“No protectors here”



A movie review by Miriam Mircea

So, before we get into it, I’ve got a confession to make: I have been playing for the Marvel team for years. I occasionally enjoy breaking the “routine” with some DC, never hurts checking out the “competition”, does it? But this movie here? I’ve been waiting for it to drop just like most of us, who willingly consume comics on toast and love every second of it.


As I pressed play, I’ve noticed the duration: 4 hours, 2 minutes and 38 seconds... yeah, exactly as long as a part time working shift. So, I dove right in, no time to waste. And that’s exactly how it also began: bringing face to face Affleck and Momoa.

The first GTKY~ abbreviation that we, teachers use for “get to know you” lessons~ scene makes Bruce display his “superpower” in front of us, mere mortals. Astonishingly, even superhumans seem to respond to his stimulus...

And then, there’s Aquaman in all his tattooed glory, breaking the internet and my laptop screen, as he vanishes into the ice cold water. His disappearance is accompanied by a choir of pretty blonde girls, resembling the Ancient Greek choir, that in itself became a secondary character, setting the scene and telling us how loved and respected Jason’s character is in that tiny village. It is a song that resonates. It speaks to our souls, who know no human language.

Having watched the other version, I have instantly noticed how the music has indeed taken the role of a defining character guiding the viewer from one scene to another, like water flowing calmly.

And then there’s Diana, coming in strong, like an epic proportion modern Xena. I’m a 90s kid, I couldn’t help noticing how her “battle cry”, her OST, as she stormed the scene resembled the song that Xena used to delight her viewers with, back in the day. #throwback

The Amazons are a visual feast, feminine, beautiful and strong, a stunning war machine.

Look, I’m a history teacher. I’m a woman. Of course I had to rewatch the Amazons’ scenes and their legendary bravery. I could write pages only in their honor. It is to be noted how Byzantine Greek letters make an appearance as well, for the eyes of the connoisseurs or naturally, for native Greeks. Be on the lookout for that interesting insert.
Touching briefly upon other characters, Jeremy Iron’s is classic. The man is a master of film and transmitting feelings to his audience. And yet through his mastery and skills, Irons tones his brilliance down so that Affleck can shine, too.



I don’t care for what people have said about Ben’s take on Batman. I find him perfect for the role. Very human, very subjected to errors and oh, so determined to make things right.

Picking up on words such as “quarantined”, “isolated” made me shiver, paraphrasing Don McLean, bringing “bad news on the door step”.

Speaking of music, the music makes a symphony of its own. Take for instance Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds’ “There is a kingdom”, which clearly is a soundtrack fitted for a king, albeit a very non conventional one, but royalty nevertheless.

Music during this film is impeccable.

Also, Jason Momoa’s body is in a league of its own, if I may.

Minutes pass, scenes unfold, and I discover an entirely new movie. I was not expecting this. I had thought that I’d watch more or less a sort of a “reheated soup”, to roughly translate one of our Romanian sayings. I admit it surpassed my original “eye-roll” reaction.

To the avid viewer: please pay close attention to the music throughout the film. It is your guiding line and connects points, whispers secrets about each hero and brings them closer to their human side.

I couldn’t help but notice the dark, somewhat gothic atmosphere around most scenes, the lingering “flavors” of remorse, denial, anger, dismay.

Going with the darkness in the background, I remembered how back in 2011 and later on, I had discovered T-shirts with a “goth Superman” logo and this movie made me think that Cavill did a great job in portraying a most beloved hero in the body of a man and most importantly, with human emotions, gloomy, unilluminated and needing to be addressed.

If feeling the same way makes me join the superhero league, then I’ll play front role...

It is probably suitable that they have chosen to release the film coinciding with the beginning of spring. As light and hope aren’t going to die as long as there are those who believe in them.

Watch Zack Snyder’s Justice League, rated R, on HBO GO, starting March 18th 2021.






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