“Justice League” premiered this past Friday, Nov. 17. Featuring the team up of the biggest DC Comics heroes, like Superman (Henry Cavill), Batman (Ben Affleck), Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), The Flash (Ezra Miller), Aquaman (Jason Mamoa) and Cyborg (Ray Fisher) teaming up to fight an external threat.
The production of the film has been dramatic to say the least. With director Zack Snyder having to leave the project during the beginning of post-production due to a family tragedy, the film was completed by “The Avengers” director, Joss Whedon.
As the newest movie in the DC Cinematic Universe, Justice League has a lot to prove. “Man of Steel,” which premiered in 2013, received a mixed, though overall positive, critical reception. “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” and “Suicide Squad” received less than favorable reviews. “Wonder Woman” was reviewed positively. “Justice League” hopes to be a bit of a course correction, with a more light tone compared to previous DC outings.
In that sense, “Justice League” is a success. It’s fun, funny and quick, clocking in at two hours long. This, compared to “Batman v Superman,” which was an extra 35 minutes long, feels refreshing.
The movie is, at its core, very fun. With great character interactions and fast paced fight scenes, it’s a fun watch.
What is lost in this extra bit of levity and less time is characterization. While the performances are great, we don’t get much time with these characters individually. You leave the theater wanting to see these characters more, but it would have been nice to see more from characters like Cyborg and Aquaman.
The tonal shift from previous movies will be a welcome one for many fans, as it is a much more fun time at the movies. That being said, it does feel a bit too lighthearted at moments, probably due to director Joss Whedon’s influence on the post production. If you enjoyed the more serious take that the DC movies had been going for, “Justice League” might be a bit disappointing.
The new characters introduced in this movie are great. Ezra Miller’s portrayal as The Flash is especially fun, though very different from Grant Gustin’s portrayal of the character in “The Flash” television show on The CW. He’s a younger, more awkward character who is the comic relief and, in many ways, the breakout character of the film.
Jason Mamoa, though he doesn’t get enough screen time, is amazing as Aquaman. He makes the character fun, cool and ready to hold his own in his upcoming solo movie out next year. Ray Fisher as Cyborg is also very good. He brings a real pain to the character as he languishes over the accident that caused him to become half man/machine.
The biggest problem the film faces is its use of CGI. While characters like Cyborg often look fine, certain scenes, especially those featuring the villain Steppenwolf, don’t quite hit their mark. The move might have been better served being delayed in order to clean up some of the special effects.
When it comes down to it, if you are fans of these classic comic book characters, “Justice League” is great fun. Seeing characters like Batman share the big screen with The Flash is a delight, and the fan in you will smile. The movie leaves you excited to see what these characters will do next. With movies like “Aquaman” set to come out next year, the wait won’t be long.
Many will view “Justice League” as a fun entry into the superhero movie genre, though not without its faults. With some questionable CGI and a short runtime, the movie is far from perfect. But overall, it’s a fun film worth seeing.
“Justice League” gets a 7/10.
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