(KGTV) - The holiday blockbuster season is upon us and Warner Bros' is hoping their long-awaited "Justice League" movie knocks out the competition.
But judging by the reception so far, DC Comics' favorite heroes may face an uphill battle with critics.
As the movie's release near theaters across the country, reviews have started to pour in ranging from excitement to tempered satisfaction to complete disgust.
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What's is about?
"Justice League" sees heroes of the DC Comics world team up to take on a world-ending threat from Steppenwolf and his army of Parademons - who are hunting for three "Mother Boxes" hidden across the globe. In the wake of Superman's death, Bruce Wayne (Batman) sees this threat on the horizon. Alongside Diana Prince (Wonder Woman), the pair seeks to enlist the help of three other superhumans to put an end to Steppenwolf's ambitions.
Critics' response..
The Hollywood Reporter's Todd McCarthy was one of those who found themselves letdown - completely.
McCarthy called the movie a "chore," adding, "the virtually humor-free script by Chris Terrio and Joss Whedon (who was brought on to complete directing duties after Zack Snyder had to leave for family reasons) less resembles deft narrative scene-setting than it does the work of a bored casino dealer rotely distributing cards around a table."
The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw echoed that same distaste, calling out the film's post-credit scenes (of which there are two) and saying, "the great revelation is very laborious and solemn and the tiresome post-credits sting is a microcosm of the film’s disappointment."
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But not everyone was completely disappointed after the credits rolled.
From Polygon writer Julia Alexander: "Justice League is a rare, anomalous jewel that pops up every few years in cinema: It can’t be described as a good movie, but it’s enjoyable at times to sit through."
Though most reviews tried to establish the thoughts likely to run through movie-goers' heads: Is it better than the other DCU movies?
"It’s not good, per se, and it’s definitely not 'Wonder Woman.' That said, it’s better than you may expect, a mostly tolerable movie made occasionally enjoyable by a few lively performances, one good fight sequence, and a solid punchline or two," Consequence of Sound's Allison Shoemaker writes.
However, one review that has been making the rounds may sum up the majority of responses to the DC's latest superhero adventure.
The Atlantic's David Sims offers a slight silver-lining but straight-forward take, writing, "By the end of the film, some of his harsher edges have been sanded off; the same should go for the DC Comics universe moving forward." But he goes on to call "Justice League" a "pilot episode—it’s half-formed, overstuffed, and narratively a chore."
