The Flickering Myth writing team share their thoughts on the new trailer for Justice League…
After a mixed reception to last year’s Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad, Warner Bros. has a lot riding on November’s big DC ensemble Justice League, and yesterday the studio unveiled the official trailer for the superhero team-up. Our writing team voted Justice League our fifth-most anticipated movie of 2017, so what did they make of this trailer?
Tai Freligh: Loved it! I was disappointed to not see Superman, but I realize they are saving him for the big reveal in the movie. I thought Aquaman stole the show and I loved the scene where he jumps off the Batmobile and grabs parademons. Also where he shishkebabs two of them with his spear. It did a good job of setting up the story and introducing all the characters without giving away too much about the bad guys. I think D.C. learned its lesson with the Doomsday trailer reveal. I am totally pumped for this movie!
Samuel Brace: To say I was disappointed would indicate that i held any expectations for this film. No good vibes were garnered from this trailer. It looks like if you liked BvS you will like Justice League. And if you didn’t… well…
Martin Carr: Not a lot of love for this…
Gary Collinson: Seems very Batman v Superman-like; I thought they’d have went for a different approach given how many people disliked that film. That being said, I did enjoy Batman v Superman, so I’m hoping I’ll enjoy this too. My favourite moment was seeing J.K. Simmons as Commissioner Gordon. Least favourite was seeing the visual effects on Cyborg. And Tai, while I agree they should keep Superman back until the movie, I’ll be gobsmacked if they do.
Chris Cooper: Putting all negativity towards he DCEU as a whole aside (I liked BvS but SS was meh), I thought this was a great trailer. How could you not be excited!?!? Gordon has a big bushy moustache for goodness sake!
It didn’t show much. But I did see heroes being badasses. I didn’t think I needed to see Aquaman getting the nod from Batman as he stood on a speeding Batmobile. But now I know there was a space in my life that’s been filled. What’s your superpower? I’m rich. Not too much but enough to be excited. YES!
Graeme Robertson: I thought Batman v Superman was merely okay at best, but it was dreary misery fest from start to finish. This looks like it’s at least attempting to be more fun and less dour, but I think this will likely get the same divisive reaction as much of DC’s output. Needless to say though I’ll still probably go and see it opening weekend.
Eddy Gardiner: I think it looks kinda fun but potentially very messy (again). I actually quite like that it’s coming off as a bit OTT and silly and not too full of itself; while similar in tone to the BvS trailer, that might not be such a bad thing. I re-watched it the other day and it’s a perfectly okay – if flawed and silly – movie. Anyway, the only DC film I’m actually looking forward to at the moment is Aquaman (pretty much because of James Wan and Patrick Wilson), so I wasn’t expecting it to either impress or disappoint me. Looks fine.
Andy Naylor: Looked good. Giving nothing away unlike the last time. While part of me wanted to see Superman resurrected, I’m glad I didn’t. All of that should be kept for the film. Tease us, don’t show us the short version of the plot.
Oliver Davis: I always get my hopes up. It’s the Weezer fan in me – ‘this’ll be the year they make a half-listenable to album again!’ I much preferred the trailer released at last year’s Comic Con. It had a lot more character (probably because they were forced to cut it together from the very few scenes they’d shot at that point). This felt like more of the same after BvS (a film I detest). And the music choice continues to be awkwardly cringey.
Scott Watson: It left me feeling completely meh… The only person that looks to be having fun is Jason Momoa. It looks heavy on the dodgy CGI and seems to be taking itself far too seriously like BvS did …Lot more convincing before I’m sold.
Chris Cooper: I don’t get that this ‘too serious’ accusation at all. I really don’t.
Jessie Robertson: Aquaman looked awesome. The trailer resembled a darker Avengers.
Kieran Fisher: I’ve been lost since Man of Steel.
Villordsutch: I’m getting nasty flashbacks to BvS here. I was hoping Justice League was going to be something different, but once again the stench on Hack Snyder is all over it. Add to this the sodding Cyborg CGI was nearly as pitiful as Doomsday. The next trailer better do something to impress as this really didn’t. ..oh and they’re butchering The Beatles!
Rob Kojder: It did nothing for me, but I thought Aquaman surprisingly had some cool little action moments. The song choice felt at odds with the darker tone, but ultimately nothing really grabbed my interest. I kept waiting for something to hook me, but nothing did. With that said, I got a good laugh out of the lighthearted moment where Flash asks Bruce Wayne what his superpower is and he goes “I’m rich”. Also, Cyborg hopefully isn’t finished because the CGI looked terrible. Wonder Woman looked awesome again, and it was definitely interesting that the trailer ends with a close up of her leading the team into battle. It makes me feel like Warner Bros. actually has a lot of confidence in her solo movie.
Matt Spencer-Skeen: They showed enough flashes of what i think is a very good cast to give me a slither of hope. I’m a sucker who’s seeing this whether it’s good or bad so the trailer is not for me, it’s for others and on that idea its probably doing its job.
Mike McClelland: I am intrigued. Despite their films being a bit of a slog so far, I think they’ve done a great job casting, so I am hoping they finally get a chance to shine.
Ben Robins: I’m a little confused as to how pretty much none of Aquaman’s scenes involved water (apparently his superpowers are just jumping really high and spearing things now?) and why Cyborg looked unfinished/is suddenly being used as an Iron Man substitute – but there were some neat character back-and-fourths and Wonder Woman/JK Simmons as Commissioner Gordon seem ace. Can’t help but feel Affleck is already phoning it in though. And the villains were just a greyish blur. In fact the whole trailer kind of was. Does the whole movie take place at night?
Jake Peffer: For me the trailer shows everything I dislike about Zack Snyder. I haven’t been a huge fan of how this DC universe has started but I do like most of the characters. All this trailer showed me was a lot of slow motion action scenes and a lot of CGI that looks really bad or might not have gone through its final renderings just yet. I would like to say I’m excited for this movie nothing has impressed me thus far. However, I do still like Ben Affleck as Batman.
Jordan Jones: It was just about what I expected: Slow Motion, one-liners, rough CGI, and reused scenes from the teaser released last year. It was hard to get a sense of the actual story from this trailer, as it came across a bit like a music video. The good? Gordon and Batman… It will be interesting to see a more developed, seasoned relationship between those two. Also, Aquaman looks to be just about perfect. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for this movie, but this won’t be the trailer that puts me at ease.
James Garcia: I’m bummed about all the negative vibes here about the trailer, but can’t say I’m too surprised. As others have said, if you like Man of Steel and BvS, chances are you’ll dig this trailer. If not? Well, sorry. I am actually a big fan of those two movies, and absolutely loved this trailer. I am a bit surprised that the cinematography so resembles that of BvS – I thought for sure Snyder would turn the lights up a bit after all the hate from his last film. Still, this appears to be very much in his voice, which as a fan of his is encouraging. Again, I see why it wouldn’t be to some though. I like that while there are obvious tonal changes, the film will still closely line up with Man of Steel and BvS in terms of look and feel.
As for the footage itself, I loved what I saw from the characters. The action looks fun and on a pretty epic scale, and I see some great character beats in here. I think Aquaman will steal the show, and if Ray Fisher can get past the horrible CGI they’re using for his suit, Cyborg could be a highlight as well. I’m bummed there’s no Superman, though I get why for marketing purposes. It just breaks my heart to see the League forming without him. I really hope they don’t keep him on the sidelines for the majority of the film. All in all, I’m incredibly excited about this, and cautiously optimistic that the final film will win back some fans for the DCEU.
Chris Cooper: Superman may not be there for the formation but he is the reason why. That’s just as important. I want a huge triumphant return for him, in the film not in trailers.
Tom Jolliffe: I thought it looked dreadful to be honest. Visually uninteresting, overloaded with CG and overwhelmed with a Snyder aesthetic. It just looks every inch the epitome of the soulless blockbuster. Compare that trailer to those of Logan for example. The end results will be similarly polar too.
Chris Cooper: I’m not going to let this negativity bum me out!
Jordan Jones: or what it’s worth, I really enjoyed BvS and most of Suicide Squad… and I certainly enjoyed the Justice League teaser… This footage was just a bit of a let down.
Luke Owen: It is always worth remembering that if there is one thing Snyder can do, it’s put together shots and moments that make for a good trailer. Outside of that, his films lack everything else. Watchman, 300, Sucker Punch, Man of Steel, Batman v Superman. It’s all the same. Justice League will be another mess in a long line of messes from Hack Snyder.
Helen Murdoch: So much slow motion and CGI in this trailer. It’s frustrating! I’m intrigued by Ezra Miller’s The Flash and Gadot’s Wonder Woman looks interesting but other than that it fell a bit flat for me.
So, much like the DCEU as a whole, our writers are divided on this latest look at Justice League. What did you make of the trailer? Be sure to let us know in the comments below…
Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans to stand against this newly awakened threat. But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes—Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash—it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.
Justice League will reunite Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice stars Henry Cavill as Superman, Ben Affleck as Batman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Ray Fisher as Cyborg, Jason Mamoa as Aquaman, Ezra Miller as The Flash, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth, Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor and Connie Nielsen as Queen Hippolyta alongside J.K. Simmons (Whiplash) as Commissioner Gordon, Amber Heard (The Danish Girl) as Mera, Willem Dafoe (Spider-Man) as Vulko, Kiersey Clemons (Dope) as Iris West, Ciaran Hinds (Game of Thrones) as Steppenwolf and Julian Lewis Jones (Stella) in an as-yet-unrevealed role.