Comes Together Nicely

Rating: 8/10 (19 November 2017)

I don't see what the problem is.
While this movie would have benefited from more buildup, maybe a solo Flash, Cyborg, and/or Aquaman movie, when taken for what it is, it's a solid success. It's a team build on the same scale as the Avengers, just without the added benefit of backstory.
Going in, my thought was that Aquaman was going to steal the show, but that honor goes to the Flash. Ezra Miller offers a different take on Barry Allen from the Grant Gustin version, and it works well within the team's dynamic. Every scene he is in is better for him being there, and his wide-eyed viewing of many of the events he is privy to adds a comedic element that could have easily been overlooked.
And once again, Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman is the star of the show. She holds the entire movie together on her own, and while Batman is the one whose brainchild the team is, she is truly the driving force, and the character with the most happening as the film develops. Gadot came right out of the solo movie and into this one without missing a beat, and that makes it all the better.
Joss Whedon's hands are all over this thing. Fans of his work will notice his style, particularly the snappy and funny dialogue, and he does a lot to overshadow Snyder, and pull the movie away from his clutch into something that is more enjoyable and lighter than Batman v. Superman, even though the stakes are infinitely higher.
Steppenwolf is well realized, though perhaps not the ideal villain for this scenario. He is clearly a precursor to the inevitable arrival of Darkseid, a stronger, more complex character that is also pure evil. The film gets a bit bogged down in the Mother Box piece, and they almost feel like a MacGuffin of the highest order, but their utilization toes that line, rather than outright jumping over it.
The film is a great deal of fun. After two of the previous installments in the DCEU were more or less duds with minimal humor, and a rush job to get this universe established, the League finally arrives together on screen with aplomb, and in far more entertaining fashion than it would have if DC hadn't pivoted and allowed humor to be a part of it. Though I will say that Batman making even one joke is a little odd.
9/10. Don't listen to the critics on this one.