Justice League is still most definitely a Zack Snyder movie, that’s for sure. Slow-motion hero shots, stylized backgrounds–that we expect.
But Snyder isn’t always known for bringing the funny. And when he does, well…Dawn of the Dead and Legend of the Guardians may not have been his highest-grossing movies ever, but they are arguably his most universally liked. The humor may well have been a mandate from above. but frankly, fans of Mallrats and Dogma also know that Ben Affleck makes a great straight man when he’s being a jerk too, and the overriding impression here is that his Batman is going to be the foil to a more comedic Flash and Aquaman. We also wonder if The Lego Batman Movie filmmakers knew he’d have a giant crawling bat vehicle here as well, because we can’t help but see echoes.
Yes, Aquaman is deliberately amusing. Or as Batman calls him, “The Aquaman” (because as THE Batman, that’s the only construction he’s familiar with?). Even though they’re going with the grim and gritty bearded ’90s version (sans hook hand, somehow; how Snyder resisted that we can’t imagine), Jason Momoa’s portrayal looks to be considerably more lighthearted than his brooding scowl in promotional photos has suggested. And rather than him being the butt of the joke, Super-Friends style, it looks like Batman will be, for not having any super powers beyond his bank account.
We’re still not really seeing any villain beyond the Parademons that look just the way Bruce Wayne dreamed they would in the last movie, and given that Cyborg can generate a big gun and Aquaman can spear them with little difficulty, there isn’t much indication yet that the threat is anything more than numbers. But with more Amazons and Atlanteans being thrown into the mix, something big is coming. Can they sell us on Steppenwolf once he’s ready to be unveiled?
Are you ready for funny Batfleck? Is this the course-correction you were looking for? Let us know in the comments.
Image: Warner Bros.
