Justice League Story: Bruce Wayne and Diana Prince unite a team of metahumans to defend Earth from catastrophic threats.
Justice League Review: Amidst all the superhero movie mayhem we've vividly experienced for over a decade, it's not a stretch to say that no comic book event has been as highly anticipated as seeing the Justice League come together on film. Sure, the build-up has been shaky along the way, but fans of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) saw a distinct glimmer of hope with 'Wonder Woman' earlier this year. It seemed like some crucial lessons had been learned, albeit the hard way, and set into motion. But production woes dogged 'Justice League', striking fear in the hearts of fans - would this be another major misstep from the DC stable?
Let's get to the good stuff first - this is definitely a highly enjoyable comic book film! Even though the marketing desperately tried to showcase its difference in tone from the rest of the DCEU, most of the chuckle & gasp-worthy scenes land home on the big screen despite being devoid of the surprise element. We're familiar enough with the big three - Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman, so
Ben Affleck,
Gal Gadot, and
Henry Cavill are all allowed to shine through and make their presence felt. Even the relatively new additions - Aquaman, Flash, and Cyborg, fit well into this world and the actors are well-cast. Thankfully, the whole team has ample chemistry with each other, and while the story is derivative with a disposable villain, it focuses on quickly dazzling from one scene to the next.
Sadly, it's also hard to look past the production issues because they are quite evident at some points. Some chunks seem to be missing from the story, and although it doesn't come across as incoherent, it feels tremendously rushed along with evidently last-minute CGI patchwork. Clearly, the DCEU is building towards bigger, and hopefully better things, but the course-correction feel is glaringly obvious. That aside, it commits to a distinct goosebump-inducing, fandom-pleasing tonality, one that will be well-appreciated down the line. Replace your skeptical lens with 3D glasses, and cheer along with your childhood heroes; 'Justice League' is made for the fans, and if you're one, you'll have a lot of fun.
