Every once in a while, there comes along a movie that does not just disappoint, but angers. I have been largely pleased with superhero offerings over the course of this year; even the less than stellar Spider-Man: Homecoming was solidly entertaining. And of course, it was a major sign of hope when Wonder Woman managed to bring back the DC film universe from the brink of doom both critically and financially--but the goodwill built up with that movie is gone now. Justice League not only manages to be worse than both Batman vs Superman and even (dare I say it?) Suicide Squad, but it leaves me with no interest whatsoever in any sort of future this franchise has planned.
This film is an embarrassment on every level, so let's start with the visuals. How could they have possibly screwed this aspect up with a budget of over $300 million? Some of the fight scenes look downright amateurish, with no thought given to proper choreography or any sort of internal logic. The CGI, particularly with main villain Steppenwolf (more on him in a minute), made me feel like I was watching someone else play a video game from 2005. This is one of the most visually ugly movies I have ever seen, and I've seen Suicide Squad. The "epic final battle" is not only underwhelming and incoherent, but also painful on the eyes. Even the better action scenes are nothing more than serviceable--I can't think of any standout moments that will be seen as iconic in years to come. We'll probably never know how much of this was Zack Snyder's fault due to the extensive reshoots that took place, but I'm inclined not to blame him as much since one thing the man usually knows how to do is film great battle sequences.
The story is so pedestrian and forgettable that one wonders why they even bothered writing a script. Steppenwolf is a shockingly lazy antagonist; Marvel movies are usually criticized for their bland villains, but at least they always give them some sort of motivation and background. I've already forgotten key plot points and motivations surrounding this character, since he only exists as a plot device to bring the heroes together, and an underwhelming one at that--I never had a clear enough grasp on him to buy him as the biggest threat these characters have ever face. If you've seen any other superhero film, or read a comic in your lifetime, you already know the plot of Justice League. There are no surprises, no emotional moments that work on any level. It's all studio-manufactured in the worst way possible.
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But hey, maybe this could all be forgiven if the characters and their interactions were fun, right? But that's yet another area where this movie completely misses the mark. I thoroughly enjoyed Ben Affleck and Gal Gadot as Batman and Wonder Woman in previously movies, but they appear to be completely phoning it here with disinterested performances. Jason Momoa and Ray Fisher are barely given anything to do as Aquaman and Cyborg. Ezra Miller as the Flash is definitely trying the hardest, and some of his jokes made me chuckle, but far more simply made me cringe. Like with Suicide Squad, there is no convincing team dynamic. I never once felt like these characters were forming any sort of bond, and they were simply not enjoyable to watch together.
Justice League is currently a contender for the worst superhero movie I have ever seen. The blindingly apparent laziness in all aspects of its production are inexcusable in an era where comic book films reign supreme. If this is the level of quality that can be expected from future outings, then the DC Cinematic Universe needs to be scrapped altogether. I would give this movie 0.5 stars out of 5.
