A messy and incoherent strain peppered with wonderful golden moments.

Rating: 6/10 (17 November 2017)

"Justice League" is the latest addition to the DCEU and marks a cinematic landmark as the first time we've seen particular DC characters like Aquaman, Cyborg, and Flash. The film picks up where "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" left off. With the death of Superman, the world continues to mourn while Batman and Wonder Woman assemble the Justice League to defend the world against Steppenwolf; an alien villain set on destroying the world.
"Justice League" had enormous pressure riding on its shoulders as a follow up to this year's "Wonder Woman" and its behind the scenes problems with director Zack Snyder stepping down earlier on in the film's post production phase. Faced with multiple reshoots and a new approach by Joss Whedon, "Justice League" feels wildly inconsistent and unfocused in both plot and central theme. The first half of the film feels so jarring and all over the place no scene seems to mean anything to it's accompanying scene. The story attempts to balance several elements from the DC comics lore that it manages to make it feel more meaningless than satisfying for a true fan. This is obviously disappointing since I thought most DCEU films so far have done that quite well.
Since the first half and the second half of the film feel so disjointed and uncomplimentary, the pacing feels down right painful. This bogs the story down almost as much as the villain Steppenwolf who not only feels cliché, he's actually blatantly bad. Many are complaining about the CGI being subpar for the villain. I would argue the actual character design and construct are so generic and video game-esque, that it's not really fun watching him on screen.
Complaints aside, "Justice League" has some fine, memorable moments and qualities. First, the portrayals of all members of the league and their characterization was very satisfying. Ezra Miller stole the show as The Flash and Jason Mamoa as Aquaman was compelling to watch the entire time. Both Ben Affleck and Henry Cavil give quite different representations of the DC comic's heavyweights which I still have mixed feels about. Despite hesitations however, every character worked well with each other and it was truly entertaining to see every scene they were in.
Recently, a large glaring issue with these genre films many have had is its tone. Recently, many audiences have preferred more lighthearted, fun, and humorous approach to the superhero/action genre. Films that make fun of the dramatic and cheesy nature that correlates with the genre stories. Sacrificing genuine emotional drama for a jokey one-liner, modern day superhero films have lowered their stakes, minimized the impact of their villains, and filled the screen with more clever one-liners than ever before. In the case for "Justice League" the movie falls right into that trap by fitting the mold and not standing out. Regarding Warner Bros and DC comics films, I enjoy and appreciate a film that tries to be more. With big characters come heavy ideas rooted in mythology and ancient storytelling. Perhaps the biggest complaint about "Justice League" is its resolve to appeal to mass audiences with more jokes and low stakes; even if it means it being forgotten in a few months. Say what you will about previous DCEU films but at least people still remember them.
At the end of the day, "Justice League" is a good time. I would eventually recommend going to see it. It beats other comic book films this year but doesn't come close to touching some of the best. It's fun, riveting to watch for the characters, and definitely peaks my interest for the future of the DCEU. It would really be best to see this one on your own and form your own opinion.