JUSTICE LEAGUE
Rated: M
Consumer Advice: Action violence
Main Cast: Gal Gadot, Jason Mamoa, Ray Fisher, Ezra Miller
Running Time: 120 MIN
In a year when the big two (Marvel and DC) seemed to be really nailing the super-hero genre (Wonder Woman, Thor Ragnarok, Spiderman Homecoming) comes Justice League – the last of the big super hero movies for the year.
This one is DC’s answer to Marvel’s Avengers – bringing all the super heroes together to form one really powerful boy band (plus Wonder Woman) to defeat the evil big bad and save the world from total destruction.
The good news is, while it comes a very obvious fourth out of the four super hero movies this year, it’s still a lot of fun with good chemistry between most of the main cast and only a fake-looking bog-standard outer space baddie dragging it down.
Fuelled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act (in the confusing snore-fest which was Batman V Superman), Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince (Gal Gadot), to face an even greater enemy.
Together they bring together Aquaman (Jason Mamoa), Cyborg (Ray Fisher) and The Flash (Ezra Miller) to help bring down a major threat to the planet – but will it be enough?
With Joss Whedon, the man who helmed The Avengers, brought in at the last minute when director Zac Snyder pulled out for family reasons, it would be easy to compare the two movies and actually this one comes out well by comparison.
While Black Widow felt like a token woman in The Avengers, Gal’s Wonder Woman is fully fleshed out (thanks to having her own movie first) and is, honestly, one of the stand-outs of the film.
The team also comes together fast and seem to have a better rapport and chemistry than their Marvel counterparts.
The main difference is that while The Avengers were sidelined a little by an overwhelmingly charismatic villain, Justice League has a great team but a wet lettuce bad guy.
However with zinging Whedon one-liners and strong performances by Gadot, Miller, Mamoa and Fisher, it was still a lot of pop-corn munching fun!
It’s not to the standard of Wonder Woman but not down with Batman V Superman or Suicide Squad either.
– Tania Phillips
