Justice League – Superman’s Resurrection
Yes, Justice League took a giant critical hit – and with good reason. There are several things about it that just don’t work. But, the film contained moments that were – in and of themselves – excellent. One of those moments was, for many people, one of the best of the year – and it is unfortunate that it occurs in a movie that is, on the whole, disappointing.
The ‘Best Moment’ in question is, of course, the resurrection of Superman – or, more precisely, Superman’s response to being resurrected. Over the course of the previous 40 minutes or so, Batman has managed to convince Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg to join forces and fight off an imminent threat to Earth – namely, Steppenwolf. They quite accurately determine that the only thing that will give them a fighting chance is to resurrect the Man Of Steel, who was killed by Doomsday in Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice.
The group debates the ethics of such an action for a while, and Aquaman mysteriously suggests that Kal-El might even come back without a soul. Together, they agree that they’ll bring Superman back to life on the understanding that they’ll then kill him again if he proves himself to be more of a hindrance than a help. Batman also has a “secret weapon” to bring Superman back on board, should the need arise.
The group takes the body of Superman and a Mother Box to the Kryptonian Ship that somehow has remained parked in the middle of Metropolis for a number of years. Placing the body in the same incubation waters that Lex Luthor used to create Doomsday, The Flash runs the length of the ship to create enough energy to kickstart the process and, in a blinding light, Superman is resurrected. Disregarding the weirdness of his costume change during the process of being brought back from the dead, he zooms directly upward – out of the ship – and lands in a standing position at the base of his own monument, just outside. Now, here comes one of the Best Movie Moments of 2017 – and it’s all about performance, from the whole Justice League.
Superman is understandably freaked out – as are the rest of the League, as they wait to see whether they’ve created a hero, or a monster. Superman silently gazes at his monument – and the state of the park and city – with a mournful look that seems to say, “What on Earth have you done?” Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Cyborg approach cautiously, with Diana in particular addressing him as Kal-El – trying to reassure him, remind him of who he is, and keep him calm. Cyborg is incredibly nervous, though, and accidentally fires a projectile. Superman turns, and is super-angry. Not Batman V Superman angry. This is next-level, “you caused my painful death, let humanity fall into disarray, and now you’ve woken me up because you can’t sort it out yourselves?” kind of angry.
He lashes out, and they try to contain him. Eventually he has Diana by the throat as she tries to appeal to his sense of reason – with Aquaman and Cyborg also on him. The Flash runs to the side, and time slows down to show us that – unlike everyone else – Superman can absolutely see him moving, and the two lock eyes as The Flash runs. Superman’s eyes are filled with rage, while The Flash’s face is filled with glorious wonder and amazement.
Superman sees Batman hanging out at the back (since Batman has no superpowers), and casts the rest of the team off to confront him. That’s when the Best Moment ends, and slides into a terrible moment – as Batman avoids the consequences of helping cause untold damage and death in Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice by having Lois Lane delivered to the spot to distract Superman, and help him recover his memories of being a nice person. And the Justice League also realize that someone took the Mother Box while they weren’t looking.
But, the fact that this Best Moment exists in a film that is poorly executed does not detract from the fact that it is one of the best of the year. As a standalone sequence, it’s a visual feast, filled with outstanding performances that are centred on action and consequence. It’s a thrill to see Superman meet Aquaman, Cyborg, and The Flash, and be reunited with Wonder Woman and Batman – and the fact that he’s briefly trying to kill them just makes it more interesting in terms of character dynamics. Mostly though, it’s a powerful tribute to a beloved character – the significance of whom in popular culture is unmatched by any other.
This scene is a crowning moment for fans of Superman’s character arc in this DC Universe. Having seen him grow and develop in Man Of Steel, we saw him falter and die in Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice and – despite the repetitive montages of how terrible things have been since he was killed – we don’t fully realize how much we missed him until he lands back on that monument. It doesn’t matter how much we love the other Justice League heroes – when Superman enters the frame, we’re instantly on his side. Even when he wakes up in a bad mood.