---
title: 'The Problem with Age of Ultron'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=Wny9g6g4uj0'
video_id: 'Wny9g6g4uj0'
date: 2026-08-27
duration_sec: 115
channel: 'ScreenCrush'
---

# The Problem with Age of Ultron

> Source: [The Problem with Age of Ultron](https://youtube.com/watch?v=Wny9g6g4uj0)

## Summary

This video analyzes the character of Ultron in Avengers: Age of Ultron, arguing that the film's decision to humanize the villain with constant jokes undermines his threat level. The creator contrasts effective moments of emotion with the character's frequent quips, suggesting that genuine artificial intelligence would not be able to master humor.

### Key Points

- **Opening scene praise** [00:01] — The video opens by praising the Avengers tracking shot and splash panel against Hydra forces, calling it the best scene in the movie for showing superheroes hanging out.
- **Ultron's first appearance** [00:14] — Ultron's first appearance is described as dark and menacing, delivering on the promise of the trailer and showing the context of his narration.
- **The damaging line** [00:26] — A specific line where Ultron says 'People create smaller people? Children? I lost the word there' is highlighted as potentially the most damaging line in the film, undermining his menace.
- **Joss Whedon's choice** [00:40] — Instead of letting Ultron be a straightforward villain, Joss Whedon gave him a quip to avoid taking him too seriously, which the creator argues was a mistake.
- **Humanizing Ultron** [00:52] — The film humanizes Ultron with a human-like face, lips that bend, and teeth, but worst of all, gives him human-like jokes throughout the movie.
- **Jokes undermine threat** [01:07] — Ultron continuously pauses to make jokes, which undermines him as a frightening threat, though some emotional moments do work, like his craving for connection.
- **AI and humor** [01:32] — The creator argues that genuine artificial life would never master humor because it requires a contrast between expectation and reality, which AI cannot understand.

## Transcript

Avengers at their height, united by a single tracking shot culminating in a splash panel against Hydra forces. And later, we get the best scene in the the concept of these movies that it's fun watching superheroes hanging out.
However, the scene is interrupted by Ultron's first appearance, and it is so dark and menacing. This is the moment that delivered on the promise of the trailer as we see the context of Ultron's narration. And then he starts
ends with >> People create smaller people? Children? I lost the word there. >> Okay, seriously, what the is that? I don't think there's a single line that
could do more damage to this film. Instead of simply allowing Ultron to be a villain and to spell out why he wants to end the Avengers, Joss Whedon felt the need to give him a little quip, just so we don't take him too serious. This
movie chose to humanize Ultron, to give him a more human-looking face, to give him lips that bend and show teeth underneath. But worst of all, Ultron is given human-like things to say by making jokes all of the time. So, all through
the movie, Ultron also continuously pauses to make jokes, which always undermines him as a frightening threat. There are moments where Ultron shows emotion that really work. Like for instance, he seems to really crave a
actually achieve because he is one of a kind. >> I wanted to show you I don't have anyone else. >> But the humor with the character just does not work. If humanity ever did
create like an actual AI and not just a large language model that corporations that genuine artificial life would never be able to master humor. It is an aspect of humanity that requires a contrast, a gap between expectation and reality that
an artificial life would just never be able to understand because their entire existence is built to create connections and to understand cause and effect.