Justice League Movie Review (without spoilers)

We can imagine that the attitude of many fans, before going to see Justice League, is caution. The enthusiasm maintained by the Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad promo, though it paid off at the box office, on the other hand, led to a backfire all the more violent on the critics. Similarly, the rumors about the production of this fifth chapter of the CUSD were a cause for concern: split director's caps, intensive reshoots, revised film budget, embarrassing mustache to be erased in post-production, the weight of errors previous movies to hang out, etc. On the other hand, Wonder Woman seemed to almost allow fans to hope again, her bright tone hinting, perhaps, that some lessons had been learned. In short, when entering the room, the fan does not want to be a third time but wants to give a chance. This is justified, and probably it can only improve the perception of the film.

While the world mourns Superman, another threat rises, announced by the appearance of being mysterious on the planet. Batman and Wonder Woman are trying to put together a team to oppose it - but will they have enough time to convince all of them to join them, and, if so, will they know how big, in the absence of Man of Steel, to face the danger that awaits them?

This summary blows it half-word: the Justice League scenario does not reinvent the wheel. The pattern imposed by The Seven Samurai is taken literally, namely that an enemy presents himself, too formidable to be defeated by a single protagonist, so he must gather other heroes to accomplish his mission, which the assembled team for the occasion ends up doing it in the end. This is probably a weakness that Libé 'critics will not fail to notice, but it also marked Wonder Woman who, despite this, had managed to seduce the fans - and the general public in the wake.

More benevolence for the characters

However, where Wonder Woman stood out from the previous components of the DCEU, it was in her traditional approach of the Amazon, devoid of will to deconstruct it. Justice League is part of this lineage, and displays more kindness towards the characters it presents than Batman v Superman or Man of Steel. This attitude borders on incoherence with previous chapters, for example by swallowing the film's original status quo - "the world mourns Superman's death" - raising the eyebrows and wondering how credible this global mourning is for a portrait that was brushed from Superman in the two previously mentioned films. Justice League has the good taste not to bother too much with this bulky inheritance and proposes, from its very first seconds, protagonists much brighter than those which had been presented to us before.

Until the end, Justice League stands by this rule and supports it, with great jokes and signs of camaraderie between its protagonists. The result is a lightness that will not fail to make you think of the competition, but which effectively supports the interest of the viewer. The pathos is not quite absent, let's think of the scenes between Barry and his father, or those with Martha Kent and Lois Lane, all brief, a little heavy, probably written under Snyder's reign, but somehow necessary to present the character of Barry or Lois to those who missed the mark, and thereby insert the only scene where the scenario actually uses the journalist - but rest assured, in terms of time on the screen and consistency it is really less potiche than in Batman v Superman.

Cyborg, the dark side of the league

Cyborg is probably the member of the most tortured team, faithful to the malaise that his condition imposes on him, already an integral part of the character when Wolfman and Pérez had created it in their New Teen Titans. But once integrated into the team, and this is justified because there is a new purpose to his life, this aspect goes further back and does not plumb the atmosphere beyond jokes slightly more bitter than those that let go his teammates - which does not stop them from getting hit.

One might have feared that, under the impulse of Snyder but perhaps also of Geoff Johns, attached to the film as a producer, the scenario goes through the box "We first hit on it, and we talk after" for reuniting his team, in the manner of the first bow of the declination New 52 of the League. But tempted by the tempo, the film does not linger, with one exception forgivable, on snags whose artificiality would have noticed, since the viewer knows that the protagonists are intended to work together. Moreover, in general, the duration of the film is well managed, imposing a perhaps linear scenario but which avoids the pitfall of being lost in vain sub-intrigues. And above all, the rhythm of the film prevents him from highlighting his flaws too much, from pointing out inconsistencies, the weaknesses of a shot or the inconstancy of a character. By not lingering, one profits more at leisure from the spreading spectacle than on lazy details, for some easily erased by the suspension consented of incredulity. On the other hand, Batman v Superman was spending a lot of time developing Luthor's plan as if his inventiveness seemed to carry the film, which did not convince all the audience ...

A Flash-Cyborg duo that works well

Here, Justice League seems to understand that his asset is the characters he has the luxury to afford, and everyone manages to find his little hour of glory. The Flash-Cyborg duet evokes that of Wally West-Kyle Rayner in the JLA of Morrison, sometimes that of Changeling-Cyborg in the New Teen Titans. In any case, by their young age, they form a clever contrast with the trio Batman-Wonder Woman-Aquaman, who each time emit an imposing presence when they throw themselves into action. Among the members of the team, the spectators will undoubtedly have their favorites at the exit of the film, and the choice of these will feed many debates of geeks, but, unlike the first Avengers, from which some neophytes without having understood that Hawkeye and Black Widow were full members of the Avengers (I do not invent it, this is the case of two acquaintances), here the team works on its reduced staff without a fifth wheel of the coach who does not know what to do, neither in the debriefing room when it's time for punchlines, nor on the battlefield when it's time for casting.

The rub a little on the side of Steppenwolf. You may have heard it in the first critical feedback, it lacks a bit of flavor, perhaps in the image of Ares Wonder Woman half-tone. Some will find it hard to forgive this pitfall, especially since earlier this year Spider-Man: Homecoming who treated his villain in an exemplary way. But the reduced development of Steppenwolf, already rather bland in the comics, is almost forced by the place occupied by the League itself, and the space gained is used wisely. Finally, a villain too imposing, like Darkseid, would have lost in prestige to be defeated by a novice league just assembled. The mediocrity of Steppenwolf ultimately passes as an evil for a good, one could say.

The villain dispatched, for the benefit of the League

On the other hand, the background elements of Steppenwolf pose some real problems. The use of Mother Boxes, in particular, will push Jack Kirby's hardcore fans to tear their hair (no, we're not entitled to a Forever People cameo, sorry for the minor spoil). The flashback that serves as an introduction also leaves doubt, first because it is not really canonical compared to comics and strangely agrees with the Greek mythology introduced in Wonder Woman, then because it plagues without scruple Lord of the Rings, betraying the lack of inspiration of screenwriters who have found nothing fancier than to draw in one of the biggest critical and commercial success of the twenty-first century (seriously, guys, you thought it was would not see?). Another scene in the film also evokes too much a cousin from the same Lord of the Rings to believe in a coincidence.

The other weakness of the screenplay is perhaps Superman's way of bringing life back to life, and the scenes immediately following this resurrection. But as I think, someone intelligent said: "There is no good way to bring a fictional character back to life. And he might not have been wrong. It does not shine inventiveness, but failing to find a better idea oneself, we will be tempted to go over it.

Known but safe musical themes

Especially since overall, the film shows a sustained respect for comics and their readers. The two post-generic scenes will not be able, as such, not to fill with joy your hearts of fanboys. Danny Elfman, meanwhile, does not endow the film with an unforgettable soundtrack, the theme of the League will not mark the spirits for example. On the other hand, the themes already heard in previous films, for example, those of Batman and Wonder Woman, are enough to defend honorably the bo. As for those who feared, in view of the trailer, that we are dealing with a movie jukebox Suicide Squad, they can be reassured: except for the introduction and conclusion credits, it is an orchestra that is responsible for accompanying the film, and not for rock songs used with a taste questionable.

Carried by the presence of its protagonists, Justice League offers in short a show quite correct. It's hard for a character's critics to get a sense of how a complete neophyte would feel, but it would be hard to deny that icons like Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman have universal resonance, which will make always a bit lacking to Tony Stark's band. Used here with cautious accuracy, the members of the League are the strong point of this honest blockbuster that never bores and leaves the viewer on an optimistic note. It's true he will not be as impressed as Nolan's Dark Knight, but he's probably less serious. However, after Man of Steel and BvS overwhelmed by their ambitions, many will feel relieved.

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