Yup. Screw the critics

Rating: 9/10 (29 December 2017)

I liked and enjoyed it.
It must have been a phase I went through: we all have small secret shames. One of mine is that as a 30-something, I got into the Justice League and JLU animated series. I still think there are great individual episodes in those series, as well as some great story arcs. So I was actually excited, when there were distant rumours of a JL movie. That excitement was worn down and all but forgotten by the negative response to the films that built up to this. They weren't necessarily great, but their biggest failing was that they fell into the shadow of the Marvel machine; the movies were less epic, less all-encompassing, and the PR couldn't compete.
So instead of hunting out a seat in the first weekend or even the first week, I undertook watching this as a (slightly hopeful) chore, but I was so relieved.
The film had a lightness I can't necessarily explain; it felt familiar and authentic. It had qualities of superhero stories that felt like reading the comics and watching the cartoons, almost as if maybe it cared for the audience. Crazy huh. For whatever the glitz and drama of the Marvel movies, they are perhaps more than a little self-involved.
The cast did a great job. Aquaman was introduced really well and Jason Momoa was cast really well. Ben Affleck's Batman isn't the same one as all the others. I thought he was more real, more believable, just better all round. A much-needed change. Lego Batman he is not. Wonder Woman and the Flash brought all that those characters are supposed to bring and did it v.well.
All those years ago when there were rumours of a JL film, I would've expected it to have been epic. Now, I was relieved it wasn't. It was just very good. (Yay, Justice League!)