JUSTICE LEAGUE early reactions - so far, so GOOD!

[Somecrazyaussie]

Saw it here in Oz this morning. For me, it was average. In fact, it is pretty forgettable. It absolutely is nowhere near as bad BvS. In the end, everybody just wants it not to be "bad" like BvS was. It isn't. The team dynamic is great and the cast interacts well together. With a better script, we would have had something special on our hands.

I echo others sentiments in that the story feels like it was sliced and diced. Which isn't surprising since Whedon whittled the movie down by 50 minutes. The film is very straightforward narrative wise. I have no doubt most of it was padding. It does feel disjointed at times, though. I did like how the story weaved all the members together. Each has a reason to be part of the team.

Steppenwolf wasn't an imposing enough villain. This really should have been Darkseid. A real heavyhitter to test the team. Yes, he gives them a solid run. However once that character shows up, it is pretty much all over. The humour was hit and miss. Most of the laughs come courtesy of Flash (although this would have been much better if it was Wally. Barry isn't as jokey as this) and Alfred.

DC also has another problem to sort out: once their films get effects heavy, it devolves into PS2 level CGI. They really need to address that. They also need to settle on the right tone. They are on the right path. Just need a bit more time to get there.

Overall, Wonder Woman is still the best DC film. Justice League comes second.

[Somecrazyaussie]

I see a lot of people discussing this movie saying that 50 minutes were cut. Does anyone know if that's true? If so, the pacing is probably all over the shop.

Once again, it looks like we might get the better cut of the movie on DVD.

Whedon apparently cut 50 minutes out of Snyder's original cut of the film. Which doesn't surprise me. Snyder's films are often bloated. The only one that didn't feel that way was Watchmen. In fact, given the material, Watchmen should have been a trilogy.

[brettc1]

On the front page of CBR, there is an article that summarizes some of the social media comments from reviewers now that the social media embargo has lifted. The embargo for full print reviews won't be lifted until around Tuesday.

Here's the CBR article: https://www.cbr.com/early-justice-le...ions-positive/

Despite the qualifier headline of "but not spectacular," I actually thought that the early chatter WAS pretty spectacular!

People are saying it's fun, funny, the cast has great chemistry, and that it's the best DCEU movie, which is saying something after the response Wonder Woman got.

The only criticisms I see in common are that things might be a bit too rushed (inevitable due to its only 2-hour running time) and that the villain (Steppenwolf) wasn't all that and a bag of chips. But the same often gets said of the Marvel Movies in spite of otherwise positive reviews.

I don't know if this will end up being as well scored as Wonder Woman on Rotten Tomatoes, but I do expect it to be the second highest scoring DC movie at least.

Given the previous article about the test screenings testing almost as high as Wonder Woman, and these early enthusiastic reactions, I am predicting a lot of love for Justice League. It's just a shame that there's so much competition right now with Coco and Star Wars, both from Disney, coming out soon after. I don't think Thor will be an insurmountable challenge because it'll be in its 3rd weekend by then, but it's also a consideration.

So, what take did you guys have on the CBR compilation of Twitter reactions to Justice League?

I give it a 7.

Short of Age of Ultron and Civil War, WAY short of Marvel's Avengers. If you went to see Wonder Woman being awesome again, be prepared for disappointment.

It has good moments to be sure. But the action didn't feel clean, and Snyder just can't seem to pull himself out of dark and gritty. The Flash is by far the standout star performer in this one, getting the lions share of laughs. But even so for me it was just... okay.

I'd go to see Thor Ragnarok again for the third time in the cinemas but for me once was enough for this flick.

[brettc1]

Saw it here in Oz this morning. For me, it was average. In fact, it is pretty forgettable. It absolutely is nowhere near as bad BvS. In the end, everybody just wants it not to be "bad" like BvS was. It isn't. The team dynamic is great and the cast interacts well together. With a better script, we would have had something special on our hands.

I echo others sentiments in that the story feels like it was sliced and diced. Which isn't surprising since Whedon whittled the movie down by 50 minutes. The film is very straightforward narrative wise. I have no doubt most of it was padding. It does feel disjointed at times, though. I did like how the story weaved all the members together. Each has a reason to be part of the team.

Steppenwolf wasn't an imposing enough villain. This really should have been Darkseid. A real heavyhitter to test the team. Yes, he gives them a solid run. However once that character shows up, it is pretty much all over. The humour was hit and miss. Most of the laughs come courtesy of Flash (although this would have been much better if it was Wally. Barry isn't as jokey as this) and Alfred.

DC also has another problem to sort out: once their films get effects heavy, it devolves into PS2 level CGI. They really need to address that. They also need to settle on the right tone. They are on the right path. Just need a bit more time to get there.

Overall, Wonder Woman is still the best DC film. Justice League comes second.

I'd agree, but it's not really a close second.

Steppenwolf looks pretty impressive up until the final act, and then he is just completely powned.

[Comic-Reader Lad]

I'm still of the mind that for some reason people have unrealistic expectations for DC movies than they do for Marvel's. Maybe it's because everyone grew up with DC characters in animation and Christopher Reeve's Superman movies with the soaring John Williams score, but except for Spider-Man and X-Men, Marvel characters were really a blank slate for everyone, so Marvel could do whatever they want with them.

For me, since I know the Marvel characters and the storytelling style, I feel the Marvel movies are very out of step with the feel of the comics (at least pre-MCU). Thor is all of a sudden depicted as a goofy jock and people love it, but that's very out of character for Thor. Iron Man is basically a Hollywood dickbag type and is much different than the comics.

For me, the Marvel movies disappoint because they always sacrifice character for a joke, and they have taken Stan Lee's idiosyncratic character traits and have turned each Marvel character into a Hollywood stock character type.

But as long as the jokes keep flying, the critics keep giving it those positive reviews, while putting the DC movies under a microscope and hammering them for everything that they let slide in the Marvel movies.

Everything that they are saying about JL -- sketchy CGI in places, mediocre villain -- applies just as strongly to the Marvel movies, and the critics just love them.

If there really is an additional 50 minutes of footage, I hope they do an Extended Edition blu ray like they did for BvS. This may change some people's minds about any story problems.

[Jokerz79]

I'm still of the mind that for some reason people have unrealistic expectations for DC movies than they do for Marvel's. Maybe it's because everyone grew up with DC characters in animation and Christopher Reeve's Superman movies with the soaring John Williams score, but except for Spider-Man and X-Men, Marvel characters were really a blank slate for everyone, so Marvel could do whatever they want with them.

For me, since I know the Marvel characters and the storytelling style, I feel the Marvel movies are very out of step with the feel of the comics (at least pre-MCU). Thor is all of a sudden depicted as a goofy jock and people love it, but that's very out of character for Thor. Iron Man is basically a Hollywood dickbag type and is much different than the comics.

For me, the Marvel movies disappoint because they always sacrifice character for a joke, and they have taken Stan Lee's idiosyncratic character traits and have turned each Marvel character into a Hollywood stock character type.

But as long as the jokes keep flying, the critics keep giving it those positive reviews, while putting the DC movies under a microscope and hammering them for everything that they let slide in the Marvel movies.

Everything that they are saying about JL -- sketchy CGI in places, mediocre villain -- applies just as strongly to the Marvel movies, and the critics just love them.

If there really is an additional 50 minutes of footage, I hope they do an Extended Edition blu ray like they did for BvS. This may change some people's minds about any story problems.

I view the MCU like old school Bond films some are goofy and others aren't and you get a Her Majesty's Secret Service or Winter Soldier/Civil War from Marvel. But they're all fun and enjoyable to watch. That the real reason Marvel gets a "pass" their fun films with no major train wreck type issues. Also many of the DCEU films have issues outside of the CGI or Weak Villains. Mostly when the WB second guesses and takes a hatchet to the films in editing like they did Batman V Superman, Suicide Squad, and Justice League which are their lowest rates films.

[brettc1]

I'm still of the mind that for some reason people have unrealistic expectations for DC movies than they do for Marvel's. Maybe it's because everyone grew up with DC characters in animation and Christopher Reeve's Superman movies with the soaring John Williams score, but except for Spider-Man and X-Men, Marvel characters were really a blank slate for everyone, so Marvel could do whatever they want with them.

For me, since I know the Marvel characters and the storytelling style, I feel the Marvel movies are very out of step with the feel of the comics (at least pre-MCU). Thor is all of a sudden depicted as a goofy jock and people love it, but that's very out of character for Thor. Iron Man is basically a Hollywood dickbag type and is much different than the comics.

For me, the Marvel movies disappoint because they always sacrifice character for a joke, and they have taken Stan Lee's idiosyncratic character traits and have turned each Marvel character into a Hollywood stock character type.

But as long as the jokes keep flying, the critics keep giving it those positive reviews, while putting the DC movies under a microscope and hammering them for everything that they let slide in the Marvel movies.

Everything that they are saying about JL -- sketchy CGI in places, mediocre villain -- applies just as strongly to the Marvel movies, and the critics just love them.

If there really is an additional 50 minutes of footage, I hope they do an Extended Edition blu ray like they did for BvS. This may change some people's minds about any story problems.

If anything, it would only cement them.

I say the Marvel movies are better because I think they are, most of the time. I've seen Ragnarok twice and will see it again because I think its damn good! Not perfect, but a really good fun solid CBM.

Justice League is okay. I rate it alongside Iron Man 3, which I felt the same about. Saw it once in cinema, and that is enough. There is no comparison at all between Steppenwolf in JL and either Loki, Ultron, or even Zemo for that matter. His character is 2D and in the last act he is not even a significant threat.

[People Of The Earth]

I'm still of the mind that for some reason people have unrealistic expectations for DC movies than they do for Marvel's. Maybe it's because everyone grew up with DC characters in animation and Christopher Reeve's Superman movies with the soaring John Williams score, but except for Spider-Man and X-Men, Marvel characters were really a blank slate for everyone, so Marvel could do whatever they want with them.

For me, since I know the Marvel characters and the storytelling style, I feel the Marvel movies are very out of step with the feel of the comics (at least pre-MCU). Thor is all of a sudden depicted as a goofy jock and people love it, but that's very out of character for Thor. Iron Man is basically a Hollywood dickbag type and is much different than the comics.

For me, the Marvel movies disappoint because they always sacrifice character for a joke, and they have taken Stan Lee's idiosyncratic character traits and have turned each Marvel character into a Hollywood stock character type.

But as long as the jokes keep flying, the critics keep giving it those positive reviews, while putting the DC movies under a microscope and hammering them for everything that they let slide in the Marvel movies.

Everything that they are saying about JL -- sketchy CGI in places, mediocre villain -- applies just as strongly to the Marvel movies, and the critics just love them.

If there really is an additional 50 minutes of footage, I hope they do an Extended Edition blu ray like they did for BvS. This may change some people's minds about any story problems.

Heh. I was wondering how long it would take for someone to pin those mixed JL-reviews on Marvel - somehow, it's their fault.
Again.
Where were you when Wonder Woman stroke gold earlier this year ? Pretty sure you weren't pinning that movie success on another studio then, right ?

Whatever, personally I'm gonna watch that movie this week-end like I intended too, and if turns out it's actually as mediocre as people are saying it is...well, at least I won't go out of my way to accuse the audience of being lenient on Marvel while being harsh on DC (really ?? it's like the third DC film who somehow provokes a divisive reception from people around the world, maybe there's more going on with the way WB make those movies than with the audience's "unrealistic expectation").
That is childish to me.

Right now, I'm more concerned about how women seem to be depicted in that movie, I just saw some heavy-handed video from Grace Randolph this noon and I'm unsure how I feel about these backward steps if they really are true. I go to the theater to be entertained, not to be pissed off...

[TheInvisibleMan]

Warner Bros mediocre DC movies are not the audiences fault

not Marvels fault

as far as RT scores - the lowest Marvel had (movie wise) was Thor: The Dark World at 66

DC has one movie above 50 - that was Wonder Woman

[Soubhagya]

Man of Steel had 55%.

Imo that film has problems. At the same time the reinterpretation of the titular character proved divisive. Hence, it ended up rotten.

I will go out on a limb and say the divisive take on characters as well as the effort to play catch up proved to be the series' detriment.

I am sure when they stop playing catch up with Marvel and back the people working on the films DC can be excellent. Even now it keeps earning boatloads of money.

[JBatmanFan05]

In fact, it is pretty forgettable. It absolutely is nowhere near as bad BvS. In the end, everybody just wants it not to be "bad" like BvS was. It isn't.

"Pretty forgettable" is pretty bad for me.

Maybe the harshest review headline I've read yet: Chicago Daily Herald: 'Justice League' drags down superhero film franchise to 'Transformers' level

Thoughtlessly constructed, emotionally malnourished and arrogantly dismissive of audience intelligence, Zack Snyder's "Justice League" turns the struggling DC Comics movie franchise into a shrill "Transformers"-grade experience pumped full of noise and spectacularly empty visual effects.

[BishopsJuice91]

Wanted this to be good but darn man DC just can’t seem to deliver. Only films that were good are MoS and WW which I would rate closer to each other. I’d give MoS a 65 and WW like a 70 but no higher it was good but not as good as people made it out to be. Still gonna try and see JL for myself or maybe wait for the blu Ray with the “extended cut” because with this score you know it’s coming. It’s a shame because I see why Ben is basically trying to quit...

[TheInvisibleMan]

I enjoyed Man Of Steel, but I can certainly see the issues with it, and how some of the serious Superman fans did not like it

[RyDub]

if people give credence to Rotten Tomatoes they are fucking morons. I can't count how many films have bad scores there that i personally love. A lot of people jump on a movie because other people do it. I haven't seen JL or Ragnarok I plan to but its christmas time and I have a kid so I can't go out to the theaters dropping down $10+ for a ticket plus bus and train fair to get to the closest cinema, plus lets face it if I am going to the movies i am going to hit up some place to eat either there on the way back, and that looks to be around 30$ + just for a movie outing. That said I did watch that clip that was out yesterday about Supermans return in it, and i have to say it seemed pretty fun and made Supes seem pretty badass so that alone had me intrigued. If they just made one of the trailers with that one question he asks you know who, i think it would have brought a hell of a lot more hype to the movie.

[Largo161]

Forty-friggin’-percent. Pffffft. Color me unsurprised.