I was super excited for 'Justice League', even after having low expectations, after I had seen the first 'comic-con' trailer. It seemed fresh and fun. But when the first official trailer was released, I started getting the BvS feeling again. The tone...THE TONE problem was there. It was dark, the action was unclear, and a lot of things happening in the dark. It hasn't changed in any other following trailers. The jokes felt really flat and "inserted". I was a little skeptic about the Flash, but that changed. I had liked what they had done to him. Wonder Woman is Wonder Woman, and Aquaman was exciting too. Then there was Cyborg, who felt really out of place here. But, the biggest challenge now is to like Ben Affleck as Batman. I want to clarify that he was the best thing in BvS. Now, it looks like his scenes are all half-heartedly done. There is no enthusiasm in him, and he is playing Batman.
The dialogues were not interesting, and the punchlines fell flat. The villain is very bleak. A problem always for Marvel, but since the DCEU started they have followed in those footsteps. Zod was probably the only bright spot. Even 'Wonder Woman' had a terrible villain problem.
Coming to 'Wonder Woman', the movie that supposedly turned around DCEU : I just liked it. It was fun. It was deadly boring the second time. Maybe I wasn't as invested as many others in 'Wonder Woman' being the female powerhouse the world needed. I do love Gal Gadot, and the power and strength she has displayed recently as a person, and I really love her in the role, but the movie as a whole was just okay. It was probably on par with some of the early Marvel movies. A little better than 'Captain America: The first Avenger'. Before anyone jumps on me calling me 'Marvel fanboy', I would like to clarify that I didn't like 'Guardians 2' either. It was funny but a little boring on first watch itself.
The short reviews that have come out are not exciting too. Everybody is like 'The film is not good, but I had fun'. It seemed like they are not able to express the badness because they will then be branded a Marvel fellow, or something. 'Thor' was funny, but when there are jokes in 'JL' you say the movie is bad. That is because there is a way jokes have to be incorporated. Nobody had a problem with a dark DCEU, when the movies were good. 'The Batman trilogy' is a classic. But when they are not, and everything from script and direction and action are bad, there is nothing that jokes, or even tone can do to save the movie. And oh, the mix of different directors. Somebody already did mention, this seems like two different movies at times.
So, gathering all these information, I am very sceptical about 'Justice League'. The tone has not worked for me. The 'jokes' or lighter tone, is irritating. The only one I liked was Flash saying, "I have just pushed some people and run away". Compared to the jokes in 'Thor: Ragnarok', 'JL' will find it really hard to crack up the audience. But 'JL' could still be good. I want it to be reasonably entertaining. I think Gal Gadot, Jason, and Simmons will be the positives, while Ben Affleck and Cyborg(not Ray fisher) and the villain will be the main drawbacks, along with the confusion that will be created by two different directors dealing with the story, dialogues and tone.
Will it make money? Oh yes. Atleast, as much as BvS. People get so attached to brands. IPhone is surviving, aren't they.
