Review: Justice League

I’m going to start right off the bat and let you know that this review is going to be slightly unusual – I’m going to say how awfully paced, badly written and weirdly realised this film is, but then tell you how little it matters. Sorry to spoil it, but I just had to get that off my chest.

So, as you’re probably aware, Justice League is essentially DC’s Avengers – the team-up of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash (my boy), Aquaman and Green Lantern Cyborg (and often Martian Manhunter too…man I wish Martian Manhunter was in this). This film has had the bumpiest of bumpy roads in reaching its eventual release, with four films preceding it, and only one of those is on the critics’ good side. With all the news of reshoots and re-edits, as well as director Zack Synder’s personal tragedy leading to Joss Whedon taking the helm, many were unsure what to think or how to feel about what should be the kickstart of DC’s cinematic universe.

So, what can I say about Justice League? Well, it has many flaws. It feels like the film wants to throw everything at you at the speed of a Japanese bullet train without any stops. Once the film starts we’re thrown straight in; after Superman’s death (spoilers) in Batman V Superman, the world is in chaos and made vulnerable to an inevitable alien attack, led by antagonist Steppenwolf (Yeah, I don’t know who he is, and I still don’t). The film takes no time to add any context; they are simply in this situation and it has to be dealt with. Batman now needs to assemble his super-friends to stop our villain from stealing a magical cube that’ll lead to the inevitable destruction of the world. Sound familiar? Well, although it’s not original, it served its purpose: to gather the team, explore their dynamic and see them kick ass.

In terms of pacing, the problem I initially found was that it felt like hard work to keep up and absorb what was happening, as there was simply too much going on in such a short amount of time. By the 15-minute mark we’re introduced to our key heroes, their motivations, the main threat, the villain’s goal, as well as two or three major action sequences, and it doesn’t even slow down from there. Also, a lot of the time the writing, particularly the dialogue, felt extremely expositional, and sometimes downright cheesy, with very over-the-top interactions occurring between the characters.

At this point, you must think I disliked Justice League… but in fact, I loved it. I know, big twist, right? Allow me to explain: this feels like the ultimate Saturday morning cartoon movie, more so than Thor: Ragnarok. The characters portrayals are the film’s foundation, each given the big superhero moment they deserve and building the excitement for what’s next to come. The highlights for me were newbies Aquaman, Flash and Cyborg; despite having little-to-no back-story, Aquaman becomes a standout due to his demeanour, charisma and his frat-boy fighting style, which is simply hilarious and entertaining. The Flash, probably one of my favourite super heroes, is funny and witty, and the on-screen depiction of his super-speed leads us to not only some of the most thrilling set pieces but also the funniest moments of the film. Finally, despite my uncertainty with this character, Cyborg fit neatly, providing some great moments, and towards the end he suddenly becomes more charismatic and engaging as a character.

Meanwhile, the returning trio of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman (played by Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill and Gal Gadot respectively) are given a bit more to play around with in a script that is lighter than the dreary and dark Batman V Superman. Gal has once again proven she’s a great fit for Wonder Woman; Ben Affleck, however, is the slightly weaker part of this film, despite being DC’s flagship character in their film series up untill now. Batman/Bruce Wayne’s purpose in this film is to explain the situation to the audience and then bring the team together; otherwise, he doesn’t have much else to contribute, which was disappointing. Finally, we have Superman. Yes, he’s in the movie. But you knew that already, so stop lying to yourself. As anything I can say could be a spoiler, I’ll just put it in the simplest terms; he’s fantastic. His character perfectly fits in the film, delivering a great moment upon his return to the land of the living, which will please any comic book-loving crowd.

Justice League had been plagued by rewrites, reshoots as well as multiple heavy edits; the film went from 2 hours and 50 minutes to just 2 hours, which is why I’m surprised that they managed to somehow make this film as cohesive as they did. Despite it going almost too quickly at times, it still managed to keep me engaged and excited throughout the entire run-time, and left me wanting much more from these characters and this world.

If you have any apprehension about seeing this film, this is understandable, as the film has rubbed many fans and critics the wrong way, leaving it currently at 43% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, if you’re a fan of DC’s characters, a fan of comic books and love seeing super heroes bantering with each other and working together to do what they do best, then this is the film for you. Putting aside the weak villain, the generic plot and the weird pacing, Justice League is pure comic book entertainment that will hopefully be seen as a crowd-pleasing blockbuster. Go in with an open mind, sit down with the biggest snack you can find, and just relax and enjoy the ride.