Ultimate Avengers: The Movie stars Justin Gross as Steve Rogers / Captain America, Marc Worden as Tony Stark / Iron Man, Michael Massee as Bruce Banner, Fred Tatasciore as the Hulk, James Arnold Taylor as Thor, Grey DeLisle as Janet Van Dyne / Wasp, Nolan North as Hank Pym / Ant-Man, Olivia d’Abo as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow, and Andre Ware as Nick Fury.
This is one of my more straightforward reviews, mainly because the movie itself is very simple, and honestly, that works perfectly for this type of film.
First off, I really enjoyed how Steve Rogers is positioned as the main character. If this movie had been made after 2008, I can almost guarantee Iron Man would have been the focus, so it’s refreshing to see a Captain America–led Avengers story.
I also liked how, similar to Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, this movie sticks closer to the comics in terms of team lineup, with characters like Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne included from the start. Ironically, because the MCU Avengers lineup is so ingrained in our minds now, this actually makes Ultimate Avengers more interesting to watch in retrospect.
The animation style is another positive. The mostly hand-drawn approach makes the film feel more personal and distinctive compared to fully CGI animation. It helps separate it from other animated Avengers projects like EMH and gives it its own identity.
As mentioned, the plot is very simple: Steve is found, the Avengers are assembled, and they work together to stop the Chitauri. For what it is, it’s effective and does the job well.
My main negatives are that some characters don’t feel focused enough, especially Iron Man and Thor. Thor, in particular, feels strongly opposed to Fury at first, only to show up later with little explanation as to why he changed his mind. Iron Man fares slightly better, mostly because familiarity with the character from the MCU and EMH fills in the gaps. On its own, though, Tony often feels more like he’s just there rather than a fully integrated part of the team.
Another issue is the lack of a central villain. The Avengers mostly fight faceless Chitauri forces, which makes the climax feel less satisfying. While Hulk briefly fills that “final obstacle” role, it would have helped to have a clear Chitauri leader to defeat.
Bruce Banner and Betty Ross are actually handled quite well. In some ways, Bruce feels stronger here than in Avengers Assemble (2012). His more depressed, withdrawn portrayal adds an extra layer to the character, and it’s understandable given what he’s dealing with.
The pacing can feel a bit disjointed at times, especially when the team reunites after the second-act fallout. It all happens very quickly, and I didn’t always feel like I understood each character’s personal motivation for returning to S.H.I.E.L.D.
That said, this is a kids’ movie, and for what it’s trying to be, it works really well. I loved this movie when I was younger, and as an adult, I think it actually benefits from having seen other Avengers content first, you understand the characters more, which enhances the experience.
Overall, Ultimate Avengers is a fun, enjoyable movie with a strong focus on Steve Rogers and a unique lens on the Avengers. While it has its flaws, it’s a solid entry that works even better when viewed alongside the wider Avengers universe.
Ultimate Avengers: The Movie stars Justin Gross as Steve Rogers / Captain America, Marc Worden as Tony Stark / Iron Man, Michael Massee as Bruce Banner, Fred Tatasciore as the Hulk, James Arnold Taylor as Thor, Grey DeLisle as Janet Van Dyne / Wasp, Nolan North as Hank Pym / Ant-Man, Olivia d’Abo as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow, and Andre Ware as Nick Fury.
This is one of my more straightforward reviews, mainly because the movie itself is very simple, and honestly, that works perfectly for this type of film.
First off, I really enjoyed how Steve Rogers is positioned as the main character. If this movie had been made after 2008, I can almost guarantee Iron Man would have been the focus, so it’s refreshing to see a Captain America–led Avengers story.
I also liked how, similar to Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, this movie sticks closer to the comics in terms of team lineup, with characters like Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne included from the start. Ironically, because the MCU Avengers lineup is so ingrained in our minds now, this actually makes Ultimate Avengers more interesting to watch in retrospect.
The animation style is another positive. The mostly hand-drawn approach makes the film feel more personal and distinctive compared to fully CGI animation. It helps separate it from other animated Avengers projects like EMH and gives it its own identity.
As mentioned, the plot is very simple: Steve is found, the Avengers are assembled, and they work together to stop the Chitauri. For what it is, it’s effective and does the job well.
My main negatives are that some characters don’t feel focused enough, especially Iron Man and Thor. Thor, in particular, feels strongly opposed to Fury at first, only to show up later with little explanation as to why he changed his mind. Iron Man fares slightly better, mostly because familiarity with the character from the MCU and EMH fills in the gaps. On its own, though, Tony often feels more like he’s just there rather than a fully integrated part of the team.
Another issue is the lack of a central villain. The Avengers mostly fight faceless Chitauri forces, which makes the climax feel less satisfying. While Hulk briefly fills that “final obstacle” role, it would have helped to have a clear Chitauri leader to defeat.
Bruce Banner and Betty Ross are actually handled quite well. In some ways, Bruce feels stronger here than in Avengers Assemble (2012). His more depressed, withdrawn portrayal adds an extra layer to the character, and it’s understandable given what he’s dealing with.
The pacing can feel a bit disjointed at times, especially when the team reunites after the second-act fallout. It all happens very quickly, and I didn’t always feel like I understood each character’s personal motivation for returning to S.H.I.E.L.D.
That said, this is a kids’ movie, and for what it’s trying to be, it works really well. I loved this movie when I was younger, and as an adult, I think it actually benefits from having seen other Avengers content first, you understand the characters more, which enhances the experience.
Overall, Ultimate Avengers is a fun, enjoyable movie with a strong focus on Steve Rogers and a unique lens on the Avengers. While it has its flaws, it’s a solid entry that works even better when viewed alongside the wider Avengers universe.
