By: Mike Maizel
(This post may contain spoilers)
A lot can be said about DC’s Justice League. Some say it’s too choppy, some say it’s not original, and some say it’s an amazing movie. The only person who can decide that is you, the reader. Don’t listen to me, or the opinion of critics. If you want to see a movie, go see it. Don’t decide based on the Rotten Tomato score. I’ve been a fan of the Justice League since as far back as I can remember and was so excited to finally see the live action team we’ve all been waiting for (yes, I know it’s not the original 7 but they did a damn good job). I thoroughly enjoyed Justice League. I think it’s one of the best DCEU movies to date and I’m very eager to see newcomers Flash, Cyborg, and of course Aquaman again in their own movies. Now let’s dive in a little deeper!
Justice League, much like every other superhero movie, has a simple plot and a predictable storyline. It’s all about Batman assembling a team of superheroes to protect the world from an impending invasion. The villain, Steppenwolf on the other hand just wants redemption for his failures of the past. In one flashback scene, we get to see a fight between all of the beings that represent mortality versus the beings that epitomize death. Look out for easter eggs like Zeus and at least two different Green Lanterns adding the Humans, Amazonians, AND the Atlantians in their fight to save Earth from becoming Apokolips 2! After Steppenwolf loses, he is exiled into…somewhere…until the Motherboxes awake again. Superman’s death in Batman V. Superman awakens the motherboxes, which call Steppenwolf back to Earth in present day DC Universe. As any good superhero team does, the Justice League goes through a few growing pains before they bring Superman back to life and together they save the day! Of course this is an over simplification of the plotline, but Warner Brothers made a statement with Justice League that should hopefully get people excited for the future of the DCEU movies. However; this movie was not without its plot holes and inconsistencies. As a guy who loves to love these movies, even I can admit that there were some noticeably choppy edits and the comic book style writing was a smidge over the top at times.
Let’s give credit where credit is due, Ezra Miller’s Flash stole the show. He was lighthearted, eager to learn, and the much-needed comic relief. Justice League was the first big role for newcomer Ray Fisher and he looked like a seasoned actor. Fisher did a great job bringing Cyborg to life in a very relatable manner, yes he was the McGuffin for the Justice League, but I can’t wait to see him in Flashpoint (assuming they’re still making that movie…). Finally, you have Jason Momoa, if you don’t know him you’ve probably been living under a rock for the last 6 years. I was never an Aquaman fan, but boy did he make me want to go try and talk to fish. He was arrogant, ready to fight, and a surfer bro, not your grandfather’s Aquaman. Justice League did a great job setting up Wonder Woman 2, The Batman, Flashpoint, and the standalone Aquaman movie.
“Superman was a beacon to the world. He didn’t just save people, he made them see the best parts of themselves.”- Bruce Wayne, Justice League.
This one line really stands out because it’s what the movie was centered around; the return of the Age of Heroes. This movie carried a much different tone than Batman V. Superman and seemed more hopeful like Wonder Woman. We saw a new, hopeful Batman, a Wonder Woman ready to lead the team, and of course everyone’s favorite boy scout, Superman. Superman’s return gave us the long-awaited hopeful and fearless Superman, not the unsure brooding version we’ve seen recently. Overall, I’d give Justice League an 7.5 out of 10 Batflecks. Even with its flaws, I thought it was a very enjoyable movie and it has me very excited for every other DCEU movie to come. Lastly, make sure to stay through the end as there are two post credit scenes!
What did you think of Justice League? Were you disappointed you never saw Darkseid? Are you ready for the Legion of Doom? Will you trust Rotten Tomatoes or go see the movie to form your own opinion?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mike Maizel is a regular tech beat reporter, movie reviewer, and producer for NewsWatch. He loves all things tech, and can regularly be found outdoors in the mountains of Colorado.
