Justice League Movie Review

Released: 17th November 2017 (UK and United States)

Length: 120 Minutes

Certificate: 12A

Director Zack Snyder (With Joss Whedon brought in)

Starring: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jeremy Irons, Jason Momoa, Ray Fisher, Ezra Miller, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Diane Lane, Ciaran Hinds and J.K Simmons

Four years into the DC Extended Universe’s lifespan, we’ve reached what WB hopes is the first zenith of its grand cinematic crusade. Can the next ensemble production bounce back after several failed attempts? Regretfully, Justice League struggles along, finding immense difficulty in getting audiences onboard for its rushed vision.

Sometime after the death of Superman (Henry Cavill), Batman (Ben Affleck), fearful of an approaching threat, brings together several extraordinary individuals to fight; these include Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), Aquaman (Jason Momoa), Cyborg (Ray Fisher) and The Flash (Ezra Miller). With the arrival of Steppenwolf (Ciaran Hinds), the team finds themselves tackling the latest threat to the planet. The problem of cramming in the plot isn’t as blatant as it was before, but it still causes many problems. Multiple origin stories and other plot elements are rushed through without any substance, side characters are again side-lined or completely wasted (Looking at you J.K Simmons…) and action sequences (except for the last battle) often end abruptly, with a few jarring jump-cuts strewn about the runtime for good measure. There’s also a few awkward shifts to an unnamed family the film wants us to care about so badly with no success. The most egregious flaw in the plot however is the second act; because of a grave mistake committed by its 2016 predecessor: Batman v Superman, an entire portion of the film puts Steppenwolf on the backburner just to bring back a certain hero of the DC Universe which, much like BVS, lands with absolutely no impact whatsoever. The plot tries so hard to pull you in but there is no battle cry, no astounding moment where the heroes all come together as one. So many of Justice League’s narrative problems could have been solved by giving each character their own film first and the way it again skips over these backstories results in an incredibly hollow and pedestrian story. The only exceptions to the rule are the portions taking place in Wonder Woman’s world because we’ve already been introduced to that and can easily latch onto it.

With some strong performances entering the DCEU over the years, Justice League mostly continues that trend without really going further; Ben Affleck and Gal Gadot are again great, despite having to stomach a serving of expository dialogue. The actors all do their best and deliver their performances well enough but there’s simply no context to any of the new characters; they fit their archetypes and that’s it. Flash is the comic relief, but he never follows through to deliver some witty jokes, Cyborg is moody and brooding and Aquaman is a rebellious delinquent, but their characters don’t really grow or change which would have created a stronger connection. As for Steppenwolf, he’s another painfully weak villain that might as well have been pulled out of a hat and deposited in the production. Outside of a few short moments, the team’s chemistry simply isn’t memorable or believable; they “come together” because the plot needs them to and because many of the newcomers aren’t developed, they don’t feel very well-rounded either.

Opting for a more light-hearted tone after last year’s critical bombing, Justice League is immediately a lighter, less saturated film to look at. The lighting has more a natural look, with characters standing out amongst the backgrounds. Special effects are on point with the Flash getting most of the attention with some dazzling energy effects pulsating around him while the action slows down in a way quite like X-Men’s Quicksilver. The action scenes are well-shot and well-choreographed, but that’s all it has to offer. The massive uptake in CGI means we don’t get anything to the level of Batman’s vicious Arkham-Style fist fight from last year. It’s fun to watch the team fight together but it doesn’t reach the epic peak the film so desperately wants to obtain. Overall, the world feels mostly external in Justice League; for all its detailed effects, the film doesn’t work to pull the audience in as the settings just aren’t cohesive enough to form an immersive whole, creating further disconnects with the action. For the music, legendary composer Danny Elfman was brought onboard but there aren’t many notes you’ll really remember coming out of the theatre outside of a few popular tracks drafted in to play in the background.

Justice League has got to be one of the most underwhelming ensemble productions I’ve ever seen; yet again we have a DC film where the lack of build-up and development really hurts the film’s overall impact. It speaks volumes of the patchy, often hackneyed production schedule laid down by Warner Bros as a studio. The action is flashy and entertaining, but then again, so too is every other DCEU film released so far and Justice League really doesn’t deliver anything beyond that, nor does it manage to mend the damage inflicted by previous outings.

Rating: 2/5 Stars (Disappointing)

Murder on the Orient Express Movie Review

Released: November 2nd 2017 (UK)

Length: 114 Minutes

Certificate: 12A

Director: Kenneth Branagh

Starring: Kenneth Branagh, Tom Bateman, Daisy Ridley, Leslie Odom Jr, Michelle Pfeiffer, Josh Gad, Judi Dench, Penelope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Derek Jacobi, Marwan Kenzari and Johnny Depp

Adapted twice since its original publication in 1934, Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express journeys to the big screen a second time in 2017 with an updated take from Kenneth Branagh. When taken on its own terms, the film is an effective mystery with more than enough intrigue to keep the audience guessing.

Set in the 1930s, Murder on the Orient Express follows a collection of different faces and personalities as they travel on the Orient Express from Istanbul to France; as the title suggests, things don’t go according to plan and Belgian Detective Hecule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh) finds himself tasked with solving a murder mystery with every passenger onboard the train being a potential suspect. Some of the faces on board include a dignified princess (Judi Dench), Governess Mary Debenham (Daisy Ridley), Dr Arbuthnot (Leslie Odom Jr.), religious follower Pilar Estravados (Penelope Cruz) and the snide assistant Hector McQueen (Josh Gad). Once they get on that train, the mystery proceeds fluidly as Hecule conducts his investigation, questioning each of the passengers while the plot occasionally dips into black and white flashbacks. With more details gradually revealed over the film’s runtime, it all plays out just like a classic detective novel and a few snappy twists also work to pile on the unpredictable nature of the plot. It doesn’t quite maintain this pacing all the way through though; the first act moves a bit too fast for its own good; the bustling markets of Istanbul are a neat backdrop, but we don’t learn so much about the characters and their individual traits before the board the titular train, which ends up feeding into amount of time dedicated to each passenger further down the line.

Boasting an extensive all-star cast, the 2017 rendition of Murder has plenty of talent to draw in the crowds, even if some receive more screen-time than others. Kenneth Branagh carries the central perspective as Detective Hercule Poirot and it’s an excellent performance; he’s serious about solving the case but also has a down-to-earth approachability to him that ensures things never become too self-serious. The other performances are all relatively solid; each actor on the roll creates their individual personas with enough substance to differentiate themselves from the others. Daisy Ridley, Leslie Odom Jr, Josh Gad and Michelle Pfeiffer are all equally great in this regard. But as mentioned before, the film inevitably finds problems in giving every A-list actor enough time to make their presence felt onboard the train. Willem Dafoe and Judi Dench feel particularly underused and others such as Lucy Boynton’s Countess Andrenyi feel rather insignificant to the greater narrative. Despite this missed potential, there isn’t a single weak link on the train, creating a balanced viewpoint as to who could be the killer.

While it’s minimalistic in its approach to presentation, Murder on the Orient Express still features its fair share of directorial polish; the period piece sets and costume work are all spot on with a firm embedding in the thirties that really pulls the viewer in. Most of the train is a real set with detailed, often luxurious looking objects with a reduced amount of computer effects limited to the train’s exterior and outdoor sequences. For most of the runtime, the action takes place inside the train and this was the right choice. There’s quite a bit of visual trickery employed during the camerawork, from tracking shots, POVs and a few overhead views; the camerawork keeps the viewer guessing, particularly when it comes to the character’s true motives and identities. One brilliant moment comes when Willem Dafoe’s character is split into three by a nearby reflection in the glass. The music is equally traditional with calm notes giving way to more emotional pieces that really convey the true scale of the murder mystery. All-in-all this latest version of MOTOE has a lot of respect for its time, while also adding in a few cinematic touches to create its own feel.

Despite its awkward position as a remake, Murder on the Orient Express is a juicy, engrossing mystery that just about anyone can get immersed in. The performances, while somewhat out of balance are all very strong, especially Kenneth Branagh, who will keep you hooked with both narrative and filmmaking prowess. If you’ve never seen a previous version of the film, this is the perfect time to jump in.

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars (Good)