Justice League Review

PG13: Sequences of Sci-Fi Violence and Action 

Warner Bros Pictures, DC Films, RatPac Entertainment, Atlas Entertainment, Cruel and Unusual Films

2 Hrs and 1 Minute

Dir: Zack Snyder | Writers: Chris Terrio, Joss Whedon
 
Cast: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Ezra Miller, Jason Momoa, Ray Fisher, Amy Adams
Jeremy Irons, Diane Lane, Connie Nielsen, J. K. Simmons, Ciarán Hinds

INTRO: What introduction do you need? It's only the review of “Justice League” It’s only the final chance I’m giving Zack Snyder to prove himself as this head of a rushed out franchise set to copy Marvel’s success that hasn’t had a solid critical hit until Wonder Woman which was released in June.  No pressure right? Honestly the way how the DCEU has been going, this is the last chance of redemption where I’ll either finally pull the Fuck you Zack Snyder card that I’ve been waiting to reuse since "Sucker Punch" or I can be proven wrong and pull the well, fuck me card and apply it to myself.

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.
 

THE BAD

YOUR PAST POISON CAN'T HELP YOUR CURRENT SITUATION

I'm going come out and say it; I despise the entire first act. This is a 121-minute feature and the first forty minutes is everything I feared "Justice League" to be. Because of this film featuring heroes introduced on the big screen for the first time in both the DCEU and cinematically in general, some of the character’s scenes are rushed, melodramatic, and feel like scenes straight from different movies. The way how these scenes are spliced in does not follow a sequential story. For example, first, we focus on Barry Allen going to prison to visit his dad. Then, we see Victor Stone brooding in his room. Then after, we’re at Themyscira and Steppenwolf just appears. Mind you; these are all the first time we see these characters ever established in this movie. 

There is absolutely no correlation between any of those scenes at all other than, "We gotta get this shit moving." There is no build up but just all these scenes of filler until the team gets together. They just feel like scenes shot that worked well on their own for separate movies which made for the only reason why they’re in this one at all.

It is almost as if the editor requested if Snyder had other things that he shot which could help make the story a bit tighter but nope. If not that, then it had to be Warner Bros. demanding this to be a precisely two-hour movie which I AM HERE FOR (I was not going to be prepared for a damn three hour JL movie), but because of this the way how the plot and characters are set up is presented very clunkily. 

By the way those costume designs for the Amazons? Fucking terrible. Thankfully we’re only at the Themyscira for three scenes in total, but if they could've just looked over what [Patty] Jenkins was doing with her movie and applied it to here, it wouldn't have been an issue of stupidity. Steppenwolf appears on Earth to the Amazons, and they all initiate battle while wearing leather armor that exposes all of their body parts including bellies, knees, etc. So, of course, this villain with a huge ass ax is going to go straight for the gut when murdering these warriors who drop like flies when you know they kind of could've taken him on their own without Diana.

ANOTHER LAME VILLIAN

Steppenwolf has to be the most generic villain of generic villains I've seen in any superhero movie since Malekith in “Thor: The Dark World.”  This is the primary factor of my fatigue I’m getting from superhero movies now which are the villains, and this film is exactly no help with defending my case. Steppenwolf is pretty much the DC version of Marvel's Ronan the Accuser from "Guardians of the Galaxy." But here is the thing, Ronan was going up against the B-team group of heroes that nobody really knew. Steppenwolf, on the other hand, is going against THE JUSTICE LEAGUE who are literally the A-team (seriously who doesn't get Mr. T vibes from Jason Mamoa). Every line of dialogue Steppenwolf has is just *Insert villain quote here.* 

That is all of his dialogue. Nothing but clichéd lines about world domination and puny humans. Like every villain in the history of villains, he’s just a creature vent on taking over Earth and starting war and...

Whenever a scene revolves around him, you lose the motivation and sense of urgency because ultimately any of the League can take him on their own. For God's sake, Superman made for a better villain of the movie, and this goes on for like five minutes. When Superman returns (no pun intended) there is a genuine intensity that occurs when the League has to face him.  So, really you don’t give two shits about Steppenwolf. If they brought in someone else who was known to be a more significant threat that indeed initiates the League with their character and personality, it would’ve benefitted this by being an intense movie in the somewhat same fun way that it is.

NOT THE SNYDERISMS!

The entire first act is everything I predicted it to be where all of the scenes didn’t progress a story, and the action is pretty meh, and most of all its something I truly didn't miss: the SLOW MOTION. This movie is bombarded with Zack Snyder slow motion overdose. He didn't use it in "Man of Steel" or "Batman V. Superman," but "Justice League" had to be the one he brought it back to an excessive amount. He overdoses his most infamous technique to not a "300" level but to a "Sucker Punch" level (and  I consider "Sucker Punch" to be the worst movie I've ever seen in my life).  It took him three DCEU movies for Snyder to get caught back up in his Snyderisms again. Its just excessive shots of slow motion that obnoxiously screams ISN’T THIS COOL?! We did lose the dark and serious tone thankfully, but we gained OD slow motion because of it. This shouldn't be a trade-off!

THE GOOD

40 MINUTES LATER

As I said, I hate the first forty or forty-five minutes of this movie up until the six unite and fight together in an incredibly fun action sequence with everyone together is incredible. The film does something that you wouldn’t expect Zack Snyder’s Justice League do: fight and SAVE PEOPLE! There's not that much destruction that goes on and to actually see these heroes care about saving people for a change, really puts a smile on moviegoers face compared to how "MoS" and "BvS" turned out. 

The way how the action is choreographed, the way the humor is inserted, and even how these heroes sort of bond with each other due to natural chemistry that’s more organic than something manipulative like “Suicide Squad” are duly noted as you can tell DC is slowly fixing up their mistakes of their past.

Thankfully Ezra Miller is the man in the limelight who continually steals the show the same way Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman did when introduced in "Batman V. Superman." Miller’s Flash is the first time we see the speedster on the big screen, and he nails this character. He isn’t annoying when it comes to the team getting together fighting and interacting with each other the movie picks itself up. All of their character’s personalities are intact. Diana is still a badass that we all love thanks to her solo feature; Batman is a prick with vulnerability (Affleck Batman is kind of becoming LEGO Batman in personality mixed with Keaton's combat at this point); Aquaman has his moments of badassery and hilarious laugh. 

The only issue I have is with Cyborg who just feels out of place. I know this is supposed to resemble The New 52 Justice League as the movie plays a bit similar to the animated feature  "Justice League: War," but even with that Cyborg just doesn't fit in the Justice League. Cyborg is practically the vision but just Black and moody. I understand Victor Stone’s character and why he’s depressed and always serious (I mean he got the Astro Boy treatment) but when I think of Cyborg, I think of the guy who loves eating pizza and says “Boo-yah.” He eventually says it, but in the same lame way, Raphael said “Cowabunga” in the TMNT reboot. It’s not earned it just there to make you go, “AH HE SAID THE THING!” 

From everything during and after that first action sequence, this becomes the Justice League movie that is way too good for its own good. You can easily distinguish which scenes were directed by Whedon during reshoots and for the most parts its perfect. With Whedon's direction, you feel the alleviation of the dark tone the DCEU has been growing to become.  

There are a lot of glaring flaws afterward, but for the most part, the movie goes from a 4 to a straight on 10 in the level of how fun it becomes. As I said, the first 40 minutes of this movie is complete dogs shit, but once the six finally unite, the film kicks itself into high gear. The pacing becomes faster,  the humor kicks in a crap ton, and the action is pretty cool (when it's not Zack Snyder jerking himself off with slow motion).  It genuinely has you at the edge of your seat at a lot of times that it becomes an overall entertaining ensemble flick despite having the feel of force.

A lot of the CG looks way too computerized which disrupts some the visual enjoyment of watching this in a 3D format, but if you go 2D, you won’t mind it. The CG with Steppenwolf and some of the movement that occurs when people engage in battle looks very similar to the CG in the Injustice games which aren't a positive thing. The last 15 minutes is nothing but a Zack Snyder CG  fest where you see a numerous amount of computer-generated action and backgrounds. The only reason I’m not going to be so hard one it is because of how energetic, humorous and overall fun the action sequences helps you allow you to turn your brain off and enjoy the ride.

IT'S A BIRD....IT’S A PLANE....IT’S A GOOD HENRY CAVILL?!

First off, this isn’t a spoiler because this is a positive explanation for the movie so shut the fuck up. Warner Bros. tried so hard to hide away Henry Cavil as Superman from all the film’s marketing including posters and trailers, and at first, I got annoyed why they were doing that. After watching this, I can see why because believe it or not the way he comes back is fantastic. What they do with Henry Cavill’s entrance into this movie is the best thing DC/Snyder has ever done with the Man of Steel since this franchise even started.  After that moment concludes, Cavill finally becomes the Man of Steel as we know him to be. He is a bit charismatic where he says corny superhero one-liners, displays the wholesomeness of the character and becomes a beacon of joy to watch. I actually found myself cheering whenever Superman appeared because Cavill has finally embodied everything Superman should be. This is the Superman I knew growing up and to finally see that realized on the big screen (y'know three times after the lameness) is pleasant to watch.

LAST STATEMENT

"Justice League" is the cinematic equivalent to a man running a 300m hurdle race while holding a baton. At first, he painstakingly crashes through the hurdles, but 1/3 of the way through he begins to progress by leaps and bounds while never dropping the baton. Though the first act is established unbearably sloppily, "Justice League,"  makes a 180° left turn by the second act and maintains throughout by becoming an entertaining ensemble superhero movie that proves the DCEU may still have some fuel in its tank.

Rating: 3.5/5 | 71%

uper Scene: JL v. Superman: Dawn of Rebirth.