Movie Thoughts: Justice League (2017) (spoilers)
Blurb: Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman's selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists newfound ally Diana Prince to face an even greater threat. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to recruit a team to stand against this newly awakened enemy. Despite the formation of an unprecedented league of heroes -- Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and the Flash -- it may be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.
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Unlike the critics who hated this film (rottentomatoes has it at 39%), I loved it. I've come to the conclusion that as far as the critics are concerned, D.C. can do no right - except Wonder Woman (92% on rottentomatoes). People were careful to diss Wonder Woman in case they were characterised as problematic. This was not the terrible movie that people say it is. Iron Man 3 was awful yet that's at 79%, Guardians of the Galaxy 2 was a hot mess as far as I was concerned, and that's sitting at 82%. I've given up reading reviews for Man of Steel, Batman v Superman and Justice League simply because I know that so many of the reviews are horribly biased. Seriously ... all the nit-picking about CGI-erased moustaches and Amazon costumes which really were not that skimpy and in any case, were not in any way the focus of the scenes! If you actually watch the movie, when the Amazons are onscreen there's far more to deal with than what they're wearing.
I don't understand the hate for Zack Snyder. He's passionate, he cares about his movies ... yes his movies have a darkness, an edge to them - but they also have hope and love and tenderness. They're loud and thrashy and violent ... but they are also incredibly romantic. There's a juxtaposition of visceral violence on the one hand with the amazing tenderness of the Lois/Clark relationship and the Lois-Martha relationship on the other.
In Justice League, we pick up the story in the days after Batman v Superman. There's a darkness hanging over the world in the wake of the death of Superman. Strange supernatural creatures (Parademons) are being found and Bruce Wayne-Batman knows that the onslaught of the new evil is something that he cannot handle alone. He goes on a recruitment drive to engage with the people he identified during Batman v Superman.
Barry Allen a.k.a. The Flash doesn't need much persuading to join. He needs friends. Diana Prince was always going to be on the team although is more motivated when she learns that Steppenwolf has returned to earth. Arthur Curry a.k.a. Aquaman is also reluctant but joins when he discovers that Steppenwolf has returned and is in search of the Mother Boxes. Victor Stone a.k.a. Cyborg secretly follows Bruce Wayne and Diana, in full knowledge of who they are but when invited to join, declines until his father is kidnapped, at which point he joins the team.
The film was beautifully filmed:
Diane Lane as Martha Kent is as calm and beautiful as she was
Although I didn't like Affleck's portrayal of Batman in Batman v Superman much but he was much more likeable in Justice League, with a more self-deprecating and modest manner about him. Gal Gadot continues to be wonderful. Jason Momoa was better than I expected although he continues his trend of rôles where he does all of his acting through his physicality... Ray Fisher as Cyborg is surprisingly entertaining and Dan and I quite liked how he wasn't fully in control of his powers and he was the one who went in search of Batman and Wonder Woman... I wasn't sure how I'd feel about Ezra Miller's Barry Allen but he's entertaining and funny without being annoying. I really liked him.
Most controversial of all is Henry Cavill. Poor Henry Cavill who seriously cannot take a break. Too dark, serious and sullen in Man of Steel and Batman v Superman, even the darkness of his suit was criticised. Then when everything lightens up in Justice League - including the colour of his suit, everything gets slammed including him. I really, really liked his portrayal. Superman was wonderful and exactly how I wanted him to be...
Christopher Reeve was always a little bit too quippy ... Henry Cavill in Man of Steel and Batman v Superman did a great job of portraying a desperately lonely and compassionate man with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Despite the responsibility and pressure, he was still a loving and caring person. Bruce Wayne says it himself during the movie: "He lived in this world. Fell in love. Had a job despite all that power. The world needs Superman. The team needs Clark."
Unlike many other people, I did not consider Superman's quips and levity to be out of character or a betrayal of his earlier portrayal. Following his "return" to life, for the first time in his life, the burden of saving humanity is no longer his alone. He is part of a team and there are others with special gifts and abilities to help shoulder the load. It's a comic book movie, is it any wonder that this change, this increased lightness is then also reflected in the colour of his suit, too? I liked his quips and comments! A lot.
And of course, Lois and Clark ... When Alfred and Bruce Wayne were discussing having a "contingency plan" and a "big gun" to deal with Superman in case things went horribly wrong, I had assumed it was some form of Kryptonite weapon. It didn't occur to me that the "weapon" was going to be Lois Lane ... the one person most likely to be able to cut through everything and reach Clark through his confusion and bewilderment. Even though she wasn't in the film much, Amy Adams continues to be wonderful as Lois.
We know that she's grieving for him.
And their reunion is incredibly touching.
Along with her very candid admission that she wasn't as strong as she had wanted to be... that she had fallen into weakness following his death.
The Lois/Clark relationship as portrayed by Amy Adams and Henry Cavill has been my favourite element through the three movies. It's so romantic, sweet, funny and sexy. I can't wait until the next Superman film.
As for the digs about the costumes of the Amazons ... honestly, if you had time to allow your Male Gaze to linger on them and ogle and leer, I'd be surprised. The costumes didn't strike me as being particularly different from Wonder Woman and when the Amazons were onscreen, they were too busy fighting for their lives against Steppenwolf's Parademons!!
So there you go. I wish that all the critics in the world who are willing to give Marvel a pass for any sort of drivel they dish at us would be less harsh on DC. Don't get me wrong, there have been some good Marvel movies. I really liked Guardians of the Galaxy 1, Iron Man, Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier and Spider-Man: Homecoming ... the rest have been a real blur to be honest whereas I loved Man of Steel, Wonder Woman and Justice League and loved parts of Batman v Superman.