Justice League (2017)

Justice League (2017)

Cast : Gal Gadot, Ben Affleck, Henry cavill, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, Jeremy Irons, JK Simmons, Diane Lane

Directed by Zack Snyder

Review by Zulfiqar (3.5/5)

            The first question after we have watched JL is ‘did the duration of the movie have any effect on its positive outcome’ and for me the answer is convincingly yes. The first cut was reportedly double of the running time as of its 2 hours. There has been a lot of editing and definitely a cohesive screenplay at work here. Though it was definitely Zack Snyder’s baby, Joss Whedon’s last minute inclusion definitely dolled it up good.

            However, nothing should be taken away from Snyder here. His vision at last has come to shape in this outing. The movie is a continuous, out and out, fun for the DC comics’ fans. It has probably the most enjoyable first 30 minutes I had seen in recent superhero movies. From the introduction of Batman with his heavy billowing metal suit and cape in Gotham as he catches a ‘fly’ which is attracted by fear, it moves onto the different locations, which describe the rest of the team. Having accustomed to the realistic tone of Nolan’s batman world, all the superhero movies are etching their characters against the realistic possibilities. For the first time, in a long time, I feel that Justice League maintains its separate tone of fictional integrity. It is itself a great achievement. It gives the whole franchise its own unique identity, which is what it requires.

            The movie begins in ‘watchmen’ way, in which Bob Dylan’s old number graced the opening credits, here Leonard Cohen’s ‘everybody knows’ does the honors. The movie is crisp upto the point, where Batman understanding the brewing of an outer-wordly danger, tries to accumulate a group of superheroes to combat against an army of parademons led by Steppenwolf (voiced by Ciaran Hinds). Steppenwolf is given a brief history as he first attacks Amazonians to steal a cube, called Mother Box, one of the three hidden in the far corners of the world. This set-piece is a brilliant spectacle of VFX and choreography. It gives the movie a complete high-end tone in its picturization and in its visual splendor, which is the primary play of Snyder’s skill-set. He gains the momentum with the way he holds the viewer’s attention with the palette of Gotham, Themyscira, Atlantis. But at the same time, the plot proceeds from point A to point B with no further ado and with relevance.

            It becomes easy when it is explained that Victor Stone’s orgin is related with a Mother Box. The Icelandic locales, which we are well versed in the advertisements, depict Arthur Curry’s establishments. It is a little innovative in making Curry’s character a little on the light side. Jason Momoa though looks tough and acts too at the start, dissolves into a lighter character, who knows how to take a joke. His banter with batman on his loony dressing and the latter’s barb on the water-god’s pitchfork gives a lighter tone to the movie, which we have completely missed in the earlier ones of Man of Steel and BvS. Ezra Miller as Flash offers the comic relief in a full fledged way. It is definitely a relief that he isn’t given a serious lecture on how to utilize his potentials, but given the practical mentoring by Batman and Wonderwoman.

            Gal Gadot continues to be the best of the lot here, beautiful, bold, righteous and responsible. She is an authority in every scene she stands in. Ray Fisher’s Cyborg is the ironman of the group, but more responsible and compliant. He is brooding and has that reluctant approach of Banner regarding his strengths, which makes him more human and understandable. Superman makes a late entrance and for me, he is the weak link here. Henry Cavill doesn’t completely sell the lost-hero grief of the public. He and Lois Lane’s romance lacks the chemistry required. But Diane Lane compensates for Clark Kent’s feeble angle.

            Ben Affleck’s Bruce Wayne forms a strong fulcrum to the plot with his guilt of Superman’s death and his reason to get the band together. But Affleck’s huge presence is more helpful here than his acting chops. He needs to look broody and rich, which he convincingly does. JK Simmons fits the caricateurish physicality of James Gordon aptly and Jeremy Irons cracks out of his grim presence in the last outing as a little more humorous Alfred. The voice casting of Ciaran Hinds couldn’t be more satisfying with a rumbling and intimidating timber. The physicality however belongs to the VFX artists.

            The inter-relationship, at the end, between its superheroes is all that is needed to hold it together. The script’s lacing of abundance of lighter comedy and witty repartee propels the franchise in the righter direction. The plot’s writing deficiencies are completely invisible in the powerful and vibrant display of visuals. The movie had definitely covered a lot of ground for the franchise but with the ever-expanding brilliant world of Avengers as competitors, it needs a few more right pushes when the solo-acts come out. If they come-out good, everything will fall in place. Hope they will.