“Age of Ultron” is not an action film, despite the copious amount of action contained within it. Regardless of what the trailers might show and what Marvel might say, Joss Whedon’s sequel to his enormously popular first “Avengers” film is, in actuality, a comedy.

Whedon is no stranger to either genre. As evidence by his work on “Dollhouse”, he can certainly write dark and moody action, but it’s clear from his history that he prefers to work on comedies, and especially comedies with a large cast of characters. The more characters he has to work with, the better he can bounce jokes off of them.

It’s like a bouncy ball factory in “Age of Ultron.”

Whereas the first film focused on getting the Avengers together and united as a group, “Age of Ultron” jumps directly into the action, showing an Avengers team that has been together for some time. It creates an almost childlike giddiness to see them work together in such a smooth fashion. Fans of the long take from the end of the first film will be pleased to know that Ultron begins with one about twice as long, showcasing the powers and abilities of the entire team.

Then it’s less then 10 minutes before the jokes begin and they don’t end until the film is over. Not only is the team more comedic given their much closer bond, the villain is quite possibly the funniest character of the film. The genocidal Artificial Intelligence, Ultron (played by James Spader), is as sarcastic as Tony Stark, but with an added confidence that truly sells his character.

The added comedy is by no means unwelcome. Though it occasionally feels as though the action and story are manipulated for the sake of a joke, it does help to undercut the surprisingly dark tone of the film.

“Avengers” had a fairly clear lesson: cooperation is the only way we can save the planet. “Ultron”s lesson is more muddled, dealing with the nature of life, death, and the fear of change. People die, mistakes are made, unrepairable damage is done. At the core of it all is a question of the nature of humanity itself. Given all of this, the comedy is a welcome break.

It is undeniable that “Ultron” is bigger in scope than the first film. It has more action, more stars, more locations, more special effects, and a bigger threat. Unfortunately, it never feels as big or as important as the first film, and can’t help but sit in its shadow. It’s somewhat forgettable by comparison, containing little in the way or major plot development for the Marvel universe.

All that said, if you walk into the theater expecting a fun and exciting super hero film, you will walk out happy. If you walk in expecting to see something as mind blowing as the first avengers, you’ll leave disappointed. Either way, you’ll probably laugh.