Injustice.

Rating: 5/10 (26 April 2018)

Justice League (2017) is a film, filled with such mediocrity, that does so little (if not nothing) to justify its legendary and beloved comic book characters. Most of characters in the film either falls flat or becomes unnecessary, to the point where you ask yourself why the movie even exists.
I want to start off with Bruce Wayne/Batman's character, because I absolutely hate him in this film. More accurately, I hate how they've written the character. The words he delivers are but white noise, and he just seems much goofier and sillier than ever. I loved Ben Affleck's performance in Batman v Superman: DoJ, but this film took everything that was great about him. His movements inside the bulky costume always seem stiff and constrained. His constant monologues about "enemies from far away" and "I'm putting together a team" just falls flat and unnatural due to the lack of context and setup. However, there is one moment in the film where I truly felt something genuine. When Bruce says, "Superman was more human than me", I saw the real Batman. It was a refreshing moment, until the film falls back into a whirlwind of uninspired CGI-heavy battles. Batman, in the midst of all the destruction, can't seem to have much purpose but to stand around and shoot flying bugs.
Wonder Woman was 'okay' in this film, given that she was amazing in her preceding solo outing. Her character feels much more of a leader and team-builder than Bruce, with her warmth and kind-heartedness resonating with the others. However, the film takes a step back from what her solo film has established, constantly diminishing her into a sexualised figure. The obvious inclusion of 'butt shots', tight leather pants, low cut top, high angle shots that emphasise her exposed legs while in costume, and some comments and gestures on her "beauty" by her all-male teammates.
Cyborg, on the other hand, is rather quite interesting (at least during his introduction). He delivers the most engaging character moment during the first act of the film, and comes across as a flawed yet special character. However, the film does very little to develop his character further. This is where the film falls apart. The fact that the audience are meeting these heroes for the first time means there's very little connection with these characters, leading to a more detached experience. Also, I hate how Cyborg looks (this is purely subjective, and nothing major). Not a fan. Perhaps his design reflects his chaotic nature, but I prefer a cleaner look (as seen towards the end of the film).
The Flash is a hugely annoying character, for me. I hate him. He is funny at times, but often goofy. His movements also look ridiculous, especially when he's running on the street during the final minutes of the film. Ezra Miller is a great actor, but he is not the Flash (not even close).
Aquaman is pretty 'okay' in this film. He doesn't strike me as an interesting character, but he's cool at times. Again, nothing much here to attach myself to the character.
The film falls flat with its underwhelming villain, and apparent lack of tension or a sense of adversity. Steppenwolf looks and feels 'okay', if not terrible. This villain is highly one-dimensional with barely any interesting persona. There's barely any tension between him and the Justice League, other than physical danger. Overall, Steppenwolf is nothing but a mediocre, seen-that-before antagonist.
The visual effects are quite noticeably unpolished at times, ranging from obvious green screens to unnatural movements and lighting on fully-CGI characters. The musical score is good, yet nothing special. I am disappointed that the most iconic comic book ensemble does not have a memorable theme song. Not a fan of the film's visual style. It looks cheap, like a standard television production. Overall, I think the film is average at best. Nothing special here ... an injustice towards the Justice League.