What ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ has in common with ‘Man of Steel’

One of the noticeable things about AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON is that it draws a clear and obvious line in the sand by saying that a superhero’s primary job is to protect people. No argument here from me. It goes out of its way to show the heroes saving lives during the climax, evacuating a city, etc. as if in direct response to the “destruction porn” of the climax of MAN OF STEEL. And it pats itself on the back for it with statues of the Avengers over the end credits honoring the heroes like 9/11 first responders.

The sentiment is appreciated, but I think that it mistakes the true issue with the end of MAN OF STEEL for the easy sound bite version. That issue is that MAN OF STEEL doesn’t stop to contemplate the consequences at all and instead goes to the sunny ending that ends up being unsatisfying to those who are invested in the story being told.