Today’s quick review: Justice League. Following the death of Superman (Henry Cavill), Batman (Ben Affleck) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) scour the globe for other heroes to help defend the Earth. Their new team is put to the test when Steppenwolf (Ciaran Hinds), an ancient alien conquerer, returns to Earth. The heroes must find a way to defeat Steppenwolf’s overwhelming power before he can unite the three Mother Boxes and terraform the planet.
Justice League is a superhero action movie and the fifth entry in the DC Extended Universe. Justice League reunites Batman and Wonder Woman and introduces a trio of new heroes: the Flash (Ezra Miller), Cyborg (Ray Fisher), and Aquaman (Jason Momoa). The film ratchets up the humor while retaining DC’s typically serious tone. However, its odd pacing, plot holes, and simplistic villain keep Justice League from living up to its full potential.
Justice League is a marked step away from Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. Where Batman v. Superman was long, complicated, and visually and emotionally dark, Justice League is short, straightforward, and visually and emotionally balanced. Zack Snyder’s usual directorial style has been tempered with caution, and while his extremes show through from time to time, the film’s decisions are usually safe ones.
Where Justice League shines is in its character dynamics. Flash brings a sense of humor to the team, his constant patter peppering the film with jokes. Cyborg makes for a capable new hero and another young face on the team. Aquaman is a tough loner, with only a few well-placed lines and lots of combat. Batman shifts into an uneasy leadership role, while Wonder Woman acts as his conscience and another voice of maturity.
The film’s action ranges from decent to downright impressive. Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Steppenwolf give the film plenty of raw muscle, while the Flash, Batman, and Cyborg add variety to the combat. Individual skirmishes are somewhat generic-feeling, but Justice League has a few tricks up its sleeve, and two or three of its action sequences are creative and impressive enough to please action fans.
Justice League does take a few shortcuts that affect its story quality. The origins for Flash, Cyborg, and Aquaman are necessarily brief, serving to introduce the characters but only touching on their individual stories. Thanks to its ensemble cast and reasonably fast pacing, the film always feels like it has something going on. However, its central plot is overly simple, and Steppenwolf’s only quality as a villain is his physical strength.
There are other issues with the writing and pacing. The movie skims over points that can be guessed at but would have better been explained. Certain developments are set up too quickly or not at all. Between the linear main plot and the abridged subplots, Justice League is a movie that’s clearly trying to avoid becoming as jam-packed as Batman v. Superman. These efforts are a mixed success, paring away the complexity but also the depth.
Justice League is worth a watch for fans of the superhero genre. It is not as solid a hit as Marvel’s best offerings, but its action and characters make it an entertaining and often exciting popcorn flick. Those who disliked Batman v. Superman for its dark tone may have better luck with Justice League. Just go in expecting a flashy team-up rather than a deep story.
7.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for a strong cast and good action let down by flawed writing.