Going into “Justice League” I had the lowest of expectations, in fact, I only had expectations because the DCEU seemed to be on an upswing after “Wonder Woman” practically won the summer movie season. Unfortunately, it seems the DCEU has taken a step back, with “Justice League”s quality being on par with last year’s “Batman v Superman” and not “Wonder Woman”.

    The film starts with a spectacular sequence in which Wonder Woman effortlessly defeats wrongdoers with that classic superhero bravado. While fun to watch, this sequence, and nearly every moment that follows, is devoid of dramatic tension. Nothing brought me to the edge of my seat in anticipation of the film’s next move, I felt like I was relegated to a passive viewer.

    Such a large portion of the run time consists of Ben Affleck’s Bruce Wayne trying to recruit the Justice League that once they get to what their main ‘obstacle’ there’s no fuel in the plot’s tank. I’ve basically finished my popcorn and I’d go home if I hadn’t payed money to see this.

    The lead up to the final act’s big shabang, when it finally comes around, isn’t even convincing in its delivery. All our heroes dive straight into the action; therefore, I have no actual reason to care about what happens to the characters, their unwavering initiative everything will be alright. The exception to this, Ezra Miller’s Flash, expresses fears and hesitation through a few cheap jokes, only making the problem worse. While “Justice League” fails to construct relatable characters, it also ruins any chance of these heroes displaying vulnerability because each weakness is just a reach for some laughs, emphasis on some.

    While it’s narrative is not exactly sound, “Justice League” makes small steps in the right direction with its visuals. Many carefully executed shots occur in the film, a particular scene between Bruce Wayne and Jason Momoa’s Aquaman is particularly stunning. Action sequences, however, could do without some frustratingly cluttered screen compositions.

    The time one invests in the film doesn’t pay off in the way that it does with other superhero movies. Marvel movies fail to act with conviction, never successfully executing a dramatic moment without taking two steps back in the form of comedic relief. However, Marvel Cinematic Universe films contain strong enough character and plot to scrape by as passable in their context, but not meaningful enough to break through a glass ceiling that prevents the genre from being art.