5. Avengers: Age Of Ultron
This Marvel sequel is a much better movie than most of the entries on this list. There are a few moments of sheer goofy comic book fun that cannot be denied. However, it is such a stark step down from what was one of the most euphoric movie experiences of all time, that in some ways it’s even more crushing. Writer/Director Joss Whedon, who did such a fantastic job balancing the humor and pathos of his many characters in the original, utterly fumbles the ball here. Scared to actually explore a darker, more mature story, he instead merely saturates the colors while breaking the characters down to their most basic elements. Tony Stark makes sarcastic quips, Steve Rogers scolds people on morality, and Natasha Romanoff…falls in love with Bruce Banner. Huh? It’s a film with a thousand cooks in the kitchen without a solid recipe, hoping that endless quips and action sequences that go on for about as long as a GOP debate will keep people smiling. It’s all fat, it tastes good at first, but there’s no sustenance to keep you coming back for more bites, which ironically enough is the reason why this film exists at all.
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