Justice League (2017) Review

With the Snyder Cut being announced this previous week I have now rewatched the original version of the film and here is my review for Justice League. The premise of the film sees after Superman's death Batman and Wonder Woman set out to form a team to save the world from the forces of Apokolips.

Main Character

Ben Affleck is back as Batman for the last time and I thought he did a good job in the film. As I mentioned in my Batman V Superman review I really like Affleck as Bruce Wayne and I feel like his character develops a bit this film. You see him as more of a team leader, and a bit more light hearted which felt natural and made him easy to root for in this film, though he doesn't lose his edge as Batman needs to have that. Gal Gadot is back as Wonder Woman and she is great in this film, she is really strong in the role and is a character you can get behind, the dynamic between her and Batman is a highlight of the film and feels like a natural progression from their relationship in the previous film. 

Supporting Characters

Ezra Miller plays The Flash and he did a really good job, his character is nothing new to me due to the character being used in the TV show but it was done effectivley enough. He is clearly the comic relief character and he was funny, I also liked his dynamic of the new hero and you just see his confidence grow in the film which felt like some character depth. Jason Mamoa plays Aquaman here and he isn't given lots of character development but he is no doubt fun to watch, especially in the action scenes. It was a good start for the character which would obviously be further expanded in his own solo movie. Ray Fisher plays Cyborg and he might be the most interesting character in the film, you see how his changes have really affected him as a person, for a big part of this film he feels more like machine then man but working with the other characters brings the best out of him. Now this one could be considered a spoiler but lets face it this was revealed way before the film came out, Henry Cavill is back as Superman and this is The Superman that we should have got in Batman V Superman, he is actually likeable and more charming. He is still great in the action scenes and has the necessary mix of humour and drama that this franchise finally got on track with the character.

Story

The story of seeing this dysfunctional team of special individuals having to come together is fun, I mean we have seen it in The Avengers but it is done fine here and seeing each characters personality come out when together to make a fun dysfunctional group. But the story is kind of all over the place, first the villain, Steppenwolf has really bland motivations and you know he is basically just a glorified henchman for Darkseid. Also due to three of the main characters don't have movies before this, the film has to rush there origins and it feels like we don't really know that much about them except if you are a comic book expert. 

Script

The script is much better here, it has a really good blend of drama and humour to it. It has the Joss Wheddon feel about it which when he took over this film it seems like he added a bit more of a balanced tone instead of Zack Synders very moody tone that had been in his previous films. 

Style 

The style has some interesting action scenes, it had a great representation of the new characters powers especially The Flash which made this a fun film for sure. But there is some CGI issues, especially in the final act, it just seems like it was made in a bit of a rush and without care. Also the first act is choppy and the pacing is off which makes it hard to focus on the important parts. 

Overall

Overall, I was suprised by how much I enjoyed this film, it is a great fun experience with a good set of characters and set up hoepfully the first of more installments of this franchise. If it can get a bit more focused and get a better villain a future Justice League Film could be up there with The Avengers films. 

Rating - 8/10