Justice League (2017) Movie Review: A Flawed but Fun Superhero Spectacle

Justice League (2017): A Dream Deferred

My Rating: 2.5/5 Stars

I'll be completely honest with you - I walked into Justice League with the kind of cautious optimism that only comes after being burned by Batman v Superman. As someone who grew up reading DC comics and dreaming of seeing these legendary heroes team up on the big screen, I desperately wanted this movie to work. Unfortunately, Justice League stands as a perfect example of what happens when studio interference meets creative vision in the worst possible way.

But let me start with what I liked before diving into the mess, because there are genuinely good moments buried in this chaotic assembly.

The Story That Tried To Be Everything

The plot picks up in a world mourning Superman's death. With their greatest protector gone, Earth becomes vulnerable to external threats - specifically Steppenwolf, a generic CGI villain seeking three Mother Boxes to terraform our planet into a hellscape version of his home world.

Bruce Wayne takes it upon himself to assemble a team of metahumans: Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg. Together, they must learn to work as a unit while dealing with their own personal demons and the seemingly impossible task of filling Superman's cape.

On paper, this sounds like exactly what DC fans have been waiting for. In execution, it feels like watching someone try to cram a six-hour miniseries into a two-hour movie. Everything happens too fast, character development gets shortchanged, and emotional beats land with all the impact of a wet napkin.

The Characters We Deserved Better From

Ben Affleck's Batman feels tired, and not in the world-weary veteran way that could work for the character. He genuinely looks like he'd rather be anywhere else, and his performance suffers for it. Some of his line delivery is wooden enough to build furniture with, which is heartbreaking considering how good he was in Batman v Superman.

Gal Gadot remains the bright spot as Wonder Woman, though she's not given nearly enough to do here. After her phenomenal solo film, seeing her reduced to mostly exposition and concerned looks feels like a waste of her charisma and fighting prowess.

Ezra Miller brings genuine energy and humor to The Flash. His awkward charm works perfectly for Barry Allen, and his interactions with the other team members provide some of the movie's best moments. The scene where he visits his imprisoned father is genuinely touching and shows what this movie could have been with more focus on character relationships.

Jason Momoa makes Aquaman feel like a badass rather than a punchline, which is no small feat. His gruff, reluctant hero routine works well, though we barely scratch the surface of who Arthur Curry actually is beneath the leather jacket and attitude.

Ray Fisher delivers the movie's most emotionally resonant performance as Cyborg. Despite limited screen time, he manages to convey the tragedy and isolation of his character's transformation. His arc about accepting what he's become while learning to connect with others is the closest thing the movie has to a complete character journey.

The Superman Problem

Henry Cavill returns as Superman, and when he's allowed to actually act, he's quite good. The problem is that infamous mustache situation that resulted in some of the worst CGI facial hair removal in modern cinema history. Every close-up of Superman's face looks like it was processed through a first-generation deepfake app, which is incredibly distracting during what should be triumphant moments.

Beyond the technical issues, Superman's resurrection feels rushed and emotionally hollow. There's no real exploration of what death and rebirth would do to someone psychologically, no examination of how the world has changed in his absence. He comes back, punches some bad guys, and cracks a few jokes. It works on a basic level, but it feels like a missed opportunity for deeper storytelling.

When It Actually Works

The movie's opening sequence, featuring Superman's phone video with some kids, perfectly captures the hope and optimism that makes the character special. It's a brief moment, but it shows the Superman we've been waiting to see in this cinematic universe.

The team's first major battle together has moments of genuine excitement. Seeing these iconic characters use their powers in coordination is thrilling, even if the overall sequence is somewhat messy. Flash's time manipulation, Wonder Woman's warrior skills, and Cyborg's technological integration create some visually impressive combinations.

Danny Elfman's score deserves special mention. While it's not his best work, incorporating themes from his Batman films and John Williams' Superman creates some genuinely emotional moments. When that classic Superman theme swells during the final battle, it's hard not to get a little choked up.

The humor, when it works, actually works pretty well. The movie doesn't take itself too seriously, which is a welcome change from the oppressive grimness of previous DCEU entries. Miller and Momoa have particularly good chemistry, and their banter feels natural rather than forced.

The Technical Mess

Let's address the elephant in the room - this movie looks rough. The visual effects are inconsistent at best, with Steppenwolf looking like a rejected video game boss from 2005. The color palette shifts dramatically between scenes, clearly showing where Zack Snyder's darker vision clashed with Joss Whedon's brighter reshoots.

The action sequences suffer from unclear geography and choppy editing. It's often difficult to follow who's where and what's happening, which is a cardinal sin for a superhero team-up movie. The final battle should be the climactic highlight, but it mostly involves watching CGI characters punch other CGI characters in front of a CGI background.

The Whedon Reshoot Problem

You can practically feel the movie fighting with itself. Snyder's mythic, operatic style clashes violently with Whedon's quip-heavy Marvel approach. Characters will deliver profound statements about heroism one minute, then undercut the emotion with unnecessary jokes the next.

The tonal whiplash is particularly noticeable in Batman's characterization. He alternates between the brooding tactician from Batman v Superman and a wise-cracking team leader who makes jokes about his financial status. Neither approach is inherently wrong, but together they create a confused, inconsistent character.

What Could Have Been

There are glimpses throughout Justice League of a much better movie trying to break free. The Knightmare sequence flashbacks hint at a more complex story involving Darkseid and time travel. The brief moments where team members actually talk to each other about their fears and motivations show what proper character development might look like.

The movie's biggest tragedy is that it had all the pieces for something special. These are beloved characters with rich histories, brought to life by mostly capable actors, backed by a massive budget. The failure here isn't one of ambition but of execution and studio interference.

The Snyder Cut Question

Even before Zack Snyder's Justice League was released, it was clear that this theatrical version was a compromised vision. Knowing that there was a longer, more complete version sitting in a vault made it difficult to judge this movie on its own merits. It feels like watching the Cliff's Notes version of a novel - you get the basic plot points, but none of the depth or nuance.

Final Verdict

Justice League (2017) is a frustrating movie because it's not terrible enough to dismiss entirely, but not good enough to recommend enthusiastically. It's aggressively mediocre, which might be worse than being outright bad. At least terrible movies can be entertaining in their failure - this just exists.

For DC fans, there are enough good moments to justify a watch, particularly if you can get past the technical issues and tonal inconsistencies. Seeing these characters together on screen for the first time has inherent value, even when the execution falls short.

For general audiences, this feels like homework - something you have to watch to understand future DC movies rather than something you'd want to watch for its own entertainment value.

Bottom Line: Justice League had the potential to be DC's Avengers moment but instead became a cautionary tale about the dangers of studio interference and rushed production schedules.

Perfect For: Die-hard DC fans who need to see every entry in the franchise, completists who want to understand the full DCEU story, and anyone curious about one of Hollywood's most infamous production disasters.

Skip If: You're looking for a satisfying superhero team-up story, you're sensitive to poor visual effects, or you'd rather wait and watch Zack Snyder's Justice League instead.

Best Viewing Experience: Lower your expectations, focus on the character moments that work, and remember that this isn't the definitive version of these characters working together. Better days were ahead for the DC Extended Universe.