Justice League - Our (relatively spoiler free) Take....

I will do my best to keep this review as spoiler free as possible!

In recent memory, I don't think any movie has had as much negative press, behind the scenes turmoil and scrutiny as Justice League.  Between news of reshoots, directors having to be replaced (and again our hearts go out to Zack Snyder for his decision following the unfortunate death of his daughter), music composers being replaced, moustache-gate, disputes over running times; it just seemed to go on and on.

Trailers started to come out -

'It's too dark!'
'Its too bright!'
'Where's Superman?'
'Why is Grant Gustin not The Flash?'
'Where's Green Lantern?'
'It's too jokey'
'There's not enough humour'

So, if nothing else, I'm just glad it is now out and all the speculation can come to an end.  And instead we can all argue over the movie!  Because if there is one thing that these run of DC movies has been, it's divisive.

I should probably set my stall out on DC movies so you know where I'm coming from.

Man of Steel?  It is a movie I very much enjoy.  There are some problems with it, but overall I would view it as underrated.

Batman v Superman.  Theatrical cut?  Not good.  Extended Cut, a hell of a better movie.  This is where the studio messed up, as you shouldn't have to watch an extended cut for it to make sense.

Suicide Squad?  The first 30 minutes, and in general the casting?  Fantastic.  Everything after the first 30 minutes is utter garbage.  Easily DC's weakest movie so far.

Wonder Woman?  The one where they got it right.  Suffers a tiny bit in the final battle between Diana and Ares, but otherwise, a near perfect Superhero origin movie.

Which brings us to Justice League.

Overall, I would say it ranks as the second best DC movie, just behind Wonder Woman.  It is filled with many fantastic moments, lots of fan service, and is all round just a really fun time at the movies.

In terms of problems there are certainly a few.

The movie feels rushed.  There is a 2 1/2 to 3 hour movie here just bursting to get out.  Scenes that should have had a bit of time to breathe and aid character development were instead just interested in getting the basics across for the plot to move forward.  This feels very much like a decision from the top as BvS was often accused of being overly long.  And you have to think it also hurt ticket sales in that two week golden period where a movie is just released.  Instead of a movie theatre showing it five times a day, the longer time meant only four showings.

There is some bad CGI work in places.  Don't get me wrong, there is also some phenomenally great CGI work and design (after seeing this I cannot wait for Aquaman.  All scenes set in Atlantis were fantastic), but especially in the final battle there definitely appears to be some unfinished work there.

The villain.  Steppenwolf is not terrible by any means, and in fact has some of the movies best lines., however, he is rather generic and I will always question the decision to utilise a full CGI character when we live in a golden age for practical effects and makeup.

Now onto the good stuff.

This is a heroic movie.  If nothing else this is where is succeeds.  It feels like a team getting brought together.  It feels like there is a very real threat to Earth's survival if they don't.  Batman starts out as the leader they need, but by the end it is clear the team has a different leader in place.  Bruce is at his self sacrificing best in this story.  He understands the lengths he might have to go to in order to ensure Earth's survival.  All of the superheroes understand what is at stake and they all step up to the plate.

In terms of characters and chemistry between the actors this is another home run.  You can see the relationships developing throughout the movie, whether it be through humour, shared scarred pasts or just the desire to be a hero.  They have their ups and downs (one particularly tense scene between Bruce and Diana is a standout), but they are undoubtedly united in their common goal.

The action scenes are great., with special mention going to the attack on Themyscira by Steppenwolf and his minions.  I also really enjoyed the opening scene on Gotham's rooftops.  It looks like it's straight out of a Jim Lee comic book.  And also the League's first encounter with Steppenwolf when they are underprepared works really well.  A big mention also to the 'History Lesson' sequence where we find out about Steppenwolf's previous visit to Earth.  The action here is incredible and keep your eyes peeled for many DC Easter Eggs amongst the battle.

To discuss the action any more would involve spoilers, so I won't go into those here.

The actors all do a fine job in their respective roles.

Affleck portrays Bruce Wayne better than an actor before him (though for me Bale will always be the best Batman), and you can see his guilt and determination to put things right in every single scene.  There's also another great scene with him and Diana where you see just what a toll this is all taking on the one completely human member of the Justice League.

Gadot is once again the perfect embodiment of Wonder Woman.  Beautiful, fearless, a skilled warrior and always ready to take on the biggest challenges and do the right thing.

The biggest compliment I can give Ezra Miller is that not once did I miss Grant Gustin.  And I am a big fan of The Flash TV show.  He provides a lot of the movie's heart and humour, and his evolution into a hero is great to see.

Momoa is a bit one note as Aquaman, but it's a great note.  He's the hard drinking, ass kicking man mountain you expect.  There are a few peeks into his past in a conversation with Mera, and also another heartwarming monologue later on (achieved through humorous means), but you get the feeling they are holding back the good stuff for his solo outing next year.

Another surprise was Ray Fisher as Cyborg.  There are some great scenes with him, especially his introduction with his father, and a scene between him and The Flash when they are on special assignment.

Which brings us to the elephant in the room.  We all know Superman will be back.  But that is as far as I will go on the subject as he is one of the very best aspects of the movie and I will not spoil any of that for anyone.  It is easily the most fun Cavill has had with the role and I hope they green light Man of Steel 2 sooner rather than later.

I'll just wrap it up here by saying I thought the movie was a lot of fun.  There is humour here, and it does not feel forced in any way.  It is earned, and there is one very good joke that turns one of the most serious lines of BvS on its head, and another running Stephen King joke that is very well utilised.  It is exciting to see all these characters together on screen.  As the audience we almost have as much joy in our eyes as Barry Allen when he see the Batcave for the first time.

But I will still maintain that there is a better movie in here somewhere, and that an Ultimate Cut will infinitely help the movie.  If only we didn't I've in an era where studio executives make these creative decisions.........

I'll nevertheless catch it on the big screen at least once more.  And make sure to stay through the credits as the first stinger is pure fanboy joy, and the second is very surprising (and had people cheering at the midnight showing), and could set up where the story goes from here...