Justice League

We all know that Batman vs Superman wasn’t great, but it was spectacular, broad in plot and ambitious in scope – that's where Marvel is not even close. Unfortunately, the second time around, instead of a peak, there is a fall. Not only did Snyder ease off the gas, both the darkness and the climactic action are gone, but halfway through, the film seamlessly switches to Whedon’s style, goofing around like in Avengers, which feels stupid for a dark comic book that often takes itself deadly serious. Straight up skip the main CGI villain with zero charisma and the whole thing about saving the world. Yes, really, someone wanted to destroy the world with a magic artefact, again, a cube this time. That leaves only the main characters, who are fine separately and together, but the screenwriting pile of shit around them doesn't give them much room to stand out and instead brings out the secondary roles of the not-so-important characters (Lane, Crudup, Nielsen). Compared to "first one", it's a downgrade in quality and, nothing against Joss Whedon, but when a joke-cap director takes on a pompous and properly dark intergalactic drama-material, it turns out to be exactly the kind of CGI mess we have here. (21/11/2017)

It looks like DC wanted to make another team-up film. Which is exactly what happened. A comic book team-up that features a lot of familiar characters, but which works as a team-up for about the last five or ten minutes. The plot is extremely predictable and the villain is very boring, and unfortunately, so is the team of heroes. Flash is at least entertaining. And that is all. (21/11/2017)

It never seemed to me that DC films would attempt to copy Marvel in terms of style, even in the case of Wonder Woman compared to Captain America. This time, however, yes, because Justice League is actually The Avengers, including humor at all costs, in which nothing happens (at least at first glance) that would somehow affect the film universe. Yes, it's about the resurrection of Superman, but it's kind of shallow, and Superman is different than before because of the script (“It itched" can boldly compete with the sand that Anakin Skywalker had everywhere). Plus, I didn't really recognize Zack Snyder's hand in the film. Compared to the excellent Man of Steel and even better Batman v Superman, Justice League felt almost too intimate, unimaginative and flat. Despite all that, my two hours at the movie theatre weren't wasted, because the film has some really good moments, I liked the music by Danny Elfman (the return of the Batman motif from Burton's films and the original Superman motif by John Williams!), and Ben Affleck is a really great Batman. (17/11/2017)

First, let me say I pity Zack Snyder, who killed his potential quite thoroughly with DC Comics for several years to come. At the same time, however, I feel that the whole DC Comics universe made a significant step forward with this movie. It still looks like a Marvel movie from six years ago, but there is the occasional hint of a joke; for every two awkward ones, there is a quite funny one. This is a fair improvement when compared to the last battle between Batman and Superman. Story-wise, there is a lot of work to be done if they wish to pull themselves together because it is one big mess. And that says a lot considering the number of movie stars who star in the movie. Henry Cavill, together with Amy Adams and also surprisingly Ezra Miller made the strongest impression on me; we will see where they are standing in the years to come… (03/01/2019)

If you've managed to tune in to those previous Snyder visions and thoroughly enjoyed the Wonder Woman solo film, then you need to see this. Justice League is straightforward popcorn entertainment. Everything that you have been waiting for so long is here - a team-up starring Gal Gadot and her lasso of truth. Next time there will be a solo film with Mera (and Aquaman by her side). Ok, then. Flash is funny, and Sups and Bat are only badass to the extent that Diana or Alfred will let them. It's nothing that would get a Pulitzer in the paper version, but that's not what these films are about, nor are they meant to be. For as much as I feared Gadot at first, I now see (and watch with some enthusiasm) that it's her cute face that saves the whole DC movie universe (and elevates it even where most would have given up). I'm curious to see what comes next. (28/05/2018)