Here it is, Warner
Brothers big DC Comics team-up, featuring some of the biggest name
heroes in comic books; Justice League,
which is a name that any fan of superhero comics should recognise.
The
DC Cinematic Universe started poorly with the controversial Man
of Steel and Dawn of
Justice, but audiences received
some in the shape of the recent Wonder Woman film.
So the question is, can Justice League turn
this into an upward trend, or is DC's leading lady still the only
bright spot in this attempt at a shared universe?
As
always, there may be some spoilers within. Although, I'll try to
save them until the end this time.
I'll
start by getting the obvious comparison out of the way, that being
with Marvel's Avengers Assemble.
The plots do share some similarities, with the Earth facing an
imminent alien invasion, and needing to assemble a team of
superheroes in order to defeat it. However, where the Avengers were
assembled by an actual, in-universe security agency, the Justice
League is created by it members.
Tonally,
it is also quiet different. It's a bit more serious in tone than
Avengers Assemble,
although a good deal more light-hearted than either Man of
Steel or Dawn of
Justice. This extends to the
characters, who seem to be a bit more well-rounded than in either of
those two films. Since whilst they angst and argue, they clearly
express joy and other positive emotions too. In my opinion, this
helps to make them feel more real.
Personally
I appreciated the extra levity as it made it feel like a living,
breathing world. A world that has mix of different people and
emotions, where good and bad both exist. However, I acknowledge that
is very much just my personal opinion on a very subjective issue.
It
also helps that the humour in this film is not just the characters
spouting endless amounts of snark, as would be the temptation
following Marvel's success. Whilst there is snark to be had,
there are also different forms of humour like slapstick when a
certain character is slightly inept at using their power, or a scene
involving Wonder Woman's lasso of truth.
The
characters are what really holds this together, as the plot isn't
really much to write home about. It is inexpertly crafted, and is
bogged down at a couple of points by scenes full of exposition. This
makes what should be a fairly simple story, into one that feels a bit
convoluted and clunky; a little like Dawn of Justice.
The story doesn't really tread any new ground either.
However,
the characters are all likeable and distinct, with their own virtues
and faults. Seeing them struggle with their demons, and growing
closer as a team is interesting to see. On top of that, it does make
seeing them all come together at the end feel rewarding. Due to the
way the more personal way the team is formed when compared to
Avengers Assemble, the
characters feel more like friends too. All of this is helped by the
fact that all the actors put in excellent performances, and really
sell every moment that their character is on screen. There is not a
single bad performance from any member of the main cast.
The
villain is the only real let-down. Steppenwolf is big and imposing,
but there really isn't much else to him. In which case, it's a good
job the real focus is on the heroes.
As
with most of Zack Snyder's work, the action is the centrepiece. It's
clear and creative, with Snyder's distinct and dynamic style, and it
flows well. It takes great care to show each of the heroes at their
best, making each of them feel powerful in their own way. It is this
that really sells the idea that Steppenwolf is able to be presented
as a serious physical threat, without which he wouldn't be much of
anything.
Justice League
is also a lot more vibrant than Snyder's first couple of attempts at
portraying DC's biggest heroes. Gone are the filters and
desaturation, instead we see a lot more colour and life in the
environments and people. Even the special effects seem significantly
more energetic because of it.
Although,
the special effects in this are not always the best. In several
places, such as a scene in one particular village, the special
effects fall down a little. It becomes noticeable that what we are
looking at is CGI, taking us out of the moment, and breaking
suspension of disbelief, in only temporarily.
I
also feel that this is sometimes a problem with Cyborg, and that we
sometimes know that most of his body is CGI; but usually it's okay,
although not the best.
Elfman's
score is also great, if not an instant classic. The music helps to
bring each scene to life, and suck the audience into the conflict
being displayed. His incorporation of the classic Superman and
Batman themes works, as it adds an energy to the music without
becoming distracting. Elfman manages to resist the temptation to
have these two themes overpower everything else, and instead weaves
them into the score almost
seamlessly.
On
the whole, an enjoyable film, but not one that's going to set the
world alight. Not a bad film, but I would hesitate to label it as
“good” either. Still, a fun ride whilst it lasts.
Right,
a few spoilers below, and personal opinions.
Personally,
I very much appreciated this film's version of Superman, at least
once we got past the “came back wrong” scene. During the final
battle Cavill's Superman finally displays the amount of charisma and
charm, that I personally would expect from the Man of Steel. He
exudes and aura of confidence and hope in the face of danger, without
coming across as too cheesy, or melodramatic.
I
also like that it was the efforts of the Justice League that brought
him back, rather than a coincidence of some kind. It kept his return
from feeling like a complete deus ex machina.
But
those are just my opinions as a Superman fan.
Until
next time,
PhoenixAct.
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