REVIEW: Justice League

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

Well, the good news is that DC’s latest attempt at resuscitating their superhero franchise is much better than Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad. Unfortunately, that’s a low bar considering how atrocious those movies were. But any attempt to instill a bit of joy into these previously dour characters – no matter how tonally jarring it makes the film – counts as a massive win in my book.

It’s clear that Justice League is desperately trying (and mostly failing) to prove it can be just as fun as those cool kids over at Marvel, like an embarrassed teen slowly emerging from an ill-advised emo phase. Sadly, returning director Zack Snyder (who helmed most of the movie before a family tragedy led him to hand the reins to Joss Whedon for heavy reshoots) fails to comprehend that love and optimism are what made Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman such a breath of fresh air in the DC Universe.

The plot picks up soon after the events of BvS, as the world is reeling following the death of Superman (Henry Cavill). Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck), who apparently got a personality transplant between movies, calls the fallen hero a beacon of hope and wants to form a team to take on threats in his absence. (Although I’m not sure which movies he’s been watching in the Batcave. Snyder’s previous installments make it abundantly clear that the director hates the Man of Steel.)

After a never-ending series of “putting the team together” sequences (the film’s pacing is weirdly lethargic), Batman, Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), Aquaman (Jason Momoa), the Flash (Ezra Miller) and Cyborg (Ray Fisher) finally put their differences aside to fight yet another bland villain who wants to destroy the world with a glowing doohickey in the sky. This time it’s Steppenwolf, a CGI creature (voiced by Ciaran Hinds) who makes no impression whatsoever.

Criticizing these movies just feels mean at this point, so I’ll keep it brief. Most of the problems with Justice League involve structural issues and jarringly bad visuals. Simply put, it’s obvious the film was made by two men with contradictory philosophies and skillsets, primarily because characters behave differently from scene to scene for no discernable narrative reason. It’s also a visually ugly film full of nondescript imagery, a dreary color palate and cartoonish CGI.

That’s especially true any time Superman appears on screen. (I don’t want to hear any whining about spoilers – the character’s return was inevitable and obvious.) Long story short, Cavill was filming Mission: Impossible 6 and rocking an awesome moustache when he had to return for Justice League reshoots. The producers of M:I6 refused to let him shave, meaning Snyder and Whedon were forced to spend a ton of money to digitally erase it. As a result, Cavill ends up looking like one of those dead-eyed kids in The Polar Express.

Still, I can’t argue Justice League isn’t entertaining in spots. Gadot continues to be the shining star of this franchise, in terms of both her performance and the way her character serves as the moral authority of this messed-up world. Affleck is also strong as the Dark Knight, although he doesn’t get nearly as much to do this time around.

Miller is the clear standout – a welcome source of comic relief and wide-eyed wonder. Thanks to his exuberant work, the Flash is a superhero who (gasp!) actually enjoys being one of the good guys instead of pouting about it. Momoa is also fun, making Aquaman a sardonic tough guy who can’t believe he’s hanging out with a grown man who dresses up like a bat. But he doesn’t mind since Wonder Woman’s easy on the eyes.

I can’t wholeheartedly recommend Justice League, but it’s as critic-proof as movies come. You already know whether you’re going to see it or not. I’m just happy it’s a small step backward after the outstanding Wonder Woman rather than a full crash-and-burn.

Justice League is rated PG-13 for sci-fi violence and action.

Grade: C+