Flash Batman Wonder Woman Justice League

Spoilers for Justice League.

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Justice League may not be a perfect movie, but it does offer up some unquestionably awesome moments for fans. The film has got pretty scathing reviews, yet for all of its missteps there are plenty of saving graces in the DCEU's epic team-up, the kind that can warm even the most disenchanted DC fan's heart.

This is a gargantuan film that has 57 years of hype to live up to, and though the blunders (too often than not synonymous with massive blockbusters like this one) are difficult to ignore, it's clear to see that some genuine DC enthusiasts were paying close attention to the finer details. So much so that you'll find it difficult obscuring the sporadic grins that will undoubtedly find you every so often during the film's two-hour runtime. Let's look at those best moments.

Related: Justice League Reshoots: Every Change Whedon Made To Snyder's Film

The Bracelets Of Submission

It's been five months since the evil-battling Themysciran made her film debut, and Wonder Woman's first action scene since is worth the wait. Though admittedly starting off a bit clunkier in this go-around than she did in her standalone film, Diana ultimately wins the scene by rapidly deflecting bullets fired out of a machine gun with the Bracelets of Submission, saving the lives of a group of innocent civilians. Michael McElhatton's Black Clad Alpha is in disbelief (as he should be) and is promptly thwarted (as should be expected).

Enter the Green Lanterns

As if Justice League wasn't already full to the brim with characters, the movie managed to sneak in some extras right under everybody's noses. While the 2011 Ryan Reynolds flick didn't quite land the way DC wanted it to, fans have been keen for the Green Lantern Corps to be introduced into the DCEU. That finally happened in Justice League's history lesson; during Steppenwolf's initial battle on Earth, an unnamed Lantern is seen fighting alongside men, Amazons and Atlantians, with an unmistakable green hammer. He's beaten by the New God, with his ring flying off into space - definitely setting up a proper presence in a future movie.

Aquaman Showing Off His Skills

Jason Momoa Aquaman Justice League

There was always going to be some degree of difficulty in bringing Aquaman to the big screen. On paper, he's just not an easily translatable character (see: Entourage). Warner Bros. thus went to great lengths to give Arthur Curry an extreme makeover so as to hopefully turn the fish-talker into a badass, and while the interpretation might be divisive among some, the studio definitely seems to have succeeded in certain respects.

Plainly, if you want to make a character seem cool, having him down a bottle of whiskey before diving into some stormy waters, and then propelling through the ocean at inhuman speeds, is a good start. Adding to that, Jason Momoa's surfer aesthetic definitely offers some positive insight into what he'll bring to Aquaman's standalone film from James Wan in 2018 (especially good news seeing as audiences missed out on the finer details this go-around).

The Flash Helps Wonder Woman

While a good number of the heroes in this film have already been established on the big screen, Barry Allen's Flash has only had cameos in previous DCEU films. So, when he shows up (despite having some non-canonical setup in the CW TV series), he's got to build up a rapport with audiences. It's fair to say that he does a solid job.

Related: Justice League: Is The Flash Faster Than Superman?

The moment that really propels him into being a noteworthy member of the team, however, isn't his unyielding quipping, but when he finally overcomes his fears (of everything) and helps the team. Not too dissimilar from Quicksilver's slo-mo scenes in the previous two X-Men movies, the Flash literally runs circles around his teammates and enemies, saving the hostages (Batman's advice to "save one person" was especially satisfying), then tapping the edge of Wonder Woman's sword a la Da Vinci to help her reach it. It's the kind of scene that will make DC fans yearn even more for the upcoming Flashpoint.

Superman Vs. Flash & Wonder Woman

The Flash Superman and Wonder Woman

Most of Justice League pivots around how broken everybody is following Superman's death, so, it's only natural that his eventual return would be more than a little exciting. However, thrilling though it may be, reincarnation overwhelms Clark, which propels him to lash out violently against the people who just used all of their resources to bring him back from the dead. This is unfortunate in the story, but for audiences it's a perfect excuse for Supes to rage out on his soon-to-be-friends.

Wonder Woman has her powers put to the test, going toe-to-toe in a violent skirmish that shows just how powerful both are. But the real icing on the cake is when the Flash tries out-dashing the Kryptonian, only to discover that Superman is "faster than a speeding bullet".

Batman and Superman 2 logos

Old School John Williams & Danny Elfman

Is the DCEU canon alongside Tim Burton's Batman and Richard Donner's Superman movies? Well, no, but that didn't stop composer Danny Elfman from bringing his original score from the 1989 Batman, as well as John Williams' from the 1978 Superman, to Justice League. It only pops up here and there, but if you're listening closely, the score is unmistakable. It's meta and should please even the most casual DC fans, tying these versions of the heroes into the wider mythology.

Read More: Listen to Batman & Superman's Classic Movie Themes in Justice League

The only real downside to including these snippets is the fact that they highlight how Justice Leauge's actual score is, unfortunately, a bit underwhelming and forgettable by comparison.

The Lasso of Truth

There's a lot of jokes in Justice League, but perhaps the strongest comes just before the film's final battle. As the League flies to Russia, Aquaman suddenly reveals his deepest fears and feelings, only to find out that he's been sitting on top of Wonder Woman's Lasso of Truth the entire time. It's a brief moment of levity - and it works, not only giving the lasso a casual nod, but also stripping away some of Aquaman's tough guy motif for a slightly deeper look into his character.

Wonder Woman Taking Charge

Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman in Justice League

Wonder Woman more than proved her worth in her standalone movie this past summer, but she shows no signs of slowing down. Not only did the Patty Jenkins-directed movie earn the DCEU its best critical reception, it also serves as proof that - shocker - audiences want female-led superhero movies (not to mention more female-led movies in general). And, now, she earns the rank of leader during the final act of Justice League.

Just moments before embarking on the fight against Steppenwolf and his Parademon minions, Wonder Woman tells her remaining crew "On my lead", sending chills up fans' spines. This signifies WB's overall loyalty to the character, as well as their understanding that she is the hero fans want to see leading her super-powered colleagues into battle.

Who's Faster? Superman Vs. The Flash

Superman and Flash Race

An ongoing debate within the DC universe is whether or not Superman is faster than the Flash. Both are known to be ridiculously fast, but who is actually quicker? This question has already been covered heavily in the comics, but Justice League puts this very question to the test.

Read More: Justice League: Is The Flash Faster Than Superman?

It's first addressed in the finale when Barry is helping a local family escape certain death. Their pickup truck has overheated, and it looks like their luck has run out... until Barry shows up to save the day, asking them to hold tight as he pushes on the back of the truck and propels them well out of harm's way. Much to his chagrin, though, he looks to his right, only to see Superman carrying an entire building out of harm's way.

This rivalry makes an immediate return during a mid-credits stinger where the two officially face off against one another in a race to the West Coast. Unfortunately, there's no definite winner.

The Hero Shot

Justice League

If you're watching Justice League, you want to see the actual Justice League. So, it's obviously a shame that a solid chunk of the movie is void of one major player: Superman. Watching the remaining team fight side-by-side is exciting, but one can't help but be eager for more.

So, when Superman finally does make it into the movie (and by extension, into the team), there's a genuine sense of completion at play. Watching the league complement each other with their respective abilities is quite fulfilling, but the real wonder comes from the hero shot after they've defeated Steppenwolf and saved mankind.

"Room For More" & The Legion of Doom

Challenge of the Superfriends Legion of Doom

The end of Justice League is ripe with hope - not just on account of the heroes saving the day, but in terms of where the DCEU appears to be headed. And so there are several clues towards the future in the movie's final scenes. First, we learn that Wayne Manor is going to be renovated to serve as the League's official headquarters, with Diana teasing that while there are currently six places, there will definitely be "room for more".

Later, in the film's post-credit scene, we get a tease of the Injustice League. Joe Manganiello's Slade Wilson (a.k.a. Deathstroke) finally makes his introduction, meeting with a freshly bald Lex Luthor. Sitting pretty on his private yacht, Luthor tells Wilson that he has plans of counteracting the Justice League with "a league of their own". Chills.

Next: Justice League Justifies the DCEU's Darker Past

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