Entertaining, but still eons from Marvel.

Rating: 6/10 (26 November 2017)

So I didn't hate Justice League. And that is a big step up. I had big problems with Batman vs Superman, as well as with Wonder Woman. Batman's anger issues left me rather dumbfounded in the first, and CGI the was laughable in the latter. However JL kept me entertained and I left the cinema actually looking forward to the continuation, because let's face it, they managed to end it with a pretty good hook (and I am talking about the very end, after the closing credits, so make sure you sit though them). Anyway, let's take it from the start.
Introducing the new characters. A little bit messy and un-engaging. The film tries to be funny but falls pretty flat. I compare it to latest Thor or Spidey flick where the audience laughed out loud constantly. JL got a few hah's or hehe's, maybe a giggle or two. But nobody in the theatre burst out laughing.
The Flash has a naive excitement that perhaps is supposed to woo us and remind us of young Tom Holland aka Spiderman, however The Flash is quite a few years older, so he doesn't come across at all as charming, more a bit dumb. Cyborg's past is briefly hinted but he sort of just shows up all moody and it takes a while to warm up to him. Aquaman, the protector of the sea, is a pesky litter bug; thinking it is a cool move to throw a whisky bottle while walking down a pier, tsk tsk!
The Villain. Aaargh! NOOOO! Not a stale CGI bad guy. Steppenwolf is a big fail and ruined a lot for me. Guardians of the Galaxy (pt1) did the same mistake with Thanos, and it is painful to watch. In Guardians however, Ronan saves the film by being a pretty badass antagonist, as well as a person. Justice League lacks that saving grace. The para demons are better CGI than Steppenwolf, and thankfully there is a lot of them!
The Plot The film moves along in a good pace and there's a lot of action. JL keeps us entertained. A few flaws, like why the hell did NOBODY pay attention to the last mother box? C'mon guys that was beyond sloppy. So yeah, we all knew that Steppenwolf would snatch it at some point, but at least fight him for it...
The Twist Not going to give away too much but... definitely the best part of the film! Well-needed addition to the team. Gave a great boost to the plot as well as to the on-screen chemistry between the actors. Suddenly I found that I actually quite liked The Flash. There was a bit of banter between the characters. I laughed a bit more. I enjoyed everything about the film a bit more. Wise move from the screen writers to add this superhero to the mix.
Overall MUCH more likable than previous DC flicks. OK plot. Great action. The CGI had improved and specially liked scenes with The Flash (even though I think Quicksilver did v e r y similar moves in the X-men saga).
Justice League delivers a good time at the movies, but - it is still miles away from the MCU. The dialogue is more stilted, the sense of humour is hit and miss and Ben Affleck's Batman has the wooden charm of a tree trunk.
Once again, stay until the closing credits! 95% of the cinema goers left the theatre as soon as credits started rolling (something that never happened when going to see a Marvel. It seems DC lacks curious fans who are aware of the fact that there is ALWAYS more to come). The hook for Justice League 2 is a must see. And there is also a good laugh mid credits. Enjoy!