By Brett Blake JUSTICE LEAGUE is a mess. A fun mess, but a mess. The end result of an indecisive studio and extensive reshoots, the movie does manage to (nominally) rise above that and offer up some entertaining character moments and a sense of playfulness that has been almost entirely absent from the recent films based on DC Comics characters. In the aftermath of Superman’s (Henry Cavill) death - the climax of BATMAN v SUPERMAN - an ancient evil entity called Steppenwolf (Ciaran Hinds) invades Earth intent on remaking the planet in his own image. To stop him, Batman (Ben Affleck) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) must put together a team of superpowered individuals - The Flash (Ezra Miller), Aquaman (Jason Momoa), and Cyborg (Ray Fisher) - and thwart the destruction of the planet. A simple premise. Perhaps too simple. An interesting aspect of JUSTICE LEAGUE is the way in which we get to watch DC and Warner Bros. attempt to change course, tonally and (somewhat) aesthetically, basically in real time. The final cut that we’re seeing here is undoubtedly a radically different film than the one that was written before last year’s BATMAN v SUPERMAN came out. So much of JUSTICE LEAGUE feels like an unfolding response to the criticisms of that movie, and yet there are still tiny glimpses of that darker, more expansive earlier version peeking out through the cracks. The plot is mostly a threadbare, flimsy excuse to get the heroes into scenes where they can interact with each other and then battle the villain and his minion hordes. There is no great narrative thrust here, nothing noteworthy in terms of the mechanics or structure. BATMAN v SUPERMAN was an enormously flawed movie, but it was also an ambitious one, and it tried to tell a grand, operatic, complex story about heroism. There is no such ambition in JUSTICE LEAGUE. It just wants to be a crowd-pleasing blockbuster action movie, and that drop-off in terms of intention is extremely noticeable; it’s as if we can actually hear Warner Bros. sighing and saying, “Well, the last thing we tried didn’t work, so let’s just dumb it down.” That said, it does essentially succeed at being a crowd-pleasing blockbuster. This is, tonally, as far removed from BATMAN v SUPERMAN as you could possibly get while still inhabiting the same universe. Characters smile, exchange humorous banter, enjoy each others company, and just generally behave like decent people instead of angry assholes. The film also moves along at such a breathless clip that we are carried from scene to scene with propulsion... likely to keep us from asking too many logical questions, sure, but it also results in a movie with fairly lively energy. All of the central performers do fine work, and if the movie is worth seeing, it’s because of them. Affleck continues to hone his Bruce Wayne/Batman persona, who is here a man trying to make amends as best he can for his mistakes in BATMAN v SUPERMAN, and he’s a solid anchor around which the Justice League team forms. Gadot delivers the same warmth and humanity that made her Wonder Woman so appealing earlier this year, while Momoa and Fisher establish Aquaman and Cyborg, respectively, as cool characters with intriguing abilities (and Fisher has the most distinct character arc of them all to play, which helps Cyborg connect more than he might otherwise have). The real scene-stealer, though, is Miller’s Flash; openly comedic and wide-eyed, he’s a real breath of fresh air and adds much needed youthful spirit to the proceedings. Then there’s the question of how Superman figures into all of this. I don’t consider this a spoiler (because Henry Cavill’s name is prominent in the movie’s opening credits, and the character has been featured in some of the ad campaign), but those who are uneasy about such talk can jump down to the next paragraph. In any case, when Superman comes back, we finally get the version of the character I’ve been hoping and waiting to see Cavill get a chance to play, and he nails it. There are some wonderful moments in here that will make true Superman fans smile, and if this is any indication, things are looking up for the Man of Steel (assuming we get to see him in another movie anytime soon). The hero characters are all pretty much winners, so where does the movie head south (after the pedestrian storyline)? The movie’s biggest flaw is that its villain, Steppenwolf, is hot garbage, an absolute dumpster fire on visual and character levels. He’s an ultra-generic CGI humanoid entity almost totally devoid of any personality or even menace. Calling him a stock villain would be an insult to stock villains, and that’s a shame, because Ciaran Hinds - the voice of the character - is a very fine and capable actor who could have easily brought some gravitas to the role had he been allowed to physically play the part in live action. But alas, Steppenwolf is a total whiff, and one of the worst computer generated characters to appear in a major role in years. He’s also one of the most dreadfully dull comic book movie villains to show up since the 1990s. The action is curiously limp, as well. There are a few token beats that feature nifty ideas or neat choreography, but for the most part, the setpieces are - at best - pretty standard sequences. The climax, peppered though it is with terrific character moments, also features some truly garish digital effects work, turning some shots into nightmarish concoctions of CGI tendrils, energy beams, blobs, and other assorted glop. It’s also a curiously low stakes finale despite its “world ending” implications, and that speaks again to the script’s weaknesses. Perhaps one of the more controversial elements of the film is Danny Elfman’s score. Elfman was brought on board after the previous movies in this DC Cinematic Universe had their scores crafted by the Hans Zimmer school of film music; Elfman’s style is markedly different than Zimmer's, and though Elfman does incorporate some of the thematic content that Zimmer and Co. came up with for MAN OF STEEL, BATMAN v SUPERMAN, and WONDER WOMAN, the overall feel of the score is radically different than those scores... in a good way, I’d argue. It won’t work for everybody because of how much of a departure it is, but what we have here is Elfman back in full-throated heroism mode, complete with brassy overtones and even statements of his own iconic Batman theme from the Tim Burton films. Maybe I’m just easy (I probably am), but it’s difficult to not get at least a little bit of a thrill out of hearing that incredible theme in a movie theater again underscoring Batman’s heroics. Ultimately, despite its flaws and its clearly evident production troubles, it’s hard to argue that JUSTICE LEAGUE isn’t at least another slight step in the right direction for DC, and there are some simple, entertaining pleasures to be found. However, considering the resources and talent that were poured into this film, the end result really should be a lot more than just a slight step in the right direction.
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By Brett Blake This may be the best comedy of the year, even if it’s not technically a comedy. More than even the GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY films, humor is a primary focus, and if a person accepts that, they will be rewarded with a movie that is a delightful confection of humor and offbeat weirdness blended together with dynamic action sequences. When Hela, Goddess of Death (Cate Blanchett), invades Asgard, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and his trickster brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), are marooned on an alien planet ruled by the eccentric Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum). There, Thor finds himself enslaved in gladiatorial games, the reigning champion of which is none other than the Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). Thor must find a way to escape - perhaps with the aid of a hard-drinking Asgardian expat named Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) - and return to Asgard before Ragnarok (for all intents and purposes the apocalypse) is unleashed and destroys that world. Right from its first moments, director Taika Waititi firmly establishes that this is his movie, and the result of that is an inventive, often deliriously entertaining ride. Though the screenplay is a bit wonky on the structural side (the first act mostly involves tying up remaining loose ends from the previous Thor-centric movie, THE DARK WORLD, complete with an extended cameo by another Marvel hero), once things get rolling, the movie is almost literally off to the races, flying through its plot with an agreeably breathless pace that only ever lets up for a few strategically-placed character beats. Despite “end of the world”-type stakes, the film is mostly a lark, preferring instead to highlight the absurdity and strangeness of the situations Thor finds himself in. Waititi has a certain lightness of touch that feels distinct from what other Marvel directors have brought to the table, and while he stages some fun action moments, RAGNAROK succeeds most when its characters are bickering, threatening, or coming to understandings with each other. There are so many wonderful exchanges and gags here that the movie is almost an embarrassment of riches. Thor’s continuously-changing relationship with Loki is the strongest element of the story, and all their scenes together are fantastic, but then there’s also Thor’s growing bond with the (now talkative) Hulk, which provides the movie some of its funniest moments. Thor’s dynamic with Valkyrie follows a classic trajectory of “dislike to grudging respect to genuine affection,” but both performers elevate it. All of the performers do some terrific work, really. Hemsworth carries the movie with effortless movie star charm, while Hiddleston and Ruffalo (in the double role of the Hulk and Bruce Banner) continue to find new angles to explore with characters they’ve played for several films at this point. Goldblum is in top quirky form (fans of his very particular energy will be more than satisfied), while Thompson makes Valkyrie an engaging, convincing badass, despite the character being a touch underwritten. And what of Blanchett’s villain? We’ll get to her. Mark Mothersbaugh’s score is another unquestionable highlight of the film. He deftly marries some retro, synthwave-y, electronic coolness with an absolutely massive and unabashedly sweeping orchestral backbone. What it lacks in long-lined melodies, it more than makes up for in scope and harmonic intensity, and Mothersbaugh even brings back thematic material from the previous THOR movies. Some have been waiting for a score with personality from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and this has personality to spare. It’s one of the year’s best. So there is a TON to like. However, the decision to move the THOR films in the direction of the outright comedic is a double-edged sword. It’s a terrifically funny movie, absolutely, but there is some collateral damage along with that. The previous two THOR films, while certainly not devoid of humor, had a somewhat grander, more mythic sense of heroic storytelling centered around their lead hero. Thor himself was funny at times, sure, but never in a way that made him seem buffoonish or dense. The Thor of RAGNAROK almost comes across that way in certain moments, to the extent that he kind of feels like a different character than he has been. Surely the intent was to show a kind of character progression - having spent so much time on Earth hanging out with the likes of Tony Stark, Thor’s more Shakespearean edges have been sanded down and his sense of humor has become more “hip” - but it almost feels like there should have been another movie before this one, like there’s a missing Thor adventure that we didn’t see between the end of AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON (where he last appeared) and the beginning of RAGNAROK. I suspect if a person were to watch those two movies back-to-back, characterization inconsistencies would be readily apparent. But it also has to be said, in fairness, that when big and important dramatic moments come in the third act, they are treated with proper weight, and the climax does feature some of that mythical-type flavor that a Thor story should have, along with a resurgent sense of nobility in the title hero. Could the movie have used more of that before the final half hour? Yes, but that final half hour is really good. Also, to bring up a common complaint about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the villainous plot here is somewhat underwhelming. Hela’s characterization is of a fairly superficial, shallow sort. Blanchett plays the hell out of it, granted, and she makes it work through sheer force of will, but on paper, Hela is almost a non-entity. There is none of the sort of nuance or complexity that have made Marvel’s most recent villains (Zemo in CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR, Kaecilius in DOCTOR STRANGE, Ego in GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2, and the Vulture in SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING) interesting foils for their respective heroes. Blanchett is arguably more entertaining than those villains, but just on a character level, they all surpass Hela. The script also make the questionable choice of having the majority of the main characters separated from her for the bulk of the story, leaving her with few sparring partners for much of the movie. That all may make the movie sound like more of a mixed bag than it really is. To be clear, it’s incredible fun, despite its few missteps. While it doesn’t belong anywhere near the very top tier of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s more entertaining and flat-out-enjoyable than your typical blockbuster, and it admirably adds more layers of sci-fi/fantasy strangeness to the series in ways that are exciting for what they portend about the future.
By Brett Blake
For the first time ever, we are breaking down all the heavy hitters of the upcoming Holiday Movie Season. Breanne Brennan and Brenton Thom join me for a wide-ranging, freewheeling discussion of the most notable movies coming our way over the next two months! On the agenda: November 3rd - THOR: RAGNAROK 10th - DADDY’S HOME 2 10th - MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS 17th - JUSTICE LEAGUE 22nd - COCO 22nd - DARKEST HOUR December 1st - THE SHAPE OF WATER 1st - THE DISASTER ARTIST 8th - ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD 15th - STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI 20th - JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE 22nd - DOWNSIZING 22nd - PITCH PERFECT 3 22nd - THE POST 25th - MOLLY’S GAME 25th - PHANTOM THREAD 25th - THE GREATEST SHOWMAN Take a listen below! |
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