Justice for Justice League

I saw Justice League today. I really, really liked it. Yes. I really did.

Did I love it? No. But I don't "love" a lot of movies. Of course it was not perfect. It is hard to find a movie that is.

First, here are a couple of quibbles:

The 2 hour run time made it feel like there were some things left out that we would have benefited from seeing. (I'm eager to see an Extended Cut release)

The world felt small, and for a world shattering event like the one unfolding, there was very little sense of the outside world and its reaction to what was going on. This was disappointing, as the world wide peril would have been massive, and the initial minutes of the movie set a perfect tone to propel this notion. I can only imagine that it was due to trimming and tone changes between the more earthy Snyder and the more airy Whedon.

SPOILER: Bringing back Superman felt odd and lacked some serious set up and it felt like it was kind of shoe-horned into the whole thing.

Joss Whedon's ham-fisted humor landed with thud more often than it hit. Sure, the Flash quips worked, but what was up with that odd dude reporter who randomly interrupts Lois and Martha to talk about basically nothing for a minute of valuable screen time that could have been better used elsewhere.

The Russian family and their little journey under the Steppenwolf dome was useless to the overall script and story.

Martha Kent, Commissioner Gordon and Mera felt like thow away roles.

Ben Affleck seemed to be too self-aware in his acting at times, as if he were really tense about fan reaction and timid to do anything that would draw their hair-triggered ire.

Surfer dude Aquaman takes some getting used to, but was not something that made or broke the film for me. And the Atlanteans felt like they were way undersold in the film. Maybe saving for the solo outing.

Now, for the positives:

The opening 10 minutes were fantastic. The tone and the street level perspective gives this movie something that Marvel movies miss (a sense of what real people feel and see in the shadow of super heroes)

Despite its variation to the real origin story, Barry/The Flash was a nice bit of youthful levity amid the more stoic proceedings. I was ready to hate him because of my affection for the TV Barry, but Ezra Miller made it his own, and made it feel right in the mix.

Wonder Woman continues to bring smiles.

The drama between Bruce and Diana and their growing friendship and trust felt really sincere and solid. I believe in the relationship, and in their struggle with Superman's death and its aftermath. The writing was spot on in the moments where there was needed emotional weight between them, as well as Lois and Clark (except for a handful of dumbass Whedon jokes wedged in there awkwardly).

The Amazons continue to kick ass.

Cyborg and Flash bonding was nice, though Cyborg did feel under-used overall.


All in all, this movie was a great joy to watch. The bonus scene of The Flash wanting to race Superman was perfect fan service, while fitting for their characters. The Luthor and Deathstroke bonus scene, hinting at The Legion Of Doom, was awesome. And it should be a priority for DC to make THAT the next JL movie. And they should do all they can do the get Affleck to stay on for one more or two more flicks. JL 2: Legion of Doom and JL 3: Darkseid.

There is no reason that Justice League should not be a massive hit, and secure a long and healthy future for DC's heroes. This movie out classes many of the Marvel movies easily. It is better than Avengers 2, both of the first two Thor movies, Iron Man 2, Civil War (yes, I said it), and it can't be compared evenly with Ant Man, Guardians or Doctor Stange (which are all in their own separate kind of movie spaces). I liked BvS a bit better (thanks to its more consistent tone and storytelling) and I think JL does a good job following Wonder Woman. I hated Suicide Squad after a promising first half hour. (So I'm not in the bag for DC, lest anyone wants to accuse.)

However, I do think that DC and Warner's (like Affleck in the role of Batman) were WAY too self-conscious about the so-called critical backlash to BvS, and they allowed that to get into their heads too much. Forcing quips and jokes and tone shifts into the movie in several places just distracted and stood out to me. It was like they were trying too hard to say "hey, look, we're doing what you all say you want, and want you to love us and give us credit for catering to your whims and sacrificing our overall story at the alter of your fanboy outrage and bitchery." But I digress.

In fact, long-whispered rumors that some sort of thumbs on the scales fix was in with Rotten Tomatoes and other outlets, reared its head over the weekend, when several prominent critics noted that they were being cited on Rotten Tomatoes site as negative reviews, when in fact they had not given negative reviews.

Petty Disney and Marvel attempts to somehow hobble DC and Warner's seem to be closer to being proven true, which is really disappointing.

Add to that, the notion that nearing $100 million domestically is somehow a failure, and I think there is a conspiracy of some sort to taint the DC movie Universe and sow some sort of dissent that derails them from making that Legion Of Doom movie.

There is enough room for both. And notions that somehow "fans" will chose to not see JL just because they saw Thor 2 weeks ago, or that they are going to only stay home to watch Punisher on Netflix, is offensive to me and other fans who CAN do more than one thing in the course of their daily and weekly lives as geeks and fans.

It is saddening and sickening that Executives who don't know jack shit or give a shit about fans and fandom in general, think so little of the very people they are "selling" product to.

Sadder still is that I see too many "fans" fall for their corporate talking points and believe that one product is inferior to the other because they have been told so by a website that suddenly has god-level powers to raise up or condemn a film on a whim.

The Rotten Tomatoes "fix" was in a full day before general audiences even saw the movie. It was already declared to be somehow lesser before folks could make up their own minds. And some of the weaker of those minds bought it without finding out for themselves.

Shame on them. All of them. Shame on deceivers and on those who are all too easily willing to be deceived.

Justice League is a good movie. It would have been better had they trusted themselves to tell the story they wanted to tell.  DC is on a good path. Wonder Woman broke new ground. JL held that ground, and the universe is established. Let's hope they don't throw it away based on all the odd little deceptions that are at play trying to sew seeds of doubt.

I'll see it again, in theatres. Half out of spite to the whole suspicious thing going on around it.

I hope to see Affleck back in a couple year in JL 2. I look forward to Wonder Woman 2, The Flash, Aquman, and whatever else comes from this shared universe. It is worth keeping going.

And Justice League IS worth seeing. Go. You may have fun. You may like it. But for goodness sake, don't let someone or some site that thinks you're a gullible geek in your mom's basement keep you from at least finding out for yourself.