Justice League
Justice League (2017) is an American superhero film that unites iconic DC Comics characters to confront a formidable alien threat. Following the events of 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,' Batman and Wonder Woman assemble a team comprising The Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg to combat Steppenwolf and his army of Parademons, who seek to conquer Earth using powerful 'Mother Boxes.' The film blends action, fantasy, and adventure, focusing on themes of teamwork and heroism in the face of global catastrophe. It is intended for a teenage and adult audience, with its content featuring intense sci-fi violence and some frightening elements, making it generally suitable for viewers aged 13 and older, though younger children may find certain scenes too intense.
Concerns
Violence
HighThe film features pervasive sci-fi violence and action, central to the plot as the Justice League battles Steppenwolf and his army of Parademons. Conflict scenes involve characters being beaten, stabbed, shot, and bombed, with large-scale battles. While graphic gore is mostly absent, the intensity and frequency of the combat, along with the threat of global destruction, are significant.
The Amazonians engage in a fierce battle with Steppenwolf and his Parademon army on Themyscira, utilizing arrows, swords, and energy blasts. Upon his resurrection, Superman is disoriented and attacks the Justice League members (Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman, Cyborg) in an intense struggle where he easily overpowers them. The final confrontation against Steppenwolf involves heavy superhero combat, with the villain eventually being defeated by the combined efforts of the League and attacked by his own fear-sensing Parademons.
Scary & Intense Content
HighJustice League features several scary and intense elements, primarily stemming from the main villain, Steppenwolf, and his army of monstrous Parademons. These creatures are depicted as aggressive and visually unsettling, contributing to a consistently high level of threat and suspense. The film also includes 'jump scenes' and the intense visual of a corpse's resurrection.
The Parademons are depicted as frightening, bug-like humanoid creatures with glowing eyes and sharp teeth, constantly attacking and threatening humans throughout the film. The scene involving the exhumation of Superman's corpse and its subsequent resurrection using a Mother Box is visually unsettling and intense. Steppenwolf himself is a large, mummified-looking villain with red glowing eyes and a formidable power axe, contributing to the film's frightening atmosphere.
Romance and Sexual Content
MediumThe movie includes mild romantic elements, primarily between Superman and Lois Lane. Female Amazonian warriors are depicted in somewhat revealing battle attire, with some baring midriffs and cleavage. Additionally, some parental reviews noted specific camera angles and costuming choices for Wonder Woman that were perceived as sexualizing the character more than in her solo film.
Lois Lane and Superman share affectionate moments, including kisses, after his resurrection. Wonder Woman's battle attire and other female Amazonian costumes are noted for revealing midriffs and cleavage. Some reviews specifically mentioned 'tight leather clad ass shots' and low-angle camera shots focusing on Wonder Woman, which were seen as gratuitous and unnecessarily sexualizing.
Profanity
MediumThe film contains infrequent profanity. This includes at least one scatological term, some mild profanities, and a term of Christian deity used as an exclamation. There is also an instance where a character's angry tirade features bleeped profanities, suggesting stronger language that is censored but still implied.
The film includes a single scatological term and other mild profanities used sparingly. An angry character uses a tirade of profanities that are bleeped, indicating the use of strong language despite the censorship.
Witchcraft & Occult
MediumThe central plot involves alien 'Mother Boxes' described as 'magic boxes' that bestow immense power and are capable of terraforming a planet. Steppenwolf, an alien entity, seeks to harness their power, presenting a technologically advanced but functionally 'magical' threat. The resurrection of Superman using a Mother Box also involves powers that border on the supernatural and occult, bringing a dead being back to life through alien means.
Steppenwolf's primary objective is to retrieve and merge the three Mother Boxes, which are ancient alien artifacts possessing vast power, often referred to as 'magic boxes,' that he intends to use for destructive planetary terraforming. The Justice League utilizes a Mother Box to resurrect Superman from the dead, a feat that, while enabled by alien technology, has significant mystical and life-altering implications.
Substance Use
MediumThe film includes a scene depicting a hero character consuming a significant amount of hard alcohol. No explicit illegal drug use or smoking is extensively featured, but the portrayal of a prominent character drinking hard liquor without immediate negative consequences is noted.
Aquaman is shown drinking from a large bottle of hard alcohol, which he finishes without any depicted immediate negative consequences.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumWhile the film emphasizes teamwork, some initial character interactions feature mild disrespect and rebellion. Examples include characters expressing reluctance to join the team or using sarcastic dialogue, particularly from characters like Aquaman and The Flash towards Batman's leadership. The Flash's portrayal sometimes includes goofy behavior, which can be interpreted as a lack of seriousness in critical situations.
Arthur Curry (Aquaman) initially expresses a dismissive attitude towards Bruce Wayne's (Batman) attempts to recruit him for the team, indicating a rebellious streak. Barry Allen (The Flash) often delivers quirky and sometimes sarcastic remarks, and his comedic timing, at times, portrays him as somewhat disengaged or less serious during intense moments, such as 'stumbling out of his speed force like a blundering goat' during the tunnel fight.
Anti-Christian Themes
MediumThe film does not contain explicit anti-Christian themes, mockery, or sacrilegious acts. However, it prominently features the resurrection of Superman, which has been widely noted for its 'Superman as Jesus metaphors.' While common in superhero narratives, some Christian parents may find the appropriation of such symbolism in a secular context concerning, particularly if not handled with theological accuracy or reverence.
The narrative prominently features the resurrection of Superman after his death, a plot point that critics and viewers have widely noted as drawing parallels to the resurrection of Jesus. Superman's role as a savior figure who returns to restore hope and defeat evil after his 'death' reinforces these messianic undertones within a secular storyline.
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
LowThe 2017 theatrical release of Justice League does not explicitly feature LGBTQ+ characters or themes within its narrative. While the actor playing The Flash, Ezra Miller, is openly nonbinary, this is a meta-textual aspect and not represented in the film's content. There are no direct depictions or discussions of diverse sexual orientations or gender identities for the characters portrayed in the movie.
No specific examples of LGBTQ+ or gender identity content are present within the 'Justice League (2017)' film itself. The actor Ezra Miller, who portrays The Flash, identifies as nonbinary, which is a detail external to the film's narrative.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
Recommended for ages 13+. The film is rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and contains frequent intense battle scenes, frightening alien creatures, and mild suggestive content. Parental guidance is strongly advised for viewers under 15 due to the intensity and themes presented.
Additional Notes
The 'Justice League (2017)' film was notably impacted by a change in director during production (Zack Snyder to Joss Whedon), resulting in some tonal inconsistencies and a shorter runtime compared to Snyder's original vision (later released as 'Zack Snyder's Justice League' in 2021). This review focuses solely on the 2017 theatrical release. Concerns like violence and intense content might be further amplified or presented differently in the longer director's cut, but those differences are not covered here.
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