Justice League | The DC superheroes fail to soar in their first team adventure

By Jason Best
( What's on TV )
published

Justice League Ezra Miller Henry Cavill Ray Fisher Gal Gadot Ben Affleck Jason Momoa
(Image credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Picture)

 

All in.

Ben Affleck’s grim Batman, Gal Gadot’s lithe Wonder Woman and Henry Cavill’s dour Superman join fellow DC Comics superheroes the Flash (Ezra Miller), Aquaman (Jason Momoa) and Cyborg (Ray Fisher) in their first joint fantasy adventure, Justice League.

They certainly have the combined clout to take on the movie’s supervillain, Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds). But they are no match for their Marvel Comics rivals the Avengers when it comes to entertaining us. The Marvel bunch fizz with energy and wit. This lot are far too dark and brooding to be much fun, and they spend ages hanging around before we get to the action.

Still, Miller’s zippy newcomer adds some welcome spark, and it’s good to see Gadot’s Amazonian warrior back in the thick of things, even if most viewers will be more excited by the prospect of her second solo movie (due in 2019) than this so-so ensemble venture.

Certificate 12. Runtime 120 mins. Director Zack Snyder

Justice League available on Digital, and on Blu-ray & DVD from 26 March.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm3VgcyaPfo

Jason Best
Jason Best

A film critic for over 25 years, Jason admits the job can occasionally be glamorous – sitting on a film festival jury in Portugal; hanging out with Baz Luhrmann at the Chateau Marmont; chatting with Sigourney Weaver about The Archers – but he mostly spends his time in darkened rooms watching films. He’s also written theatre and opera reviews, two guide books on Rome, and competed in a race for Yachting World, whose great wheeze it was to send a seasick film critic to write about his time on the ocean waves. But Jason is happiest on dry land with a classic screwball comedy or Hitchcock thriller.