute featurette on Marvel's kid/ teen oriented comics); First looks for both "Hulk vs. Wolverine" & "Hulk Vs. Thor"; and trailers for "Ultimate Avengers", "Ultimate Avengers 2", "the Invincible Iron Man", "Speed Racer: the Next Generation", "the Forbidden Kingdon", "Hulk Vs Thor", "Hulk Vs Wolverine", "Spectacular Spider-man", "Teenage mutant ninja turtles" Volume 6, & "Doctor Strange"

The movie was much better than the previous movies at times, but it wasn't the best thing ever. The animations for the explosions and destruction are good, but basically every other effect is terrible. Whenever Ultron or Vision talk, the animations are extremely bad. The animations of Ultron's lab are extremely bad as well. The worst animations are for the movements of Ultron's Avengers robots, as well as some of the characters' movements. The plot was alright, but it feels like there was too much forced action. Unlike the other movies, this one was still short, but was of an appropriate length and didn't feel too short for its contents.