The road leading up to Justice League has been a pretty bumpy one. From the start of DC’s Extended Universe, they’ve been hit with a barrage of polarizing reactions, bad reviews, and bad press. Man of Steel led the charge being the highest rated film in the DCEU, but even that got mixed reviews. Then came Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and the majority of reviews for that were pretty bad. Followed by Suicide Squad which was basically a poorly edited mess. DC’s negative stigma finally changed with this summers Wonder Woman. Wonder Woman was met with praise due to its masterful direction, story, and cast. Now DC Films looks to keep its positive momentum going with Justice League.
Justice League has had a pretty bad wrap from the get-go. People hated it going in due to disliking previous films and Zack Snyder. There were rumors flying around that the film would be canceled after Batman v Superman failing on a critical level until Jason Momoa squashed that with an Instagram post indicating filming had begun. Zack Snyder brought the first look to San Diego Comic-Con 2016 and the crowd went nuts. When the film finished filming in fall of 2016 everyone believed it was smooth sailing until tragedy struck. The director left due to the loss of his daughter and personally brought Joss Whedon in as a replacement. Whedon would go on to do a few pickup shots to compliment Snyder’s film and fans took that as a hopeful sign the film could be better. Now that I have seen Justice League, I can officially tell you with full authority that the film is amazingly fun and epic.
WARNING POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD
Justice League is a film that satisfies every expectation I had. I had a problem with the villain, but Steppenwolf is a forgettable villain from the comics and I expected him to be just as forgettable in the film. The film is cut pretty tight to fit a 2-hour time frame and you can tell they cut important story bits which makes the plot less coherent than it could be if they included an extra 30 minutes. On the positive side, If they make an extended cut we’ll have a ton of extra DC goodness to look forward to. The CGI is pretty bad in most of the action sequences, but if you sit back and ignore the flaws you’ll have an amazing time at the theater.
Ben Affleck returns for his third go-round as Bruce Wayne/Batman and he’s sporting some comedic chops and older man angst throughout Justice League. Affleck’s Batman is drastically different than the one shown in Batman v Superman. Superman’s death has changed his life. He seems hopeful and ready to save the world again by banding together a team of unlikely allies. The Batman action scenes looked like they were ripped straight out of the comics. While there were no scenes as good as the warehouse scene from BvS, there is one scene in the beginning of Justice League that involves Batman fighting a bad guy on a roof like it was drawn by Jim Lee. Batman’s relationship with Wonder Woman gets complicated in a will they or won’t they way in Justice League, so much so that Alfred points it out, but Affleck and Gadot make it work. Justice League shows that Affleck is more comfortable in the role and I am really looking forward to seeing him in Matt Reeves’ The Batman.
Gal Gadot returns as Wonder Woman and its as if she never left. Wonder Woman is struggling with her own legacy and Bruce is trying to push her into leading the team. Her fights with Steppenwolf are definitely the best action pieces in the film. Jason Momoa’s Arthur Curry/Aquaman lives up to the Badass hype. The scenes where he’s in Atlantis were incredible. The tension between he and Mera raises my excitement for his solo film and exploring Aquaman’s Lore on the big screen. His chemistry with the league is a bit comical, especially with Batman. There’s a hilarious scene involving the lasso of truth that will make DC fans go into a fit of laughter.
Ezra Miller makes his debut as Barry Allen/The Flash and he brings a sense of naivety to the team. Miller’s portrayal of Barry Allen is a lot different then fans are used to. He’s not a CSI, he’s a lot younger than normal, a totally rookie at being The Flash and that’s what makes him so much fun to watch. I look forward to his solo film the most. Ray Fisher’s portrayal of Cyborg reminds me so much of the Teen Titans animated series. I wanted to save the best for last. Superman is in the movie and it finally feels like he’s Superman. Henry Cavill flys in and brings so much charm to the character that was never there before. Superman has a new lease on life and you feel it in Cavill’s portrayal. His lines and energy will make you feel like you’re watching Superman: The Animated Series. He’s easily my favorite part of Justice League and he especially shines when he faces Steppenwolf.
Steppenwolf has to be one of the weakest villains in the DCEU. There was bad CGI during the final battle. His motivations were laughable and his plan was atrocious. It almost felt as if you didn’t need the full team to defeat him. His army of Parademons were like the flying monkeys in the Wizard of Oz. They don’t really do much but are there for a fear factor and do a horrible job at that. The supporting cast was great for what little screen time they were given. Alfred with his back up as the man behind the computer and snarky comments. Martha Kent and Lois Lane are there to remind you that Superman is in fact in the movie. Joe Morton’s Cylas Stone is there to remind you that you have a better father than Cyborg and also to become a damsel in distress. J.K. Simmons kills it as Commissioner Gordon. All the Batman pieces in the film get me amped for the solo film. Connie Neilsen returns as Hippolyta and brings the Amazons with her for this insane battle with Steppenwolf. Amber Heard didn’t have much screen time as Mera, but the little scene we got with her and Momoa’s Aquaman really makes me want to see more.
Overall thoughts
Justice League is the DC team-up you’ve been waiting for. I had so much fun from beginning to end. The expansion of DC mythology will make fans go nuts. Superman’s return will make you really happy. Justice League does have its flaws, but the fun negated most of that for me. The cast was amazing. Favorite characters were Flash and Aquaman. The final post-credits scene will make you scream!
SCORE: 7.5/10
“Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans to stand against this newly awakened threat. But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes—Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash—it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.”
Justice League hits theaters November 17, 2017.
After ‘Justice League,’ What’s Next For Its Six Members?
This burgeoning universe is still relatively new and there are tons of directions that have either been confirmed, speculated or just up in the air, so it’s the perfect time to look at possible scenarios where each member of the Justice League can go.
Here’s what’s next for the six heroes featured in Justice League! Click Next to get started.
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