Big waste of time

Rating: 4/10 (3 May 2015)

Spoiler Alert! ----------------------------- I went into this film with low expectations, as I knew they did not have enough meaningful content to support 2.5 hours of film. Usually, low expectations lead to pleasant and unexpected outcomes, but I was actually surprised that the film was worse that I projected.
There are several reasons for this (in list form for quick consumption): The script is dialed in, basically relying on the viewer using so much motivated energy to build up these characters that the underwhelming exchanges between the heroes still seems important and witty. But non of this is witty or important. The actors did not even seem very compelled to try hard, which is understandable given the lack of writing effort.
The persistent product placement, whether Beats by Dre or Adidas, often to montages, provided a few fleeting moments of laughter when all the one liners failed. But that is laughing at the film's failings, not successes.
Much of the dialogue is whispered, even in settings where a normal tone is very much expected.
The assumed love affair between Black Widow and Bruce Banner is really obnoxious. No previous Marvel film indicated they had something going on, so to pick up that story in the middle of their courtship is extremely peculiar. And then it goes nowhere anyway, so thanks.
Vision and Ultron are introduced, but Wonder Man still remains absent when he is the core character the others gain their consciousness from. In the comics, they are even considered brothers at times, so why the missing character? Wonder Man is a crappy character (Hollywood celebrity with big ego and muscles who can fly), but still, come on Joss! They do kill off a super hero! Or do they? Quicksilver's death scene was wholly expected, even though his last words to Hawkeye were something to the effect of "didn't expect that" (dies).
There are a ton of canonical plot wholes in the film. Vision is based on Jarvis' consciousness (instead of Wonder Man). They does this story about the twins' parents dying... so are they just abandoning that Scarlet Witch and Quickie are the children of Magneto? And is Scarlet Witch going to marry Vision like the comics and form the West Coast Avengers? Probably not. The comics actually have a made fro screen storyline or the characters they introduce, but instead they opt for a boring Stark killed my parents story.
And Thanos ends another movie!? He ended the first one!! Why do they keep showing him at the end of films if they never follow up!!?!? Last, I am a big fan of Joss Whedon's work, but this has to be the worst Whedon production I have ever seen. I cannot help but feel Joss is no longer capable of making vibrant ensemble-based shows/movies.