The result is one of the most tepid, uninspiring and frankly boring installments in the history of Marvel Studios. A bad script, uninspired acting and lackluster action sequences will do little to quell those wondering if Marvel will ever find its way again.

Instead, audiences are treated to a no-nonsense black-and-white logo that really sets the tone for what's to come. Gone is the loud fanfare and, in its place, a back-to-basics approach that runs throughout the rest of the Julius Onah-directed movie's two-hour runtime.

“This isn’t an instruction manual for the current president,” he said. “It’s simply a story about a group of people in tight suits who can fly, as part of the wonderful imagination that the Marvel Cinematic Universe provides. It’s primarily an escape from reality.”