'Zack Snyder's Justice League' Review

Synopsis: Zack Snyder's definitive director's cut of Justice League. Determined to ensure Superman's ultimate sacrifice was not in vain, Bruce Wayne aligns forces with Diana Prince with plans to recruit a team of metahumans to protect the world from an approaching threat of catastrophic proportions.

Runtime: 242 minutes

MPAA Rating: R (for violence and some language)

Who should see it? Adult fans of DC Comics and Zack Snyder's filmography.

For those who aren't up to date with the online discourse surrounding Justice League, you may be confused why I'd be reviewing it again. Especially since the theatrical cut is already credited to director Zack Snyder... Well, for those unaware, Zack Snyder departed the project during post-production to deal with the aftermath of his daughter Autumn's tragic suicide. Though some of the footage shot under him made it into that cut, he's the director in name only. Warner Bros. enlisted Joss Whedon to rework the film and make the finished product Avengers-lite. The result was the cinematic equivalent of Frankenstein's monster. Ever since the release of Man Of Steel, it's been apparent that Warner Bros. was skittish to grant their directors complete control over bringing their DC Comics characters to the big screen. Thankfully, new leadership seems to relinquish much more control lately, so I sincerely hope the studio learned its lesson.

In Snyder's case, the studio clearly intervened in his theatrical version of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, as the director's cut offers a much more cohesive viewing experience. Since Justice League's release in November 2017, fans have rallied to see Snyder's vision for Justice League fully materialized. When the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement began, it honestly seemed like a pipe dream. Why would Warner Bros. finance the completion of a director's cut when they'd already sunk over $300 M into the theatrical version? The Snyder Cut then took on a mythos of its own. While there were undoubtedly bad apples who relentlessly harassed the studio advocating for the release of the fabled Snyder Cut, I know several individuals who were well-intentioned in their quest to see Snyder's rendition. 

Thanks to Cyborg actor Ray Fisher, it has since come to light that the working environment during the Justice League reshoots was incredibly unprofessional on behalf of Joss Whedon and key individuals at the studio, including Geoff Johns, Jon Berg, and DC films chief Walter Hamada. As allegations against Whedon accumulated from all directions, the fight for the Snyder Cut took on a greater meaning of reclaiming the film's auteurship from toxic enablers. The movement grew till it was announced in May of last year that Warner Bros would fund the completion of the Snyder Cut for it to be released exclusively on HBO Max. In preparation for the four-hour feature, I sat down to rewatch Snyder's previous DC efforts and found myself reappraising them both. While I think Man of Steel and Batman v Superman are certainly still flawed, the mythic approach to depicting these classic characters is far more interesting than regurgitating what we've already seen. That mindset perseveres through Zack Snyder's Justice League.

I begin my review with this information because it is necessary to understand why this version exists. There's much to be said about studios caving to every whim of their audience, but the Snyder Cut's release rings true as a victory for preserving an artist's creative freedom. Strip that away, and we're left with a homogenous, soulless corporate product. The screenplay is credited to Chris Terrio, who co-authored the story alongside Snyder and Will Beall. Though I'll be the first to admit I initially gave Justice League a very generous review, I can confidently say the Snyder Cut exceeds it in every way imaginable. Four-hour runtime be damned, Snyder's version is brimming with the director's resilient spirit. 

While the Snyder Cut differs substantially from the theatrical version, the over-arching plot is more-or-less identical. Batman brings together a group of heroes to prevent Earth from being destroyed by intergalactic forces. The obvious takeaway is that the longer runtime gives the story more breathing room and allows for deeper character development. I think that's what makes the film work as well. The four-hour runtime certainly is daunting, but the film is divided into six chapters, a prologue, and an epilogue. HBO Max has these clearly marked so you can choose to watch it as a mini-series if viewing it in one sitting seems overwhelming. I'll confess that I felt the four-hour runtime, and it could have been whittled down to maybe two and a half-to-three hours if Cyborg, Flash, and Aquaman had their own movies released beforehand. That said, the introduction of three pivotal heroes works much better this time around. 

Snyder balances the heroes much more effectively, and they finally feel fully realized and present. Cyborg and Flash notably benefit the most in Snyder's hands, but it was incredibly refreshing to see the camera framed more respectfully around Wonder Woman. Whedon's treatment of Diana and Cyborg speaks volumes about his character, and it's even more baffling to now see everything he and the studio chose to alter. Other notable improvements include the color grading, cinematography, visual effects, and a genuinely epic score by Thomas Holkenborg (aka Junkie XL). 

Ray Fisher put his career on the line to have his truth heard. After seeing his incredible performance here, I truly hope he continues to act because Cyborg is the movie's heart and soul. It's all the more disheartening to know that he was written out of the upcoming Flash movie in response to speaking out. A mistake that I hope will be course-corrected... Aiding Fisher, Joe Morton brings abundant emotional weight to the proceedings as Victor Stone's father. Their troubled relationship was an especially poignant highlight for me, and undoubtedly the lynch-pin holding everything together. 

Regarding the rest of the league, Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Jason Mamoa, and Ezra Miller each have their moments in the limelight. These performers continue to embody their characters quite well, and it was delightful to see them bounce off one another. With DC's future constantly in flux, one can only hope this cast will persevere. 

On the antagonistic front, the changes to Steppenwolf's design and exploration of his motivation made him much more threatening and interesting. He actually has a personality this time! As for some shortcomings, there are still some iffy visual effects, but that's common in the modern landscape of comic-book movies, and most of the effects look much better than the 2017 rendition. So I honestly can't harp on that too much as it's more representative of how visual effects artists are often rushed and overworked to meet specific deadlines. I'm also still not fond of Jared Leto's Joker, whose infamous uttering of the memeic phrase "We live in a society" took the internet by storm. Leto is barely in the movie, so again, this is a minor gripe. The runtime is a blessing and a curse, as it adds much-needed dimension to a sprawling cast of characters but the whole endeavor admittedly feels longwinded when all is said and done. That said, I'd gladly watch the Snyder Cut a thousand times over before willfully revisiting Whedon's version anytime soon. 

I admittedly never thought the Snyder Cut would see the light of day. Still I have to say, its epic and emotionally-charged narrative invigorated my interest in seeing Zack Snyder proceed with his planned Justice League sequels. At the end of the day, I'm just grateful he had the opportunity to reclaim his work in the face of overwhelming odds. 

Film Assessment: B+

'The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part' Review

Synopsis: The citizens of Bricksburg face a dangerous new threat when LEGO DUPLO invaders from outer space start to wreck everything in their path. The battle to defeat the enemy and restore harmony to the LEGO universe takes Emmet, Lucy, Batman, and the rest of their friends to far away, unexplored worlds that test their courage and creativity.

Runtime: 106 minutes

MPAA Rating: PG (for some rude humor)

Who should see it? Appropriate for all ages.

The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part may have one of the most redundant subtitles ever, but thankfully The LEGO Movie 2 is nowhere near being an unnecessary sequel. Since Phil Lord and Chris Miller were preoccupied producing Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse and *sigh* developing Solo: A Star Wars Story before leaving the project late in production due to creative differences, Mike Mitchell's wound up in the director's chair. It's undoubtedly an unenviable task to build a better sequel considering everyone's unexpected obsession with The LEGO Movie, but Mitchell leans into Lord and Miller's frenetic style that made the original so beloved. However, Lord and Miller are still solely responsible for the sequel's screenplay while Matthew Fogel lent the duo a hand constructing the story.

Picking up right where The LEGO Movie left off, audiences are treated to an opening sequence of the DUPLO destruction teased in the original's ending. After a five year time jump (mirroring the distance between The LEGO Movie 2 and its predecessor), viewers discover that Bricksburg has become a Mad Max: Fury Road-esque apocalyptic wasteland in the wake of said mayhem. Consequently, every citizen of Bricksburg is now edgy and battle-hardened, paralleling the newfound teenage angst of their owner Finn, except for Emmet... Emmet still has the cheery, naive disposition audiences will remember from the last movie, so Lucy asks him to change with the times, believing a tough exterior is the only way to survive in their world. When Lucy and co. are kidnapped, this all sets Emmet's arc into gear.

Also voiced by Chris Pratt, Rex Dangervest enters the picture as an amalgamation of Pratt's live action roles and a fascinating foil to Emmet. Dangervest is the prime example of a hyper-masculine tough hero Lucy wants Emmet to be. Now, EVERYTHING I've mentioned thus far is showcased prominently in the trailers, but I thought it ought to be regurgitated before I continue. I'm about to touch on story elements which could be considered somewhat spoilery, but I can assure you these are things you will quickly pick up on in the first fifteen minutes or maybe have already gleaned from the trailers. They aren't bombshell revelations in the slightest, but if you're sensitive to knowing story information beforehand, I figured I'd give you the courtesy of a warning so you can click away and come back once you've seen The LEGO Movie 2. With that said, the sequel's thematic material is a progression of the original's message to be yourself. This time around, it's more about staying true to yourself and not compromising your identity when growing up. Additionally, The Second Part trades in the parental-child dynamic for an allegory about sibling relationships.

Coexistence is key, and as someone with three younger sisters, I relate to the depicted central struggle between siblings. I've witnessed many overblown misunderstandings firsthand where both sides were well-intentioned. This fits together nicely with the arc mentioned above. Maturing doesn't mean you have to ditch the compassion in favor of cynicism. There's room for skepticism, but also a healthy dose of optimism. It's up to us to find the balance. 

Lord and Miller haven't abandoned the witty meta-humor that popularized the first though. From the get-go, they satirize the concept of darker sequels by offering the antithesis and poking fun at the notion in their dialogue. The LEGO Movie 2 often delves into self-parody by becoming a full-blown cheery musical. If you thought "Everything is Awesome" was an obnoxious ear-worm, you better prepare for a soundtrack filled with upbeat, original pop-tunes (I promise there's a narrative purpose). "Catchy Song" in particular delivers on the promise of its lyrics and WILL get stuck in your head for a while. The music may alienate viewers who perceive it as annoying, but I found the lyrics in most songs to be utterly hysterical. On that note, there's not a post-credits scene, but stick around during the first part of the credits and just listen carefully to the song playing over the credits. Trust me, you won't regret it.

Otherwise, the animation offers plenty of sensational spectacle. In addition to improving on the LEGO animation style, the animators ensure the sequel's more colorful, dynamic, and eye-catching than the original. There's extraordinary attention to detail in the mini-figure's restrictive movement and the reflection of light off the brick-built people which enhances the authenticity of the animation. Regarding the music, Jon Lajoie's responsible for the aforementioned original songs while Mark Mothersbaugh's score serves as an excellent accompaniment to the whole ordeal.

As I previously mentioned, Chris Pratt voices both Emmet and Rex Dangervest, effectively differentiating the two while often bantering back-and-forth with himself. In the meantime, Elizabeth Banks lends Lucy an abundance of spunk to further downplay the character's insecurities. Pratt and Banks once again have a wonderful on-screen dynamic. 

Reprising their roles, Will Arnett, Alison Brie, Charlie Day, and Nick Offerman click into the grand picture as quality comic relief, playing Batman, Unikitty, Benny, and Metal Beard respectively. Joining the cast, Stephanie Beatriz's General Mayhem and Tiffany Hadish's Queen Watevra Wa'Nabi prove to be exciting additions. As a fan of The Florida Project, I was also VERY delighted to see Brooklynn Prince show up in the live action segments as Finn's younger sister Bianca. Acting alongside her are Jadon Sand, Will Ferrell and fellow franchise newcomer Maya Rudolph.

Though it may not be quite as groundbreaking as the original due to some convoluted plot contrivances, The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part is a well-constructed sequel with plenty of heart, meta-humor, and exquisite eye-candy!

Film Assessment: A-

Recollection Reflection Review: 'The LEGO Movie'

It's been a while since I last reviewed a non-recent film release, but I wanted to revisit The LEGO Movie before I discuss The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part later this week. The reasoning behind this is that the sequel releases this weekend and the first review I ever shared here was for The LEGO Movie almost five years ago (we're days away from that anniversary where I'll share a 5th-year-anniversary post). In other news, I saw The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part at an advanced screening and hoped to complete and share my review Wednesday, but I may wind up seeing it a second time tonight and just wait till Friday. It really depends on when I finish writing this review.

'The LEGO Movie' Review

Nominated for: Best Original Song "Everything is Awesome."

Recollection- The LEGO Movie Review.

Reflection- I can recall seeing The LEGO Movie with especially low expectations because I figured it would be a feature-length advertisement for LEGOs, but being pleasantly surprised to discover an excellent animated feature brimming with heart, humor, and creativity. My opinion of it honestly hasn't changed much since I first saw it almost five years ago, but I'm excited to share a more in-depth review this time around.

Review-

Synopsis: An ordinary LEGO construction worker, thought to be prophesied as "The Special," is recruited to join a quest to stop an evil tyrant from gluing the LEGO universe into eternal stasis.

Runtime: 100 minutes

MPAA Rating: PG (for mild action and rude humor)

Who should see it? Appropriate for all ages.

Co-written and co-directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, The LEGO Movie is the third feature from the writer-director duo and one of the most unique animated films to emerge in recent years. Moving at a breakneck pace, the brick-built flick is a remarkably kinetic, witty, and self-aware feature that encapsulates the core concept of LEGO better than a commercial ever could. However, the film takes on a much deeper meaning when the central conflict is revealed as an allegory for a struggle between father and son. Rewatching it with that perspective actually reveals layers-upon-layers of subtext about conformity vs. expressive individuality. However, it's very encouraging that a movie about toys which include an instruction manual is endorsing kids to be creative, and more importantly, be themselves.

Lord and Miller take the stock out of Chosen One prophecies by revealing no one in the film to be THE special because everyone is special in their own unique way. What makes you you is what makes you special, and sometimes a simple heart-to-heart conversation is all it takes to cultivate change. Everyone has the potential to be great and the capacity to make a difference in their home life, community, or even the world at large. All that's required of them is self-acceptance and initiative. With the proper motivation, anyone can complete a journey of self-discovery that will maximize their potential and ultimately make the world a better place. Cynics can criticize that optimistic perspective all they'd like, but it doesn't make the message any less meaningful because there's no harm in being yourself.

Stepping down from my soapbox, I must applaud the animators for materializing a brick-built world that's true to the brand. I've said it before, but I'll say it again... The animators captured the stilted, restricted movement of LEGOs so authentically that I often forget The LEGO Movie isn't a stop-motion production while watching it. Additionally, it all takes place within the imaginative mind of a child, so I love the little storytelling flourishes like the casual mixture of various IPs, the incorporation of common household products as mythic objects, and all the lasers, blasters, and weaponry going "pew pew" whenever fired. Each of these subtle details foreshadows the big twist in addition to giving that reveal much more credence. They're nice touches which flesh out the world in a fun, idiosyncratic way. 

As for the stacked voice cast, everyone constructs a memorable min-fig from the pieces of Lord and Miller's script. Chris Pratt provides the ideal excess of optimism and naivety required for the role of Emmet while also selling the character's self-doubt. Opposite Pratt, Elizabeth Banks' Wyldstyle (Lucy) is the sidekick who's clearly a more qualified hero. Banks strikes a wonderful balance juxtaposing Lucy's go-getter attitude with her underlying insecurities. Of course, I'll also never pass a chance to hear Morgan Freeman's voice share sagely wisdom through the mini-fig form of Vitruvius. Amongst the ensemble, Alison Brie's bipolar Unikitty, Charlie Day's space-ship obsessed Benny, and Nick Offerman's swashbuckling body-less pirate captain Metal Beard each serve as effective comic relief.

If there's a stand-out of the bunch though, it's undoubtedly Will Arnett's LEGO Batman. Arnett's narcissistic, self-serious take on the Dark Knight is legitimately a stroke of satirical comedic genius. Listening to him brag about his edginess will never cease to make me chuckle. It's no wonder he was the first to get a LEGO Movie spin-off!

Meanwhile, Will Ferrell delightfully chews the scenery as the megalomaniac Lord Business and even explores a more nuanced side to the character towards the film's conclusion. Serving as dual-personality law-enforcement, Liam Neeson quite literally spins his head around between voicing Good Cop and Bad Cop which remains an utter treat.

With plenty of heart, humor, and worthwhile messages to impart, The LEGO Movie proved itself to be much more than an hour and forty-one minutes of product placement. Impeccable animation, a charming voice-cast, distinct direction, and a smart script all worked in tandem to build a solid franchise foundation that likely won't get knocked down any time soon. After all this time, I'm happy to report that everything in The LEGO Movie is still awesome!!!

Film Assessment: A

'Justice League' Review

Considering this review won't be out till at least a month after the film's release date, I'm going to include spoiler sections to discuss certain things in more detail. There will be clear spoiler warnings to mark these as a means of forewarning those who've yet to watch Justice League.

[This review was originally written in November 2017 and is now being published that my internship is over. For an explanation of this, visit my Fall 2017 Important Update post.] 

When Justice League opens, the world is still in mourning over the death of Superman. However, once an intergalactic evil emerges in the form of Steppenwolf and his legions of Parademon minions, Batman and Wonder Woman must unite a team of gifted individuals consisting of Flash, Cyborg, and Aquaman if they're to have any hope at stopping Steppenwolf from destroying the world by combining the three mythical Mother Boxes to form the Unity.

The Justice League's first comic appearance was in the year 1960, and fifty seven years later, we're finally seeing them team up on the big screen for the first time. This cinematic culmination has been a long time coming, and after the success of The Avengers in 2012, comic book fans knew a live action incarnation was possible. There have been a few attempts to adapt the iconic superhero team over the years, but none of these successfully made it into any theater screens as each one was canned early in production. However, it's evident that Marvel Studios' success inspired Warner Bros. to try and get their own shared universe of films off the ground, leading to the DC Extended Universe we know today including Man Of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, and Wonder Woman.

Now, to say that the DCEU had a rocky start would be an enormous understatement, as they didn't have a commercial hit on their hands till earlier this summer with Wonder Woman. Everything preceding that stood out as divisive among both critics and average audiences, so it almost goes without saying that Warner Bros. had a lot riding on the success of Justice League considering they pumped $300 M into making comic-book readers' dreams a reality.

Note: Sadly, the film only brought in an underwhelming $93.8 M in its opening weekend, which is REALLY puny considering how iconic these characters are... For comparison, the first Iron Man made $98.6 M in its opening weekend when his character was a relative unknown back in 2008... I genuinely hope positive word of mouth spreads among audiences so it can make back more of its budget over time...

Anyways, the film's production took a turn for the worse earlier this year when director Zack Snyder departed the project to deal with the aftermath of his daughter's tragic suicide. From that point on, Joss Whedon, writer-director of both The Avengers and Avengers: Age Of Ultron, took over the post production process and reportedly reshot a substantial portion of the film. This development left me at odds to what I should possibly expect as I was of course excited to finally see these classic comic characters interacting with one another on the big screen, but the production's developments were troubling to say the least. Therefore, I chose to guard my optimism by hoping for the best, but also preparing for the worst. Thankfully, Justice League pleasantly surprised me as an entertaining use of two hours.

Due to the particularly unusual events that transpired behind the scenes, I'm not entirely sure who I should credit for what, so I'll do my best to avoid acknowledging any individual aspects to either Snyder or Whedon. This is especially evident in the fact Justice League didn't particularly feel like a Snyder film. For the most part, Justice League is a fusion of Synder's visual sensibilities and Whedon's quippy dialogue, which I've gotta say I liked. Chris Terrio is the other credited writer on both the story and screenplay, sharing story responsibility with Snyder and having originally shaped the script (although it's unclear precisely how much of the dialogue is Whedon's). Ultimately though, I feel the film was reconstructed by Warner Bros. in the wake of Snyder's tragedy.

Perhaps watching the film with that foresight made me more forgiving of the final product, but I'm of the belief that the first and foremost purpose of a blockbuster is to entertain, and Justice League sufficiently achieved that for me as an audience member, so I can overlook some of the film's shortcomings in the grand scheme of things. Not all of my opinions regarding Justice League are sunshine and roses though as the pacing of the project feels like it was hurriedly assembled by the Flash, the CGI was so-so, Danny Elfman's score is fairly forgettable, Steppenwolf is a thoroughly average antagonist, and the first fifteen minutes of the film are an absolute chore to sit through due to an unbearable opening credits montage paired with Sigrid's cover of the song "Everybody Knows."

Ultimately though, it's the ensemble that outweigh the inadequate elements. I had quite a few concerns in regards to casting, but the actors I was worried about proved me wrong. The chemistry between the cast was incredible, and I genuinely had a smile on my face about every time the characters were interacting with one another because it was simply satisfying to finally see a live action Justice League! In the action department, nothing in the film will absolutely blow you away, but it's all enjoyable and well-constructed so you'll have a hard time hiding that smile on your face.

Up first amongst the league is Batman, and Ben Affleck continues to don the cowl with a confidence that makes his Bruce Wayne one of the best brought to cinema screens. Affleck does a good job keeping the character from ever feeling too quippy while bringing the brooding we saw in Batman v. Superman down a notch. Even though I don't feel his performance here was quite as impressive as his last outing (possibly because he seems disinterested in the franchise with the announcement he'd like to segue out of the DCEU in a cool way), I also feel like he didn't phone it in.

Next up, there's the Amazon warrior, Wonder Woman! Gal Gadot proves once again she was well-cast and embodies all of Diana's intrepid, admirable attributes with a performance that's both fierce and down-to-earth in her more vulnerable moments. If you've liked what you've seen of Wonder Woman so far in her own standalone movie or even the third act of Batman v. Superman, you'll be more than happy with her here. The only gripe I have related to her character whatsoever has absolutely nothing to do with Gadot, but rather the way the camera's angled around her character... I noticed numerous "butt" shots where the camera was positioned very low and angled upwards looking STRAIGHT at her rear, which just felt like a step backwards to me in regards to properly portraying a female superhero when you consider how successfully Wonder Woman didn't sexualize her. There's also one joke that will probably rub some people the wrong way, but I honestly didn't mind because it's a quick "it happened and it's over" thing.

Third is the robust Atlantean, Aquaman. For his first outing, I've got to say Jason Mamoa fit comfortably as a rougher, tougher Aquaman than the version general audiences are familiar with from say... Super Friends. Anyways, Mamoa's rockstar attitude will really radically change people's perspective on the character as he does some awesome things. 

Following suit is the cybernetic Cyborg. Ray Fisher was one of the actors I was most concerned about, simply because I was worried the character might come off as monotonous and robotic, but Fisher really nailed grounding the character without getting lost underneath all the CGI. Fisher truly felt half cybernetic and half human, and I quickly got over his unexceptional aesthetic that alarmed me in the trailers.

Among the cast, I've got to surprisingly say that Ezra Miller was actually the runaway star as Flash! The Flash is my favorite DC Comics character, so I was obviously excited to see a cinematic take compared to the one currently on television, but I was seriously concerned with how this portrayal of the scarlet speedster was going to turn out based on the trailers and everything I'd seen previously. Thankfully, Miller lightens the mood in just the right way as his screen presence really electrified the experience for me and most of his humor landed.

**Spoiler Warning**

Last, but certainly not least, there's Superman. I've placed him in the spoiler section because quite franky, his return is a spoiler, no matter how obvious it was... At any rate, he's back... and better than ever!! If you're someone who's been continuously dissatisfied with Henry Cavill's take on Superman, then don't fret... This is the Superman you've been waiting to see! While the circumstances behind his return were completely contradictory to everything I'd possibly imagined, it made sense and I felt it was handled well for the most part. My only gripe was that his change of heart came a little quicker than I'd have liked. I understood that Lois snapped him out of his funk, but it all still seemed sudden to me once he got to his farm. Also, it was a little weird how calmly Lois and Martha accepted his return... Like they just kind of shrugged it off as though it was some everyday occurrence... 

Anywho, there's the whole mustache debacle that's off paramount importance to this review! If you didn't already know, Henry Cavill is in Mission: Impossible - Fallout and his character has to have a mustache for that film. Well, Justice League reshoots lapsed with a break in filming for M:I 6 when Tom Cruise got injured on set. Warner Bros. was presented with two alternatives, either shave the stache and foot the bill to digitally add it in on M:I 6 or to digitally remove it themselves... While those obviously weren't the only options for the studio, Warner Bros. decided to remove it digitally for whatever reason. Perhaps I wouldn't have noticed if it weren't for all the reports about it, but there's clearly something off about Henry Cavill's upper lip, and it just doesn't look right... If you're wondering what I feel the studio should have done, then look no further for I think they should have just filmed with the stache all the way!!! I think a petition should be drafted demanding a Mustache Cut of the film or at least a Blu-Ray featurette all about removing the mustache! Also, the above picture is photoshopped and not at all legitimate... but the mustache story is... I promise. 

**End of spoilers**

Then I suppose I must mention Steppenwolf, only the most generic antagonist imaginable. I'm completely apathetic towards the character because I didn't have high hopes for him as a villain anyways, and I'm perfectly okay with that if the villain stinks on account of focusing attention towards the heroes. Ciarán Hinds voices the CG-creation and does everything he can, but the lack of setup and screen-time for the character renders his work useless. I've seen many people pointing to him as one of the worst comic book movie villains ever made, but I find that to be an absurd over-exaggeration when you look at his competition... Enchantress alone makes him bearable in comparison, and that's not even factoring in anything from Batman & Robin... Oh, and there are also two post credit scenes well worth watching... I'm not sure the movie will still be in theaters when this review's out, but at least you know!

The worst thing I can say about Justice League is that the film doesn't quite do justice to its classic characters as their first onscreen team-up. Regardless of its faults, the film is a heck of a lot of fun though, and I think that's what really matters at the end of the day. Do I want to see what Snyder's version would have been like? I'd love to see some semblance of an extended cut to flesh things out, but a version fully realizing Snyder's vision seems unlikely for budgetary reasons. Justice League may not have lit up like the bright beacon in Gotham City shining for the Caped Crusader, but it still shined as an enjoyable effort that entertained me while leaving me excited about the DCEU's future films... Bring on Aquaman! Bring on Wonder Woman 2! Bring on Flashpoint! Bring on The Batman! Heck, bring on Cyborg! BRING ON Justice League 2!!! That is, if this franchise is going to continue...

Film Assessment: B-

In Defense Of: 'Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice' (The "Martha Scene)

Welcome readers! Today I'm introducing a new series I'll be periodically publishing from time to time called "In Defense Of" where I do as the title implies, defend something that's commonly criticized. Today I'm tackling the "Martha" scene from Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice to tie into Justice League's release this weekend, and I'm sure many of you are already appalled that someone could think this moment has any merit whatsoever, but hear me out. I'm not going to be telling you this film is some misunderstood masterpiece, it has many flaws that I'm well aware of. However, I don't think the "Martha" scene has more substance than people give it credit for.  

In Defense Of: 'Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice' (The "Martha Scene)

So for starters, let's dismiss this notion that Batman simply stopped because their moms have the same name. I think there's a lot more to it than that, but people refuse to look past the surface level so alas this meme was born.

Also, Superman doesn't seem to be saying his mother's name as an effort to stop Batman from killing him. I view the scene much differently than most. So over the course of the entire film, Batman is hellbent on killing Superman because he believes that Superman powers are too dangerous based on what he witnessed firsthand in the Battle of Metropolis. This Batman is darker than most and completely unlike the one we're used to seeing in the pages of comics or even onscreen because he straight up murders people with no remorse. 

However, I think that's one of the film's central themes... Alfred acknowledges the shift himself when he says "Everything's changed. Men fall from the sky, the gods hurl thunderbolts, innocents die. That's how it starts, sir. The fever, the race, the feeling of powerlessness that turns good men... cruel." 

Essentially in Batman's pent-up aggression, he's fallen so far into darkness and despair that he can't even accurately judge Superman's true character. In his rage, Batman only sees Superman as a monster who's going to eradicate humanity and Batman is becoming the very thing he feared as he was being manipulated by Lex Luthor to kill a good man. I'll tie this back in a moment...

On the flip-side, Superman is in a moment of vulnerability. The strongest, most powerful man in the universe is essentially on the ground unable to do anything to prevent his death, and what does he do? He doesn't plead for mercy, instead he simply requests that Batman save the life of another. 

This completely throws Batman off-guard. In that very moment, Batman realizes he's been tricked and sees Superman's character shine through. He sees Superman's inner humanity as opposed to the alien he's so afraid of. He realizes that he's become so obsessed with stopping Superman that he never stopped to think if he even should be doing that. This all powerful being is in a moment of weakness and instead of begging for his own life, he asks Batman to save another. Batman's now in a moment of self-reflection and confusion where he realizes what he's become while generally just confounded how he, the world's greatest detective, could have been so wrong. 

When Lois steps in and informs him that Martha is his mother, Bruce then reflects to a time when he was powerless to prevent his own mother's death. Lois then lays down atop Superman and Batman must process why someone would possibly give their life for Superman, only to come to the conclusion that Superman is truly a man of good character.  

Batman then realizes that the right thing to do is to save Martha. He promises Superman he will do this because he knows what it's like to have his mother taken away from him when he could do nothing. The fact both their "mothers" have the same name is pure coincidence that people have kind of turned into a joke. I don't really think Batman stops because their mom's have the same name. It's because he saw Superman's virtues when he least expected them.

Now I realize many of you may still disagree with me, and that's perfectly fine. Film is subjective to every viewer, and the purpose of this post is to communicate my own perspective upon watching this scene. I'm simply making a case for why the moment works for me as well as explaining what I get out of the scene every time I watch it.