Justice League

While Justice League comes nowhere near Wonder Woman, it is loads better than Batman V Superman.

We learn that Parademons have been sighted across the world, abducting people associated with Star Labs. After an attack on the Amazons by Steppenwolf, Diana approaches Bruce and they begin getting the team together.

As with a typical intro team-up, it does not come together the first time. We get snippets of backstory for the new characters to the DCEU: Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg. Just enough to give us a hint of where their solo movies may go.

Part of the plot is bringing Superman back after the League fights Steppenwolf, but cannot stop him. Superman’s inclusion does bring everything together.

The plot is decent, but does feel rushed. You can tell DC/Warner Bros are playing catch-up to the Marvel movies. But it is still a fun movie.

The CGI was … not great. The very first scene of the movie opens with Superman and a CGIed out mustache. The main villain is all CGI as well. Poor CGI.

Starring: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, Henry Cavill, Jeremy Irons, Ciarán Hinds, JK Simmons, Connie Nielsen, Joe Morton, Amber Heard, Diane Lane, Amy Adams

Vía Letterboxd – AngryTownsman

Wonder Woman

This is the best DC movie since the Dark Knight, in my opinion. Easily blows away Man of Steel and Batman v Superman.

We are introduced to Dianna as a child. The only child on Themyscira. Literally portrayed as a paradise island – protected by a magical barrier. We see her learning the art of war from her fellow Amazons as she grows older.

The Captain Steve Trevor crashes his plane into the waters off the coast of Themyscira. Steve’s entry to the island ultimately leads to Dianna joining him in “Man’s World”. His mission – to stop a new deadly gas attack that is not stopped by gas masks. Her mission – to kill Ares, god of war.

The movie starts out light in tone, but gradually darkens. First as Diana leaves the bright colors of Themyscira and enters the grey fog of London. And from there to the horrors of World War 1.

Any more would totally spoil the movie. And you should see this one in theaters.

I would say that Wonder Woman earns the dark tone it holds. It is set during World War 1, after all. But it does get back to a lighter tone at the very end. Not quite as bright as it was before Dianna experienced war firsthand, but not as dark as wartime.

Wonder Woman has taken some of the trepidation I felt for the upcoming Justice League movie away.

Starring: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright, Danny Huston, David Thewlis, Saïd Taghmaoui, Ewen Bremner, Eugene Brave Rock, Lucy Davis, Elena Anaya

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Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

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From IMDB: Fearing that the actions of Superman are left unchecked, Batman takes on the Man of Steel, while the world wrestles with what kind of a hero it really needs.

Starring: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeremy Irons, Laurence Fishburne

TL;DR Good characterization of Batman (maybe my favorite) and Wonder Woman. Terrible Lex Luthor. Meh story and plots.

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