Not what was expected, but very good

Rating: 7/10 (19 November 2017)

From the start of the DCEU more than a few negative reviews and opinions were voiced from critics and fans alike. No one seemed to accept the fact that the approach Snyder was taking was different from everything we saw so far. As a result we were served with Man of steel - a good but different take on Superman, BvS - the most bashed comic book movie that, if approached with enough knowledge and faith, really didn't deserve all that hate. It wasn't grand or superb, but it really wasn't all that bad. The two spin offs - Suicide squad suffered the same faith as BvS (with a little more right to the bashing), and the great Wonder woman. All of these movies created fertile soil for Justice league to be what it was supposed to be - a noir DC Snyder vision movie. What we got was, well, nothing special.
First of all, taking Whedon in was, in my opinion, a mistake. His approach is not only visible but at certain points takes over so much that Snyder's take is lost completely. As a result, the final product was more like a WB Animation DC movie but it was entertaining at it's core. Regardless of these notions, the movie doesn't have an identity crisis, it only takes a different approach to the subject at hand.
The editing, on the other hand was done with a hatchet. The pace, the tempo of certain sequences, the overall duration of the movie indicates that much of the movie was, brutally hacked and slashed in the editing room. Much more could have been done in regard to some characters (Aquaman and Cyborg), more was needed in the villain history and motives department, but most of all the Lois Lane - Superman segment was by far the most underwritten segment of the movie. Just by viewing all of the segments where Lois Lane, Martha Kent and Superman are together make no sense and have no real impact. It's point can be found, but much of this story line was cut and we were presented with just a subatomic fragment of what that story could have been. So, that part really is the weakest part of the movie.
The thing that makes every DCEU movie really magnificent is it's approach to the question of humanity and the question - what makes us human. These segments are extremely philosophical and not everyone's cup of tea, but they make DCEU movies relevant and they give them depth. Justice league has some inclination of those questions and deals with those issues, but not in a way we are used to. The Cyborg segment is rushed and underdeveloped. It feels that the actor and Snyder wanted to say much more but were restricted in many ways. Aquaman has more than one segment in which he shows his (meta)human side, but is shortened and lacks that real emotional and philosophical kick. The Flash is by far the fan favorite of the movie. He is funny, childish, chatty and has a way of voicing what everyone is thinking at that time. In comparison to the Flash TV series, this is what Flash is supposed to be like. After this movie, everyone is actually looking forward to seeing where these characters will go, and how they will evolve. On the other side, Batman was different. He is still the much needed darkness incarnated, but he has heart. The full scale darkness form BvS is gone (for better or worse), and he shows much more humanity than in the previous version. Regarding that was where the character was going all along, especially after "the Martha scene" (where Superman gives Batman back his humanity), this take on Batman was a logical step. Affleck unfortunately does not work so well as a flawed and human substitute leader, as much as he worked as the brutal and hardcore Dark knight, so maybe certain changes could be done in the future, making him a bit more like in BvS. The solo movie about Batman that is coming really needs a long and hard consideration on how to approach the character.
The music was an absolute marvel. Danny Elfman was the right choice. His insertion of the 1989 Batman theme not only sparkled childish emotions, it gave Affleck's Batman a whole new dimension and utmost respect must be shown for the work Elfman has done in this movie.
All in all, Justice league strays far from it's predecessors, in some cases too far. In certain areas it is rushed, in others it is edited terribly. Some segments have no idea if they are Snyder or Whedon, some need more potency. But, the actors pulled the best they could and their depiction of the iconic DC characters is by far the best we have ever seen in live action movies. The music is playful and childlike amusing with just the right amount of serious and dark notes that follow every scene perfectly. The humor is well placed and implemented correctly (unlike the last Thor movie) and serves the movie in just the right way giving the DCEU a note to follow in the future.
It is not the Justice League we wanted, it is not what was intended, it is, not by a long shot, what these characters deserve, but it is fun and entertaining. Unfortunately, it is very forgettable, despite it's opening sequence (a masterful depiction of a world without hope that sticks with you long after the movie ends), but especially because we are all looking forward to the movie in which Deathstroke and Luthor with a league of their own go up against the Justice league.