Batman and Wonder Woman assemble a team of super-powered
heroes to combat a vengeful alien with an army of monsters. ACTION/SCI-FI
|
Justice League (2017)Directed by Zack Snyder
Written by Chris Terrio and Joss Whedon Starring Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, Amy Adams, Jeremy Irons, Diane Lane, Ciarán Hinds, Joe Morton, Connie Nielsen, J.K. Simmons, Amber Heard Sequel to 2016's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and 2017's Wonder Woman Based on characters from DC Comics |
Man of Steel introduced moviegoers to the DCEU, which is what DC Comics was calling their take on the cinematic universe formula. It wasn't great, but it got people's attention. Then came Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad, both of which disappointed moviegoers and comic book fans immensely and put the future of the DCEU in serious doubt. The redeemer was Wonder Woman, which narrowed the focus on a single hero and told a good story. But now the big one has arrived. Justice League is in theaters now, and its success will for sure determine whether DC and Warner Bros. continues the DCEU or scraps it entirely with a full reboot. Much to my surprise (as well as I think every other consistent watcher of this franchise), Justice League is easily the most entertaining and enjoyable DCEU film to date and rights almost every wrong that gave the previous films problems.
It was a risky move to introduce Aquaman, The Flash, and Cyborg all in one movie without real prior introduction. Marvel gave each character their own spotlight before bringing them all together, giving the audience a reason to care about each of their stories. I think it's partly Joss Whedon's hand in the screenplay as well as the great performances of Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, and Ray Fisher that help give these characters the spotlight they deserve. They work perfectly and they have great chemistry alongside Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, and Gal Gadot as the big three. Speaking of which, the long-awaited resurrection of Superman was done very well. Gone is the doom-and-gloom Man of Steel, replaced by the optimistic and charming Boy Scout we've all been waiting for. Henry Cavill finally plays the best version of the character, stepping forward as the JL's much-needed leader and really making fans excited for the future. While the villain Steppenwolf wouldn't have been my first choice, he's actually a great foil for the League. He's our first link to the New Gods and Apokolips, basically meaning that longtime Superman villain Darkseid is on the horizon for future films. Unfortunately, I'm concerned that we won't get any future films unless this one does insanely well at the box office. So I'm urging all of you to go see Justice League. It's a fantastic redemption for the DCEU and just an all around fun movie. It took five movies, but Warner Bros. finally has something special that has the potential to rival Marvel. I just hope they keep it going long enough. |