The rebirth of the DCEU

Rating: 8/10 (19 November 2017)

*****CONTAINS SPOILERS*****
For DC fans who follow the comic books, you'll find Justice League to have much more in common with the "Rebirth" story arcs (2016-present) then you will the darker and more edgy "New 52" run (2011-2016). This change of tone is likely brought about by Joss Whedon's re-shoots, added humor, and lighter tone (gone is the muted colors and philosophical angst about the illusion of heroics). From the coloring to the dialogue to the score, the film is lighter and more enjoyable. Yes, Steppenwolf is obviously CGI and his motives are typical "rule the world" fare, but the movie isn't about him. It was about heroes finding each other and, most importantly, finding themselves. Steppenwolf was just the device to bring them together (they had to have some sort of insurmountable threat, right?). If you haven't guessed that Superman comes back in this film, then you haven't paid attention to the promotional images or the casting list. Superman does come back, and he's different.
I don't think that Zack Snyder would recognize the theatrical release as being anywhere near his original vision, I wouldn't doubt it if he feels a bit robbed (although I'm sure he is professional enough to not publicly criticize the film), but I think the film he had in mind would have just been a continuation of the heavy-handed approach of Batman v Superman. I could be wrong, but I think Whedon took Superman's return into an entirely different direction from what Snyder had intended. My guess is that, had Snyder finished the film, Superman's arc would have been much longer and more drawn out as he struggled with remembering who he was. That entire process was cut down to about five minutes...and it was probably a good choice on Whedon's (and perhaps Geoff Johns') part. We've all had enough of the dour, broody, internally-conflicted Superman. One reviewer wrote that this movie delivers a thankful Superman and a repentant Batman, and I think that is correct.
As for the other League members: Ben Affleck continues to grow in the role of Batman, and this film shows a more human and less one-dimensional Dark Knight. His scenes as Bruce Wayne were as important to the story as when he dons the cape and cowl. Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman was once again a delight, particularly during the opening scenes, but she felt underwritten through much of the movie. Ray Fisher brought Cyborg to life and his performance has been unfairly ignored. He did a great job of portraying cyborg's internal conflicts of being split between man and machine. Ezra Miller's Flash was the comedic relief of the film, but he brought a timid humanity to the character that I think will give him room to grow in future films. Jason Momoa's Aquaman is the biggest shift from the source material, but his rocker, brawler, bad-ass, biker take did make an otherwise boring character much more interesting. Personally, I prefer Aquaman as the tormented King of Atlantis who feels compassion for the "land dwellers" while being simultaneously annoyed by them and occasionally wanting to flood the earth. That is beneath the surface (pun intended) for Momoa's character and, like the rest of the newcomers, it left a lot of room to play with for future solo and team films. The biggest question at this point is where do they go from here? I, for one, hope they continue down this lighter, more optimistic path of rebirth.