Justice League Movie Review: Superhero Mashup We've Been Waiting For

Justice League movie review 

JUSTICE LEAGUE is just what we've been waiting for in a superhero mashup. If you like the 70s cartoon television version of "Justice League" than you'll more than likely enjoy the latest entry in the troubled DCEU. As most critics have been noting, the CGI is questionable but more importantly the superhero team have great chemistry so you can overlook its shortcomings. Ezra Miller steals the show as The Flash, and provides the much needed comedy lacking in previous DC movies.

With DC movies, you go in with low expectations given their track record and more so after reading the critics negative reviews. But pay them no mind, JUSTICE LEAGUE suffers from similar issues that plagued MAN OF STEEL and BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE, but at least the team is here to entertain. That obvious difference may be thanks to Joss Whedon who was brought in for reshoots and script additions after Zack Synder left the film because of a family tragedy. 

As Jeffrey Iron's Alfred says in the trailer, "Now that's a team." If it wasn't for the chemistry between the DC superheroes, JUSTICE LEAGUE would be a total loss. However, the dynamic between the characters keeps the movie moving forward despite the weak villain and plot. Who are we kidding? Fans are there to see the DC superheroes assemble and fight. And that's what we get, along with a good balance of humor and brooding superheroes. That combo reminds me of the 70s "Justice League" television cartoon. I don't remember the villains, but I fondly remember the dynamic between the superheroes, and you get that sense in JUSTICE LEAGUE. That may not be good news for die hard comic book fans, but they are the minority.  Like Marvel, the name of the game is to attract a mainstream audience. 

In my book, Ezra Miller's The Flash/Barry Allen steals the show, and he is the comic relief we've been needing in the DCEU. Barry Allen is the geeky superhero we can all relate too, and his character brings an innocence that balances Batman, Cyborg and Aquaman's reluctant superheroes while Wonder Woman is still the heart of the group although in a motherly way.

My one big complaint is the obvious difference between Zack Synder's Wonder Woman and Patty Jenkins' Amazon warrior. She's definitely more objectified in JUSTICE LEAGUE and the action scenes seems to focus on her assets rather than the cool action moves seen in the Wonder Woman stand alone. There's something to be said about how a man portrays a woman versus a woman behind the camera, and this proves it. Even more noticeable is the action scenes with the Amazons back in Themyscira. In WONDER WOMAN, the Amazons are shot in a way that focuses on their humanity and their skills as warriors yet in JUSTICE LEAGUE, the magic is lost. They feel like an afterthought. 

The computer generated action scenes are disappointing sometimes because they look too much like a video game and not practical at all which takes you out of the movie. The CGI Steppenwolf is the biggest distraction  It's hard to understand why we can't get a more realistic villain when Marvel worked wonders with the Hulk in THOR: RAGNAROK.            

While JUSTICE LEAGUE is a step in the right direction, the DCEU needs to figure out how to bring the magic that made WONDER WOMAN a fan favorite.  If done right, the Flash stand alone movie, FLASHPOINT can be the next WONDER WOMAN because Ezra Miller exhibits similar characteristics that will make him a fan favorite.  

 

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