Wasted Potential. Sometimes Enraging, Lazily Written Misfire.

Rating: 5/10 (20 November 2017)

This movie is a complete mess in so many ways. I was kind of reminded of "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" in that we're given a series of disjointed scenes barely held together by a pretty flimsy, by-the-numbers plot. Just mash up the villain plots from "Man of Steel" and "Avengers" and you've got a pretty good idea whats in store here.
The characters are portrayed relatively well for what they're given. The CGI is wildly inconsistent, one of many symptoms of a troubled, rushed production. There are some really fun moments between the heroes here but they come and go too quickly to really be enjoyed. I felt like I was watching a 2hr, hastily edited, abridged version of a 3hr+ original film. Replacement director, Joss Whedon injects his familiar humor but it creates a tonal clash that constantly pulls you out of the movie. Lip service is occasionally paid to some characters' individual arcs but they never really go anywhere.
Danny Elfman's score is bland and forgettable. Even the occasional flourish of his 1989 Batman theme or even John Williams' Superman theme come and go so fast, you wonder why they bothered.
This is really an unfinished film whose studio seemed to prioritize making a release date over creating a valuable product. It has a beginning, middle and end but not much meat in between.