Review: Justice League (2017) (Justice Served?)

(SPOILER FREE)

“How many people have you really saved?”

Where do I even start with Justice League? I’ve put off writing this review since Friday because I simply don’t know if I even can be bothered to write about it. It seems Warner Bros couldn’t be bothered with Justice League. The film feels rushed, unfinished, and put together by a child. Even considering the change of directors earlier on in the year cannot excuse the mess that is Justice League. I was a defender of Batman v Superman because that dared to be different. Justice League is a sub-par copy of The Avengers, lacking Snyder’s distinct vision for the DCEU.

You know the story: the heroes we (barely) know unite to face an evil that each alone cannot defeat. Well, Superman could defeat it singlehandedly, but (spoiler alert for BvS) he’s six feet under. So, Batman tries to bring together Wonder Woman and two other superheroes who are think sketches of characters (The Flash and Aqua Man) to defeat the BIG BAD. I won’t spoil who that is for people who want to remain spoiler free, but suffice to say, he commands an army of aliens…much like Loki in The Avengers! The Avengers revolved around one Maguffin of a box: Justice League revolves around three boxes that can end the world.

Affleck’s clearly had enough of being Batman. That’s a pity: his Batman in Batman v Superman was compelling

“We’re asking people we don’t know to risk their lives”

That’s all there is to the story, really. Side plots come and go. Things happen for no particular reason. There are no stakes and nothing ever feels threatened. Character development is either non-existent or rushed to the point of absurdity. Both AquaMan and The Flash have daddy issues, but both are tacked on like a sticky note. Affleck’s Batman serves as the person to unite the Justice League, and he’s far less intriguing than he was in BvS. We learn even less about him than we did in that film. We learn nothing more about Wonder Woman than we did in the titular film.

Wonder Woman was a turning point for the DCEU, the point where it moved away from Snyder’s dark vision. Justice League attempts to wipe away all evidence of Snyder’s fingerprints. Say what you want about Man of Steel/BvS, but they had a a vision that was different from the MCU. It was dark, gritty and humourless. Due to the negative reaction to those two film, Warner Bros have decided to take a lighter approach to Justice League. They even roped in Joss Whedon to finish off the film when Snyder left because of a family tragedy.

A lot of Cyborg’s back story was cut out of the film, leaving him little more than a exposition spouter

“My man!”

You can clearly see the joins between Snyder’s Justice League and Whedon’s Justice League to the point of distraction. True, it’s more entertaining to guess who shot which scene than the entire film. But Whedon’s trademark zingers and snappy dialogue feel tired and dull. The Flash is the apparent comedic relief, but apart from a few giggles he’s just annoying. The desperate attempt to give a light and funny tone to Justice League is tiresome. When the credits rolled, I struggled to recall what I’d just watched. I could go on and on about Justice League’s flaws. The CGI veers from acceptable to laughable. Most of the action scenes (especially the final battle) are bland. But basically it’s forgettable trash.

The union of these superheroes should be a riotous, punch in the air kind of film (like The Avengers). However, the only thing you’ll be punching is yourself after paying to watch this rubbish. Warner Bros have caved to the critics to veer away from Snyder’s dark vision. But now it appears they have no vision at all. They have put out a film that feels at once rushed and overly long, a film that feels stitched together by a child. They should start from scratch with the DCEU.

VERDICT: 2/10. Justice League is an awful mess of a movie that doesn’t even have the failed ambition of (for example) Batman v Superman. Possibly the worst film I’ve seen this year.

What did you think of Justice League  (2017)? Leave your thoughts/comments below!

Click here for my review of Man of Steel (2013)

Click here for my review of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

Click here for my review of Wonder Woman (2017)