Quite promising

Rating: Null/10 (17 November 2017)

For those of us to whom the acronym JLA has been enshrined since the 1960s, dropping of "America", if for political correctness (to avoid sounding too self-important), seems absurd. I shall therefore continue to use JLA.
A fan of the original JLA comics in the 1960s, I can't help but feel a tinge of disappointment that 2.5 of the original 7 members are missing in this ultimate motion picture realization. Green Lantern I miss most as he was my top favorite JLA hero. Ryan Reynold's 2011 version failed to fulfill this comic hero's potentials, although the star himself found greener pasture as Deadpool (2016). Not seeing the Martian Manhunter is not a surprise as this character never had his own place but only appeared as an occasional independent story in Superman comics. And it was a delightful surprise when I saw him in the TV series "Supergirl", ably portrayed by David Harewood.
The "half" missing is Superman. All promotional material seems designed to create the impression that he will be no more, consistent with his death at the end of "Batman v Superman" (2016). But he is resurrected approaching the last third of the movie here, and has some touching scenes with Lois Lane (a wonderful Amy Adams) and one brief moment with Martha (an equally wonderful Diane Lane), before finally joining the JLA to complete the group.
Superman aside, 4 of the original 7 made it to this first official JLA movie: Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman. Add to make a fifth is Cyborg, who in the original comics joined very late in the game (like, a few decades).
In addition to his appearance in "BvS", which many think is Ben Affleck's only portrayal of Batman hitherto, he also had a blink-and-you'll-miss cameo, uncredited, in "Suicide Squad" (2016). Gal Gadot, after a brief appearance in "BvS", has conclusively proved her worth in her own launch of "Wonder Woman". For those who have followed three seasons of Grant Gustin in the TV series, Ezra Miller as movie version of The Flash takes a bit of getting used to. Just like Affleck, Miller appeared in the same 2 movies in preceding for JLA. Unlike Affleck, both Miller's appearances are brief cameos. Portraying Aquaman, Jason Momoa is best known to the world as Drogo the Dothraki, in "Game of Thrones". Both the character Cyborg and his screen representation Ray Fisher are new comers. So much for background.
For plot line of superhero comic movies, there is really not much to talk about. Justice will always triumph over evil. It is therefore more of the journey than the destination. The villain here is one Steppenwolf, one-dimensional, played by veteran character actor Ciaran Hinds, motion-captured, with two third of his face behind a helmet-mask, a complete waste of talents. While currently most noted as the wildlings king-beyond-the-wall Mance Rayder in Game of Thrones, Hind's most vivid screen image is the Russian president in "The sum of all fears" (2002).
The special effect and action sequences here are neither particularly bad nor particularly good. The delightful surprise is that I was plunged into nostalgia, twice. Watching the evil "flying vampires", I had a sudden vision that I was watching "The Wizard of Oz" (1939) – the Wicked Witch's army of flying monkeys. Then, as Aquaman held off the onslaught of a crushing wall of waves to allow the others to get away, it was Moses parting the Red Sea again in "The Ten Commandments" (1956) all over again.
As in any such ensemble movie, there is never enough time to develop all the characters. Director Zack Snyder has done a reasonable job. If I were to describe the 5 main characters each with just one word, they would be – macho, juvenile, mellowed, damaged and motherly.
The three new heroes each come with a different story. Those who have followed the aforementioned TV series of The Flash are all too familiar with Barry Allen's quest of trying to exonerate his father who is in jail. This unhappy burden aside, The Flash provides comic relief in the group with his juvenile enthusiasm and awkwardness, in very much the same way Spiderman does in the Avengers "Civil War". Miller capably fulfills this role as written. If you are familiar with the character RoboCop (there have been several movies), you understand Cyborg, someone that is all but destroyed physically brought back to a human-cum-machine existence. As the greenest on the cast, Fisher holds his own in portraying this persona struggling to live with a new identity of damaged-and-repaired body. Joining the JLA will helps Cyborg in this difficult journey. With an appearance quite unlike the portrayal in the original comic, Aquaman comes across as a macho he-man, but one with common sense as well as an occasional sense of humor. He prefers low-profile obscurity of a desolate location where he helps the small folks. There is one "speech" however, that he makes in an unguarded moment when he opens up. Don't miss Momoa's excellent delivery of this speech, when takes place when the five of them are debating the way forward.
While not as dark as Christian Bale's, Affleck's Batman is greying and mellowing. With fire in him still, Batman has to struggle with his personal issue, the perceived guilt of causing Superman's death. While on Batman, it should be mentioned that Jeremy Iron continues to admirably execute a role made so endearing by Michael Caine. And if there is a contest of a superhero with most smiles, Wonder Woman would win hands down. Gadot, after the acclaimed success of delivering Wonder Woman's own franchise, continues to bring unique charm to the big screen. The smiles here, interestingly, are more maternal than anything else in nature. While The Flash is the only adolescent in the bunch, they all have a bit of innate adolescence. When little kids squabble, it's the mother that restores order.