Zack Snyder’s version of Justice League dropped this past weekend. After months of buzz about it, audiences got to watch the 4 hour long edition and decide for themselves which version was better. I myself went into this film with much anticipation. But with that, came the feelings of reservation that most of the DCU films have given me. I didn’t want to hype this up too much, only to be let down in the end.
I am delighted to say that I didn’t feel that way at all as the credits rolled. I wanted more. Much more! Four hours passed and yet, I felt like I could watch more with these characters. I was already in the mindset of wanting a sequel. Wanting a stand alone Batman movie to go into more detail about Slade’s issues with him. Ideally, with those same actors. And more. I was pumped!
But enough on that. I am sure most of us felt that same way. Now to highlight some of the changes that I think were for the greater good. First and foremost, the look of the film. The CGI wasn’t perfect by any means, but it was a vast improvement. A particular scene that stood out to me was the final battle sequence. In the original cut of the move, it was draped in red. I recall that even at the time, I wasn’t fond of that. It just looked too out of place for me. In this version, I noticed that something seemed different about the look of it all. I soon realized that Snyder went with a darker look for the background. It just looked better altogether. Small Improvements were made to the look of various characters as well. For example: Steppenwolf’s suit, Superman’s black suit, etc.
Another huge improvement, to me, was more fleshed out story arcs for some of the new characters. Some people might not know a lot about characters like Cyborg, The Flash, or Aquaman. Back then, they should have done better to introduce them. Zack Snyder's Justice League does that. Particular in the case of Cyborg. He was given far more to work with, and wasn't just there to whine and brood. He was, in some ways, the heart of the movie. At least, for the better part of the second half. As a massive Teen Titans fan, I was so happy to see this! Aquaman didn’t get much of an upgrade this time, but I assume that’s because he already has a movie that does that. He was a little more serious this time around, though. Previously he didn’t get much to say, and when he did it was comedic. Which is fine with me, but this film had a more serious tone to it and didn’t need that. Barry got a little more attention here as well. They touched on his history with his father, and we even got to see him meet (and save) Iris West. Although, they never actually mentioned that it was her. And let’s not forget that Superman was upgraded altogether. I much more enjoyed his character arc this time around. The look, the weight of it, all of it.
I think the decision to make Darkseid the main villain instead of Steppenwolf was much needed. It had more weight to it and it really felt like the future was at stake. I cared more to see the ‘big bad’ be defeated. I always kind of thought the villain story in the original cut was bland. Darkseid is the Thanos equivalent that the DCU needed. Or at least, he could be if they play their cards right with future projects. I liked the dream sequence that was added in for Bruce. Particularly the addition of Leto’s Joker. Which was so much more fun this time around. I think there was a lot of great potential there, if they chose to pursue those avenues. And my heart smiled when they revealed the addition of Martian Manhunter!!! Turns out, he has been in the DCU all along, in disguise, of course.
In conclusion, this was a fantastic film and the much needed upgrade we so desperately needed. It reignited the fanbase’s love for the DCU again. And much like the ‘S’ on Superman’s chest, it gave us “hope” for future projects. Though it is still leaps and bounds from an MCU level superhero movie, it was a top tier one in my eyes. It had a much more concise and entertaining story, and was executed far better. The music was phenomenal from the opening credits. The action was good, the writing was great, and the extra time given to build up the characters before the big team up was much needed. All in all, I enjoyed this movie and I am still buzzing about it days later!
Overall, I give Zack Snyder's Justice League 3.5 out of 5 Stars!
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