By Michael P Coleman

At the risk of sounding a little bit like “Stefan,” Bill Hader’s nightclub critic on Saturday Night Live’s “Weekend Update,” Zack Synder’s new masterpiece, Justice League, has EVERYTHING!   It is my favorite comic book movie adaptation. 

Gal Gadot reprises her star turn as Wonder Woman, and almost steals the show again.  In this one, she has competition from Ezra Miller as The Flash — love the costume, love the electrical graphic when he’s running…and I will always smile when someone asks me to have brunch. 

Justice League also features Cyborg, who I know from the old Teen Titans comics, and relative newcomer Ray Fisher does him — well, justice.  Ben Affleck is the best cinematic Batman we’ve seen.  And Jason Momoa as Aquaman fills in for Henry Cavill’s Superman in the beefcake department.  Ladies — and at least 10 percent of men — will thank Snyder for the early and often shirtless Aquaman scenes. 

If you’re wondering about Superman, remember that he made the ultimate sacrifice in last year’s Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice.  You may have seen the dirt rise ever so slightly over his coffin at the end of that movie.  Or you may have heard rumors that the Man Of Steel makes a return in Justice League.  If so, it wouldn’t be unlike the story arc in the comics, when Superman rose from the grave when there was a need.

If you think I’m going to tell you whether Superman makes a return appearance, forget it. But Justice League certainly presents a need:  Steppenwolf and his minions are on a classic comic book mission to destroy the earth.  Lois Lane and Ma Kent, once again played to perfection by Amy Adams and Diane Lane, are struggling to move on without Clark. 

I can relate.  I realized that, having “lost” Superman last year, I had been walking around in a bit of a haze.  Some of it’s Donald Trump, but I digress…I’d not been quite down enough to draw one of Steppenwolf’s parademons to me, but I’d been…down.  

Last night, I walked into the theatre to see Justice League under an overcast, gloomy sky.  This morning, I awoke to a brilliant sunrise and a sky that’s as blue as the costume that’s hidden just under the shirt of a certain bespectacled, mild-mannered reporter at The Daily Planet. 

Lois said it best at the end of Justice League:  we don’t have to look far for our heroes.  We just need to look, up in the sky. 

I will tell you that Justice League ends with more than a hint that there are more stories to be told involving the heroes who survive this tale, and a certain villain or two.  And I couldn’t be happier about it. 

Connect with Sacramento-based freelancer Michael P Coleman at michaelpcoleman.com or on Twitter:  @ColemanMichaelP. 

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