Justice League is finally here, its directed by Zack Snyder, the post-production and reshoots were done by Joss Whedon. This is the fifth movie in the DCEU and it takes places after the events of Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad. We start off immediately after the death of Superman and the imprisonment of Lex Luthor.
The Plot
Its a very straightforward plot and sometimes felt all over the place. Steppenwolf, basically an evil God has resurfaced to the earth after thousands of years. Previously he was destroyed by the people of earth including the Amazon Warriors, Atlanteans and a few more 'men'. He's just here to terraform the earth into Apokolips for his king, Darkseid. There's nothing particularly special or noteworthy about the plot itself, but it wasn't very messy either.
Ben Affleck - Batman/ Bruce Wayne
Affleck plays the caped crusader for the third time in the DCEU. Absolutely no complaints about his acting, and I'd love for him to continue playing Batman for as long as he can and hopefully the rumors about Jake Gyllenhaal to replace him aren't true but only time will tell. All we know for now is that Matt Reeves is going to direct a Batman trilogy and that Ben might not be Batman.
Coming to Batman's role in Justice League, he's the brains behind the league's formation and functioning. He puts together this team once he gets to know about the dangers that lie ahead. This movie shows Batman with a lot more cool gadgets and vehicles but what I loved was how great Bruce was thinking, it felt like Batman finally attempts to be an actual 'detective'. The science behind everything may not be perfect but Bruce's logic was.
Bruce is hopeful and thankful for Superman's sacrifice and very often highlights Clark's sacrifice and the fact that he might also have been responsible. His guilt was justified and so were his actions. But Batman as a character felt a bit weaker than he is. He gets thrown around like a toy, he's not always prepared, he's reckless when it comes to safeguarding his identity and just overall feels like a huge step down from the dude who wrecked a warehouse full of bad guys in that breathtaking scene from Batman v Superman. It almost felt like WB sidelined Batman even though he put together the team.
Instead of being disappointed with this decision, I actually felt really happy with this. Batman is the ventilator of both DC and WB, he's been portrayed in so many adaptations, so many films, so many animated versions and even parodies like Lego Batman. It was great to see WB boldly take this decision to sideline the caped crusader for a change and I didn't see this coming. Even the Batman fan in me felt like it was high time to stop being so overzealous with the character.
Wonder Woman - Diana Prince
Gal Gadot reprises her role of Wonder Woman and people had a lot of expectations from her especially due to the massive success of her standalone film. Diana helps Bruce form the league after she senses Steppenwolf's return to earth and she knows how high the stakes are being an Amazonian herself. She realizes the need for a Justice League and does her job perfectly.
Once again, Gal proves how good she is both as Diana and Wonder Woman and I absolutely loved her. She kicks ass and almost feels like a backbone of the Justice League. As to her character development, I love the transition from a 1917 woman to a 2017 woman. She has taken nearly a lifetime to get over Steve Trevor's demise and it highlights the depth of the love she had for Steve and its heartbreaking to see what she's going through.
Her portrayal was fine but I felt a bit disappointed with one particular aspect. Black Widow from the Avengers, played by Scarlett Johansson, though known for her badassery exists in the team for another reason, that is to get more male fans to look at her. It's acceptable because she's supposed to be sexy. I loved the way Wonder Woman was shown in her standalone film, I really felt her pain, her sorrow, along with enormous amounts of sympathy, love, hope, and inspiration. It felt like DC nailed her character because I genuinely wanted to be her fan, not because she looked attractive but because I felt these beautiful things when I witnessed it. Justice League is a huge step down for all that we saw in Wonder Woman. As Diana, Gal wears really tight and exposing clothes in contrast to the decent clothes she wore in Wonder Woman. As Wonder Woman and Diana, its clear what the camera was focusing on, and it was meant to be that way. Some jokes about Bruce and her dating felt really great but other jokes didn't. There's a scene between Flash and Diana, I'm sure it was supposed to be a joke but while everyone in the theatre was laughing, I felt really hurt.
It was nice to see Wonder Woman represent strong emotions and love, but both WB and the audience are back trying to look at women the way they've always been looked at. There was an excellent opportunity for her to be worshipped for so many good reasons and for little girls across the world to stand for other beautiful things than just looking sexy, but it looks like apart from all the badassery, she's just another Black Widow who, instead of wearing really tight clothing, wears ancient battle armor. This is just my opinion, I may have been exaggerating but I'm just being honest about what I felt.
Barry Allen - The Flash
It looks like Ezra Miller was the perfect actor to be chosen for this role. He had everything except blond hair and he nailed it. His awkwardness, desperation to make new friends, excitement to be a part of something and his childish character were really adorable. I was surprised to see how well his origin was covered in a huge movie like this. His interactions with Bruce doesn't feel like Spiderman and Tony Stark and I was happy that it wasn't.
The special effects used on him were breathtaking and the blue lightning looks way cooler than yellow. It was nice to learn about the speed force and as a flash fan, I was satisfied with the comic relief I got from his portrayal. He proves to be a valuable asset to the team and I'm really excited to see what they decide to do with him in the future.
I know there's a flashpoint movie going to be made and I still feel like it should be saved for a third flash movie, there's so much cool stuff that can be done with him from here. Bringing in Reverse Flash or Mirror Master with the right director and comic material would do wonders for the DCEU. I love his speed and some scenes felt like a tribute to the Animated series and other comic material.
Arthur Curry - Aquaman
Genius casting by Zack Snyder, seriously say what you want about Zack but his castings so far except Lex Luthor have been nothing short of extraordinary. Jason Momoa is exactly as he was in the trailers. With the limited screen time, we even got a glimpse into Atlantis. Aquaman was a complete joke and now he's a complete badass and we all have to thank Zack for this.
Arthur can do much more than just talking to fish, the trident is his weapon of choice and everything about him is just amazing. I was admiring every second of Mera's presence. Amber Heard has the role of Mera and she's working on Aquaman's standalone film right now. She was beautiful and her interaction with Arthur felt very close to what I saw in the animated film, 'Justice League Throne of Atlantis'. I'm excited to see his solo film which comes out next year this time under James Wan's direction.
Aquaman's role was imminent, his presence was more than mere entertainment, his jokes fell in place perfectly and there just aren't any complaints. Momoa is a gift to the DCEU and hopefully, they use him well.
Victor Stone - Cyborg
I was never really a fan of Cyborg and I kept whining about why they didn't have a Green Lantern in his place instead because Cyborg belongs among the Teen Titans. Ray Fischer is here to prove me wrong as he gives us such a passionate performance despite being merely a CGI hero. I felt like his job was the hardest because he can barely display any emotions due to the CGI.
The CGI didn't bother me, I felt like he looked fine, but Victor's emotions about being half-man and half-machine were given utmost importance. I will say that Fischer was much more than a machine who just makes things work.
The Justice League
That's really the best part of the movie, the interactions between the league. Be it friendly conversations or serious arguments, every scene with the league had great depth. The writers deserve to get full credit for that. Bruce and Diana had a great dyanamic between. Diana's assistance is of utmost importance for the League to be formed. Barry and Bruce shared some great moments too. Arthur and Bruce start off rough but with time, things get much more smooth. Cyborg and Flash are kind of the young kids on the team and it was nice to see their friendship grow and evolve over time.
When they're all together taking down parademons, for one moment I forgot to nitpick the bad CGI or Steppenwolf, the kid inside me felt this great feeling of satisfaction of seeing his heroes come to the big screen and I'll never forget that moment. Yes, Avengers is a great movie, the heroes are awesome but this moment was very special and very unique and I'm pretty sure that there are much more DC fans than Marvel fans who felt what I felt while watching them fight.
Nostalgia took over and I don't feel bad for being this way, in fact, I'm happy to let these feelings consume me and I will always remain a DC fan first. I was really satisfied with the league's interactions especially with a certain alien whose entrance took us all by surprise, I mean how long are we going to pretend like Superman isn't around?
Clark Joseph Kent - Superman
Yes, he's here and he has a much bigger role than we think. Superman wasn't shown in any of the trailers that came, DC managed to keep it concealed from us and it paid off. Henry Cavill's presence gave me nothing but goosebumps. It was a very difficult and bold decision made by Warner Bros. because Superman wasn't a part of the marketing. Things like that do affect a movie as a whole, but WB chose to give us the element of surprise instead of trying to earn a few more dollars at the box office.
Superman is the best part of the movie. I felt disappointed with Zack's decision to rush to the death of Superman so soon and I have to say, they've listened to us. I thought Kal El was just going to be around for a mere ten minutes or so but boy was I wrong! They did complete justice to his character. He's no longer the brooding bearded dude we saw from Man of Steel. I will say this, I've seen all Superman movies, the entire animated series, I followed injustice, I even saw the Lois and Clark TV show that aired during the 90s, I sat through a whole season of Supergirl just to see Superman in the second season. I think this is enough to say that I'm a huge Superman fanboy. I will easily say that this is the best version of Superman I have ever seen throughout my life and that is what made me give this movie a blind pass despite its other issues.
People often complain that Superman is too overpowered and this movie decides to shut all the naysayers down and embrace the fact that he's overpowered. Every time he packs a punch, it feels like it was meant for idiots who complained like that. WB has finally realized that they literally have gold in their hands and they decide to take full advantage of it in the best way possible. I was thoroughly entertained by his performance and Henry Cavill has replaced Christopher Reeve as my favorite Superman. It felt like someone from WB heard my cries of Superman being used merely as a plot device and they finally did something great with Superman. I can never get tired of Superman punching the life out of someone.
Superman's interaction with the league was great too, he and Bruce had some really nice moments together and I just totally love the new direction they're taking him to. People say its impossible to make a good Superman movie, to them, Justice League is my answer. I was overwhelmed by what I saw and going back to his scene in Man of Steel with Jor-El now only makes things much more epic. Superman finally represents truth, hope and all his trademarks and values are preserved in Justice League.
Henry Cavill's performance was simply the best and I am going to relish his scenes for the rest of my life. This is what was missing in the DCEU for me and I've finally had a chance to witness all I wanted to see, my dreams of seeing a good Superman movie are finally true and I'm thankful to Zack Snyder for this. I can't wait for Man of Steel 2 now, if I were WB, I would stop everything I'm doing right now, and focus all my money on Superman.
The Score
When they first announced that Hans Zimmer was leaving, I was crushed. Say what you want about Man of Steel and Batman v Superman, their scores are simply the best. When they announced that Danny Elfman was taking over his place, I felt slightly better simply because Elfman scored Spiderman and Michael Keaton's Batman, those are on my everyday playlist. After what I heard, I'm pretty sure the Justice League's soundtrack will never get to be on my playlist. They lacked the epicness that Zimmer's tracks had and its a huge disappointment for me.
Elfman did have a contingency for that, he used his Batman theme and John William's Superman themes and every time I heard those, I swear there was a tear or two rolling down my cheeks.
The CGI
As mentioned earlier, the Flash's CGI was the best. The blue lightning was great, it fit him perfectly. Cyborg's special effects looked a bit sloppy in the trailers but its much better now. Atlantis looked amazing and so did the bat-gadgets. Henry Cavill was working on Mission Impossible 6 while they did the reshoots for Justice League. He had a moustache for that and they had to remove it through CGI. I thought it shouldn't be an issue but sometimes its just so obvious that something is seriously wrong with his upper lip. Steppenwolf just looked kind of silly and tall and I felt like they could have gone ahead and used a human face instead of using special effects even for that. The more CGI they used, the less intimidating he looked.
The Villain and Action Sequences
Steppenwolf is the main villain, he's after three mother boxes, trying to unite them to destroy the earth and give way for Apokolips. He was very predictable but intimidating. There's an action sequence where he wages war against Amazonians, Atlanteans, and humans and he looks like a huge cause for concern for the enemy. His appearance and fight against the Amazonian women of Themiscyra is another beautiful action sequence and I loved every moment of it.
Superman's action sequences were a total home run. They didn't hold back when it came to Clark and it totally paid off. The final battle was at times irritating to the eyes with a red background and silly trees but every second seeing one of our heroes more than compensates for that discomfort. If you see a review of fewer action sequences, it means the guy has nothing else to nitpick about.
Steppenwolf was overall a decent villain, he just had to be a reason for Justice League to form and that's all I expected out of him.
DCEU's Position
Rotten Tomatoes have given this a 39%, all I have to say is that the brains of these critics are as rotten as the tomatoes there. They really don't know how to have fun with a movie as cool as this. Maybe superhero movies today have gotten so stale that people would rather rate a movie like Thor Ragnarok much higher than Justice League. I'm not saying Ragnarok was bad and I'm not saying that Justice League is perfect but since when did comedy become a major ingredient of comic book movies? I honestly didn't feel epicness in Ragnarok as I did with Justice League and for that matter, I would watch this over the Avengers any day. The people who choose to believe that Iron Man 2, Thor, Thor: The Dark World are many other movies deserved a much higher rating than this deserve to have a session of therapy with Kal El just like Steppenwolf.
They said Superman isn't smiling, they said he doesn't stand for hope, that he just stands for nothing but destruction, they complained that DCEU was too dark and that its heroes were brooding and boring. I stood in their places and I felt like maybe they're right but this movie undoes all those things, yet people still feel like its boring and idiotic instead of applauding what they've achieved. Justice League may not be a complete course correction but it is a step in the right direction and the right direction for me is to be inspired by these heroes and that's how I felt after this. I sincerely thank Zack Snyder and Joss Whedon for this masterpiece and I can't wait to see more from DCEU, they're on the right track and it's awesome.
This movie deserves to earn a billion dollars at the box office and I do hope that it does. But the Tomatometer still plays a major role when it comes to global earnings. Civil War, Avengers, and a couple of the Nolan movies made more than that, I only wish that Justice League stands tall with those masterpieces. Don't think I'm comparing this with the trilogy, its far from that, but if Iron Man 3 can earn 1.3 billion dollars, I think Justice League deserves to as well. But, ultimately, as Joker says, "Its not about money, its about sending a message"
Fan in me : 9.1/10
Critic in me : 8/10
The movie was cut down to 2 hours and I would love to see a Zack Snyder cut for the extra forty-five minutes to connect those missing pieces of the puzzle. I hope Zack's daughter is at peace and my prayers are with him and his family for him to get over the loss of his daughter, thank you, Zack, we're all with you.
