By Kadin Oliva, Reporter
“Justice League,” the newest entry to the ever-growing industry of blockbuster comic book movies, delivers engaging characters, dazzling special effects and a plethora of world-building in the grand scheme of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU).
Taking place after the events of “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice,” the world is mourning the death of Superman (Henry Cavill), who died in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.” In Superman’s absence, a threat from another world is approaching, leaving Batman (Ben Affleck) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) to form a disparate group of super-powered beings to protect the planet.
The film’s villain, Steppenwolf (voiced by Ciarán Hinds) has returned to Earth after thousands of years in exile. He has one goal: to recover three “Mother Boxes” which, when joined, will have the power to eliminate all existing terrestrial life and transform Earth into a semblance of his home world of Apokolips.
The plot of “Justice League” at times felt jumbled — in large part due to the many new characters being introduced — yet this ensemble of characters becomes essential to the the movie and is ultimately what makes it worth viewing.
Ben Affleck reprises his role as the Dark Knight, continuing the story of a tortured Bruce Wayne — this time with a more introspective take on life.
Gal Gadot returns to deliver another strong performance as Wonder Woman, who acts as a moral compass for the team.
Newcomers to this universe include the solemn half-man, half-machine Cyborg (Ray Fisher), eccentric and hyperactive speedster The Flash (Ezra Miller), and the macho and muscular Aquaman (Jason Momoa). All of these characters are interesting and welcome additions, and it will be exciting to see how they are fleshed out in their own solo movies.
However, more exciting than these introductions is the resurrection of Superman. When he is inevitably revived in “Justice League,” Superman brings along a newfound courage and gives audiences what they’ve been waiting for: a bright, smiling figure of strength and heroism.
In previous movies, the “Man of Steel” was still very much a novice to a superhero’s responsibility and was doubtful and unsure of many of his actions. Only after sacrificing himself for the Earth does he become uncompromising in his demeanor.
Superman saves people, always beats the bad guy and is inspiring to all.
Steppenwolf, the main antagonist and one of the weaker points of the movie, is less inspiring. He is a throwaway character, and is never properly established or developed.
Some of this could be attributed to the fact that he isn’t played by a real actor and is instead portrayed as a generic CGI creature — with a demeanor as gray as his design. Looking back, I see that Steppenwolf is just a means to bring the League and the characters together, which he accomplishes.
Movies can be very endearing to us, as the audience, because they allow us to transcend reality and enter another world.
One scene in “Justice League” stands out. It takes place during a bank robbery, with armed assailants holding hostages. The imagery is at first frighteningly relevant, reminding us of the recent tragic shootings we’ve seen in the U.S. and around the world. But this world isn’t real. As the assailants open automatic weapon fire on innocent bystanders, Wonder Woman races to the rescue, deflecting bullets with her indestructible bracelets and averting tragedy. She dispatches the miscreants with ease.
She turns to the last criminal. Realizing he’s outmatched, he turns to shoot a line of hostages, point blank, but it’s no use. To his shock, Wonder Woman springs into action and deflects an entire clip of bullets as it leaves his gun.
This scene conclusively defines what keeps bringing us back to these movies — an escapist world of fantasy, fantastic heroes who are nothing like those in real life, and how we relate to those heroes.
Overall, “Justice League” is an enjoyable movie. The characters are likable and engaging, and most of the comedy hits its mark — but the generic villain and simple plot keep it from being much more than that.
3.8 stars out of 5