Justice League was better than the last DC movie, but it did not fulfill our expectations.

Rating: 5/10 (20 November 2017)

So DC fans were kept waiting for over a year and a half after Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice for the newest addition to the DC Extended Universe. Director Zack Snyder was being counted on by many to light up the DCEU with Justice League after a showy yet hollow prequel in the form of Dawn of Justice.
The movie picks up from where its predecessor ended; the world in shambles after the tragic end of Superman (Henry Cavill). The human race still isn't over that yet though, and Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) and Lois Lane (Amy Adams) still seem to overly brood over Clark Kent. Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) is her charismatic yet mortiferous best, dealing out justice with her sword and lasso of truth.
Enter Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds), the big bad guy with the alien army, who aims to milk the opportunity presented to him in the form of Earth after the demise of its Kryptonian protector. Bruce Wayne and Diana Prince immediately set out to recruit their very own fantasy dream team.
The plot progresses with the expected bumps and falls associated with the formation of any team (no matter how super it is). Speaking of super things, DC played their hidden card well and kept a heavy cloak of suspense over Kal-El's return.
As far as the characters are concerned, the introduction of the new age meta-humans saves the blushes of the DCEU. Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) lightens the mood with his wide-eyed innocence and waggish one-liners, but his character, on the whole, gives out a sense of over-the-top irritation. Aquaman (Jason Momoa) is shown as a stand- alone badass in a perpetual bad mood (it's not as bad as the Hulk's), which fits his character.
The real horror, in my opinion, was the ineffective and lackluster performance put up by Batman. A drastic drop in the bat vigilante's character coupled with his struggle to lead this newly formed team points fingers at the actual importance of his role in the DC Universe. Put bluntly, his superhero résumé would only read the word "billionaire".
The characters of Jim Gordon (J.K. Simmons), the Police Commissioner of Gotham, and Alfred J. Pennyworth (Jeremy Irons), Bruce Wayne's glorified butler, satisfy, but find only a minimal role in the midst of this inter-galactic battle.
However, despite Snyder's best efforts, the morbid and droopy undertone that dominated Dawn of Justice infects the core of Justice League as well. A generic plot coupled with a predictable storyline take away the X-factor we all hoped the movie would possess. In most scenes, the doomy look bears a resemblance to the Upside Down from Stranger Things, and no, that's not a compliment.
The monotonous punch fest DC glamorously promotes as the center stage is a melee of overworked CGI and an almost saddening visual wreck. Music director Danny Elfman was able to engage the audience with his enthralling soundtrack, but the ghost of Hans Zimmer looms over the DCEU and his absence was notably missed.
Another set of complaints any superhero fan may have with Justice League are the blatant similarities that can be drawn to the MCU. The relationship Bruce Wayne shares with Barry Allen eerily resembles the one between Peter Parker and Tony Stark. Moreover, the concept of the Mother Boxes is quite like the fabled Infinity Stones of the MCU.
Although Justice League was an assortment of disappointments, the silver lining was the widening of the plot for the forthcoming sequels. The DCEU is being shadowed by the vibrant and diversified MCU, and they need to seriously up their game if they wish to move out of the second place spot. The DCEU is a far cry from Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Trilogy, and the class of Nolan's Batman seems like a distant fairy tale.
I give Justice League 3 stars out of 5. I'm unimpressed, but most certainly hungry for more.