Before I get on with this article, I have a confession to make: I am a Marvel gal. If you were to ask me to choose between Captain America and Batman, there would be no contest. Does that mean that I shun anything made by Marvel’s so-called rival, DC Comics? Of course not! Which is why I decided to give Zack Snyder’s Justice League a fair chance.
Image courtesy of DC Comics
Starring some superhero favorites like Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), Batman (Ben Affleck), and Superman (Henry Cavill), this film had a lot to deliver and many faithful fans to please. The introduction of newcomers like The Flash (Ezra Miller), Cyborg (Ray Fisher), and Aquaman (Jason Momoa), also added an extra element of interest. Although I don’t consider myself to be a faithful fan, I was excited to see how this new superhero unit would capture the hearts of the audience, especially with Marvel’s Avengers franchise already being such a massive hit.
It may be important to note that I didn’t jump into Justice League as a newcomer. Other DC films such as Man of Steel, Batman vs Superman, Suicide Squad, and of course, Wonder Woman, were all already checked off of my list of movies to watch. Each of these movies were enjoyable and brought their own elements of charm… but they didn’t rock my world. The same can be said for my experience with this year’s newest film, Justice League.
So, is it worth dishing out nearly ¥2000 for a ticket? It depends on what you’re going for. If you need a little more help deciding on whether or not to invest in this film, here is a list of elements that make it worth it and then not so worth it.
Let’s start off with the pros…
Worth it: Wonder Woman and the Amazonians
Unsurprisingly, Wonder Woman and her family of fierce female warriors was one of the best parts of the entire film. From action-packed scenes of the Amazonians battling it out with the villain and protecting their own, to a focus on Diana coming into her own as a team leader, Justice League did a good job showing off the limitless badassery of these powerful warriors.
Courtesy of Giphy
Worth It: Ezra Miller/ The Flash
This is more of a personal bias, but the presence of Ezra Miller was a huge motivating factor for me to see this film. Aside from the fact that he is epically handsome and has a jawline that could cut you like a knife, I was interested in how Ezra Miller would put his own spin on The Flash. Bursting with a childish sort of energy and innocence, the Flash acted as a form of comic relief and helped pull the team closer together.
Worth It: Action
If you’re an action junkie, this movie should have your fix. From start to finish, Justice League is jam-packed with slow-mo fight scenes, alien invasions, earth shattering punches, and underwater combat.
Courtesy of Giphy
And now for the cons…
Not Worth It: Screenplay
The screenplay for this film, written by Joss Whedon (*gasp*) and Chris Terrio, was definitely one of its weakest points. This was especially disappointing considering that this movie was packed with characters old and new, each carrying their own backstories that could have been used as the perfect fuel for a great script. Instead, there were many moments between characters, meant to be comedic and endearing, that ended up falling woefully short. I found myself waiting for witty or powerful one-liners that could be memorable or meaningful, but nothing of the sort surfaced for the entirety of the movie.
Not Worth It: Too much CGI
CGI is a wonderful cinematic tool that can make the imaginary into a reality. Unfortunately, in my opinion, Justice League used CGI so heavy handedly that I ended up feeling like I was watching a videogame play-through. While I understand that CGI is necessary for action-packed superhero films like this one, I feel as though other films have done a better job at keeping the obvious CGI work to a minimum. At some points, I had to wonder if the actors had to go onto set at all.
Not Worth It: Not enough team development
As I mentioned in my complaints about the screenplay, this movie didn’t get quite deep enough into the development of the characters as individuals and as team members. Even though the members of the team didn’t seem to hate each other, none of them were able to develop a bond that showed any indication of withstanding the films to come. Essentially, the worlds that each character came from didn’t blend together well enough. Batman’s world, The Flash’s world, Wonder Woman’s world, etc. remained separated from each other, leaving us with the impression that these characters probably won’t interact much unless they really need to. Where’s the fun in that?
Overall Verdict:
It’s worth it if you enjoy action and have been following other DC films. It’s not worth it if you’re looking for some playful team banter and character development.
All in all, a solid 3 out of 5 stars for me.
Courtesy of Giphy
Thanks for reading! :)