(WARRENSBURG, Mo.) – “Justice League” marks the fifth film in the DC Cinematic Universe. This movie acts as “The Avengers” did for Marvel, giving a chance for several different superheroes to team up on screen. Here, the newly formed group of heroes must battle a new threat to the world. They must also battle their greatest nemesis: Rotten Tomatoes. The website is well-known for giving bad reviews of the latest DC movies, giving “Justice League” a 26 percent approval rating.
Many don’t view “Justice League” as being a bad movie. In fact, this film has divided some moviegoers on its true quality. This superhero movie is divisive, which is apparently the only kind of superhero movie Zach Snyder knows how to make. If you would like other examples, look up reviews for “Watchmen,” “Man of Steel” and “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.”
“Justice League” is not perfect, but it’s not a bad movie. There are plenty of positive aspects that make the film entertaining. Unlike “Batman v Superman” and other DC movies, it didn’t feel boring. Even at the worst of times, I never felt the urge to leave the theater. The movie is filled with epic action scenes. These are moments when every superhero fights side-by-side. It was satisfying to see all of the heroes interact with each other. Overtime, they begin to form an enjoyable chemistry.
As stated before, “Justice League” is not perfect. Its flaws can be distracting, especially the pacing. Due to problems off-screen, several scenes had to be reshot. These were not done by Snyder, but by Joss Whedon acting as a replacement. Both directors have very different styles: Synder tends to be more dark, and Whedon tends to be more lighthearted. These different styles can be felt in the movie. Some moments are dramatic and brooding, while others are humorous and fun. On occasion it feels like watching two different movies, though not as a whole. The movie’s humor doesn’t always work, but sometimes it does.
The problem with many recent superhero movies is that they have a mediocre villain. “Justice League” is not an exception. Steppenwolf is an alien conqueror, who wants to destroy Earth… and that’s about it. I also found it hard to take him seriously, since there was a rock band that went by the same name. He’s not that interesting. Other characters have weak character development as well, with Cyborg being the main example. However, some characters do feel properly developed. The Flash/Barry Allan was very satisfying to watch. This version of the superhero also felt much different from the same character on CW’s “The Flash.”
I would suggest having some background knowledge of DC comics before you go see this movie. You don’t have to an expert on the subject or a true comic book fan. It’s just that the movie doesn’t always explain every superhero, or other people. A few quick Google searches might be beneficial to avoid confusion.
Is “Justice League” worth watching? That’s hard to say. It depends on what you want in a movie. Some people could like this movie, some could dislike it and others could view it as “OK.” If a weak story and other film elements distract you too much, this is not the movie for you. If you are willing to ignore those factors and look for enjoyment, then you might like this movie. A similar difference in opinion can be seen in “Batman v Superman,” only much less extreme. Overall, “Justice League” is not better than “Wonder Woman,” yet it is better than the other movies from the DC Cinematic Universe. In truth, it is a good movie with some problems. But then again, “The Avengers” had flaws too. “Justice League” is, for the most part, an improvement for the DC franchise, though it could’ve been of a much higher quality.