Justice League

It probably doesn’t do to dwell too much on the background to this film, bearing in mind and respecting the things that happened during its making. Suffice to say it’s here, at last and after one of the longest build ups that this writer can remember.

There’s something coming so Batman (Ben Affleck) sets about forming a team of like-minded heroes to confront an ancient power that has been released to bring together three ancient magical boxes that together will bring about the destruction of the world.

With Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) on board - and from her opening fight, in good form - he’s off to Iceland to see about a mysterious Aquaman (Jason Momoa) the king of Atlantis and benefactor to the local villagers. Then off to see the Flash (Ezra Miller) whom he’d spied in the previous film.

Meanwhile Wonder Woman sets about recruiting Cyborg (Ray Fisher). There’s varying degrees of interest in this team up, eventually being forced into it by the actions of the Steppenwolf. After an initial encounter with Steppenwolf and his para-demons it’s clear that the team in not complete and they are missing a key Cape, and they need him back! And that basically is it.

What this film ostensibly does is three things: forms the Justice League, gives a platform for some of the standalone films to come, and brings back the Red Caped one. And it does that quite well with each of the characters getting their own introductory scene. The three-box plot is pretty much secondary and Steppenwolf for all his power is not that good a villain removed from the New Gods pantheon, though that is alluded to.

It seems daft to treat the return of the Cape of all Capes as a spoiler as Warner Bros and DC have long trailed it and his logo is on the posters! But let’s indulge them. It’s a troubled resurrection which is hardly surprising under the circumstance and Flash’s allusions to Pet Semetary aren’t far off. That particular scene works well in particular with the introduction of the calming big gun!

Gal Gadot and Ben Affleck are settled as Wonder Woman and Batman - it would be a shame if the rumours are true and Affleck is due to leave the role as he’s more than proved his worth. Jason Momoa is maybe a little too close to the ham at times but reigns it in. While for a time it looked as if Miller’s Flash was going to be the comedy element, bringing to mind Rob Schneider’s disastrous turn in Judge Dredd. Thankfully they pulled away from that.

The most intriguing is Cyborg who is the least known of the bunch. Fisher imbues him with some depth and there is a sadness to the character that, for all the body-tech, makes him the most human. As for the other one, well Lois Lane (Amy Adams) and Martha Kent (Diane Lane) seemed to think he was fine, and who is to argue with them...

Zack Snyder has moved on from Batman v Superman losing a lot of the dark brooding that made a molasses of that film. There is still some brooding with some lighter elements that actually aren’t that bad and fit in nicely. That could be down to Joss Whedon co-wrote it with Chris Terrio and took on some directorial duties later on. A word on the score. While it’s not one of Danny Elfman’s most memorable, it gives him the opportunity to playfully resurrect some very familiar themes from the past.

The big action SFX sequences are impressive and absolutely required bearing in mind the source material though they are now getting a touch tiresome. All in all, it’s a tentative success. It does feel bitty and by the end thinking, is that really it? Well, pinching wholesale from Marvel it appears to be…