Features Film

Despite its Distinct MCU Flavour, Justice League’s 2nd Trailer Wants Us to Believe in Its Power

San Diego Comic Con gave us some great trailers for the upcoming TV season and movie season. While Marvel killed it with Thor: Ragnarok and the leaked Avengers: Infinity War trailer, DC gave us Justice League. I’ve been waffling between hoping that it’s going to be a good movie or at least, watchable enough that I don’t want to pull my hair out in frustration. Needless to say, I am neutral on both Man of Steel and Suicide Squad because I see what they were trying to do and I really didn’t like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice because of it’s stupid, stupid plot. I loved Wonder Woman, though.

The thing with DC is that they give us really good, killer trailers and most of their movies are mediocre at best. Justice League preview told me that it was going to have the same plot of Avengers Assemble. The first trailer was good enough to make me hope that it wasn’t going to suck.

Justice League trailer #2 is trying way too hard to look like a rip-off Marvel movie. I still have major problems with Cyborg’s CGI. Are we for real? Seriously, DC/WB, you guys could have put tons more effort to making it better. It’s really bad, guys, honestly.

The trailer opened with Wonder Woman saving a bunch of hostages. I’m totally on board with that. Too bad this wasn’t called Wonder Woman 2, directed by Patty Jenkins, subtitled Wonder Woman and Those Other Guys. I love how Diana goes to work the next day like she didn’t save a whole bunch of people as a superhero.

Then, we went to Themyscria and I was like, HOLY HOT DAMN BATMAN, it’s the AMAZONS. Queen Hippolyta looks amazing and I totally like her new tiara. The Amazons had a mother box?! I love that idea. And this is where we get our first look at the main bad guy of the movie, Steppenwolf. But, I am not too excited, because while I know who he is, other people going to see the movie most likely will not. They should have just used Darkseid, really now. Are they really doing the long haul with Darkseid, just like Marvel did with Thanos?

Most of the scenes shown were pretty decent enough, I suppose. Other than Gal Gadot‘s Wonder Woman, I am really loving Ezra Miller‘s Flash. He’s definitely on the young side, in comparison with the others and much more able to crack jokes. I love the lines where he’s very nervous about going into battle because, and I quote, “I’ve never done better before. I’ve just pushed some people and ran away.” I like that he’s honest about his skills as a crime-fighter and hero. I also like him at the end of the trailer commenting on “how rude” it was that all the others disappeared while Commissioner Gordon’s back was turn (a take on the classic Batman gag of him disappearing while someone isn’t looking, in mid-sentence).

Alfred is a delight. I love his snarkiness and the way that he’s just damn tired. Like imagine that he raised Bruce Wayne into Batman and dealt with all the crazies of Gotham and now aliens, Amazons and meta-humans are all around and he’s like, my poor normal self. Aquaman’s actions scenes are neat. He’s the most reluctant member of the team and it shows, so we’ll see how it plays out on-screen.

So who showed up in front of Alfred? Is it Green Lantern? Is it Superman? Or a surprise hero? It’s probably Superman, but I’m hoping for Green Lantern, maybe the John Stewart one, even though there was the comment earlier that there are no Lanterns on Earth.

Other than Cyborg’s CGI, there are a few things that bother me about the Justice League trailer. So, like where is the big battle taking place, because it looks like Gotham City and I’m like, really Batman, really, after giving Superman shit in BvS:DoJ, you’re going to battle invading Parademons in your city and it’s going to suffer major damage that’s going to take years to rebuild? I know that Zack Snyder loves big, epic destruction of cities in his movies, but really, is it necessary?

I also feel like DC/WB are pandering to fans, with the similarities to Marvel’s marketing with the ‘fun’ and ‘cool’ music. Just saying. And, I kind of feel like Ben Affleck‘s Batman is very inconsistent in his characterisation. I was fine with the older Batman deal. He’s supposed to be the jaded vigilante with a dark streak. But in Batman v Superman, Batman gets played by Lex Luthor and hates Superman for like most of the movie. Yes, Superman sacrifices himself and it makes Batman respect him. In Justice League so far, Batman’s intelligence is played up by being the ringleader (like Nick Fury) and the leader. I feel like his personality did a 180 from Batman v Superman to Justice League and I don’t think Superman’s death should have affected him that much, but it may just be me.

To conclude, the whole movie is centered on the formation of the Justice League because the death of Superman was a big deal. Wonder Woman and Flash are probably going to be the best part of it. Please to God, fix Cyborg’s CGI. Less Batman, too.

Is Justice League going to be any good? If you stack the DCEU movies from worst to best, it would be BvS, Suicide Squad, Man of Steel, and Wonder Woman at the top. It might be a little better than MoS, but not as good as WW. Or it might be a little better that Suicide Squad. Or it might be the worst movie of the DCEU. What do you think? Did you see the SDCC JL trailer? What parts did you like? Didn’t like?  Sound off in the comments or send us your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter!

About the author

Dara Berkey

Superhero nerd. History nerd. Favorite personal hero--Shazam/The Original Captain Marvel. Favorite female hero--Any of the Batgirls. Favorite male hero, other than Shazam--Any of the Robins.