5 Things We Need to See in the Justice League Movie

While the highly anticipated Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice got mixed reviews from fans and critics alike, a recent interview with director Zack Snyder signifies that he took the criticism to heart (via screenrant.com):

"When Batman v Superman first came out, I was like, 'Wow, okay, woof.' It did catch me off-guard. I kind of felt like – and I have had to, in my mind, make an adjustment, and maybe it is my hardcore take on characters as far as I love ’em, and I love the material. I do, I take it really deep. So I think the nice thing about working on Justice League is that it is an opportunity to really blow the doors off of the scale and the bad guys and team-building and all the stuff that I think I could justify as a big, modern comic book movie, if that makes any sense."

It appears that Snyder and Warner Bros studios are prepared to evolve and deliver a more universally beloved film in next year's Justice League.

Here are 5 ways this writer thinks they could achieve that.

 1. Open With Batman Action

Everyone loves Batman.

While some did have an issue with his brutality in BvS--particularly his willingness to kill criminals--it seems on a whole, just about everyone loved Ben Affleck's version of the caped crusader.

The scene in BvS where we see the Dark Knight taking out twenty or so armed hostiles while rescuing Martha Kent was perhaps the best Batman fight scene we've ever seen on film. Whether it was with gadgets, his clever use of surroundings or just his plain ol' fists, we got to see Batman in full glory beating the crap out of bad guys.

It was awesome.

Why not open Justice League with it's cornerstone hero in a full-blown action scene? That would surely get the crowd pumped and excited right off the bat (see what I did there?).

 2. Be Funny!  

We go to watch super hero movies to have fun. While I thoroughly enjoyed the darkness of BvS, I am completely down for some lightheartedness. I don't think they should abandon the darkness entirely (you really can't when your Big Guns is the Dark Knight himself), but I'm all for a joke or two to break the tension and the heaviness of a dark situation.

If reports from early set visits are any indication, the Justice League screen play is not shying away from having a little fun with it's heroes, particularly Ezra Miller's the Flash (h/t Eliza Berman, TIME.com):

"Multiple bloggers noted that Ezra Miller’s performance of the Flash, from what they could see, is fresh and energetic, a bit like Spider-man’s appearance in the latest Captain America movie, notes Sciretta, only less expected. Indiewire’s Sam Adams writes that Miller “brings an infectious energy to the proceedings,” and Mashable’s Sam Haysom noted his “upbeat, jokey energy.” In short: lots of energy is to be expected from the Flash, which is fitting, considering that his superpower trades in kinetic energy."

 3. Don't Overload with Characters 

 

We got to know Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman on the big screen already. We don't know the Flash, Aquaman or Cyborg. Can we get to know these three new heroes (along with a handful of other characters) intimately in one film without it feeling crowded?

Probably not.

It may play out better if the focus is mostly on one or two of these Justice League-ers with one of them entering the story late (a la Wonder Woman in BvS). Ben Kendrick over at screenrant.com speculates that Superman may not return until the third act of the film, leaving plenty of room to develop some of the newcomers. As perhaps the most iconic of the new heroes, coupled will early reports of his on-screen charisma, focusing primarily on Ezra Miller's the Flash seems like a good route to take.

 

4. More Hero-on-Hero Fights

Watching Bats beat the crap out of Supes was just completely bad-ass. Not even because of the actual fighting, but because IT WAS BATMAN FIGHTING SUPERMAN.

I want more.

How about during Batman's Justice League recruiting some of the recruits resist? How amazing would it be to watch the Dark Knight somehow fight Aquaman? Perhaps that's how Bruce earns Aquaman's respect and willingness to join the team: by somehow defeating him in a fight despite his lack of meta-human abilities.

Or maybe we see Wonder Woman catch the Flash with Lasso of Truth?

The possibilities are endless.

I want them on the big screen.

 

5. Make it a Batman Movie

While BvS felt very much like a Superman movie with Batman in it, Justice League would benefit from being a Batman movie with the other heroes serving as supporting characters.

I want to see more of Batman's intellect, his detective skills and yes, his beating-the-crap-out-of-criminals skills.

We need more.

Between Man of Steel and BvS, we've seen enough of Superman. It's time to really get to know the new center figure of the DC Extended Universe. It's time for Bruce Wayne. It's time for Batman. 

Reading the Warner Bros. official synopsis, it appears that Justice League may very well be a story focused on Batman.

"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."

This is a good thing. 

Why?

Because EVERYONE LOVES BATMAN.

Was there anything else that needs to be in the Justice League movie?  Let me know in the comments!

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Justice League will hit theatres on November 17, 2017

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