Typically, when someone sees the moniker “Director’s Cut” on a film, it’s a label stating this is the director’s true vision. Maybe in the theatrical version some scenes were cut or elements were changed, but rarely do these fundamentally alter the film. There are some exceptions: “Blade Runner: The Final Cut,” the definitive version from Ridley Scott released 25 years after the original theatrical run, and “Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut,” original director Richard Donner’s version of the film he was replaced on mid-way through production, also released 25 years after the original.
Yet both of these films still resemble their original theatrical counterparts in some way, Donner’s just less so. There really hasn’t been a “Director’s Cut” like “Zack Snyder’s Justice League,” if you can really call this film just a “Director’s Cut.” Plain and simple, even if he hadn’t left the project in 2017, there’s no way this sprawling 4-hour-long 4:3 superhero opus would be what Warner Bros. released in theatres 4 years ago. Yet somehow here it is, warts and all, plopped down on HBO Max for the public to ogle over.
Its impossible to judge this film without first understanding why its such a big deal. For those who aren’t aware, Zack Snyder, the director of “Man of Steel” and “Batman vs. Superman,” among other action heavy films, was slated to direct “Justice League” and was midway through filming until his daughter, Autumn, tragically took her own life in May of 2017. Snyder announced he would be leaving the project to spend time with his family and Warner Bros., instead of putting the project on hold, hired Joss Whedon (“The Avengers,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) to finish the film in Snyder’s absence.
However, he did more than just that; at Warner’s behest, Whedon rewrote much of the film to be lighter in tone, reshot much of what Snyder had already shot, and made sure the film was under a 2-hour runtime. All of these were supposed to address complaints many had with recent DC films; length, dark tone, etc., and technically they did. While it technically received the highest RottenTomatoes score than the last few DC films, barring “Wonder Woman (2017),” reactions were far more divisive than Snyder’s previous films. Much was made of the clashing tones between what remained of Snyder’s dark tone and Whedon’s new lighter, quippy work.
As years went on, many were curious what Snyder’s original version would’ve looked like. While it wasn’t ever in a finished state, with effects, sound, and editing needing to be completed, the desire to see Snyder’s version persisted until Warner Bros. announced in 2020 that they would devote $70 million to let Snyder finish his version of the film, to debut on HBO Max. And with that out of the way, here’s the review.
Suffice to say, I’m not a fan of Snyder’s work. I think “300” is a glorified tech demo for his visual style, I find “Man of Steel” to be aggressively mediocre, “Batman vs. Superman” is my “get drunk and make fun of a film” movie of choice, and “Sucker Punch” might very well be one of the worst films I’ve ever seen. Despite this, I truly love “Watchmen,” specifically the 215-minute Ultimate Cut version. I think it’s a work of pure commitment and love of a source material. Sure, its much louder and more obvious about what it wants to say than the comic, but it goes for broke with no compromises.
That sentiment is largely how I feel about “Zack Snyder’s Justice League,” a towering 4-hour long epic of a film. Snyder truly goes for the throat in nearly every single aspect of the film, from the aspect ratio so “artsy” it seems like a joke to the segmented nature of the film itself. Truly there is nothing else out there like this film, save for possibly the Donner Cut, and it shows in every aspect.
Plot-wise, the film still follows the basic outline of the 2017 version, albeit far more fleshed out. Following the death of Superman, three Mother Boxes are awoken on Earth. These boxes have the power to, when joined, wipe out and reshape a planet to the joiner’s desires, and Steppenwolf has come to Earth to find them for Darkseid. Batman and Wonder Woman realize this and assemble a team to hopefully stop Steppenwolf before Darkseid arrives.
While this overall plot is the same, there are some key differences. First of all, Cyborg and Flash’s plots are far more fleshed out than in the 2017 version. Cyborg there seemed like a sort of MacGuffin man, designed to access the Mother Boxes and that’s it, whilst Flash was the team’s comic relief. Here the pair are at the heart of the film; Flash, dealing with his father’s incarceration, is in awe of the massively important people suddenly working with him, and Cyborg is dealing with his anger at his father for saving his life by turning him into a part man part machine. Both still serve the same overall purpose, but they have larger parts to the film and actual arcs that are easy to get invested in.
Batman and Aquaman don’t arcs that are nearly as fleshed out, but they’re still there. Batman’s comes more in the second half of the film and deals with his faith in others and in humanity, something initially crippled by the events of “Batman v. Superman” and Aquaman has a rather brief arc about where his allegiances lay, something that would be explored much more in his own 2018 film. Wonder Woman meanwhile doesn’t have much of an arc, if any, merely serving as moral and physical support to the rest of the ensemble.
The performances from the entire cast are all great, showcasing fabulous casting choices for each role. Ben Affleck’s (“Argo,” “Good Will Hunting”) Bruce Wayne is an older and more grizzled take on the billionaire, clearly aged from years of crime fighting and willing to do more damage than a younger Dark Knight would, and less concerned with being a playboy. Jason Momoa (“Game of Thrones,” “See”) might be less bro-y than in his own film, but he’s still able to imbue a character once thought to be a laughing stock with a badass swagger and strength that only he seems to be able to provide. Gal Gadot (“Wonder Woman (2017),” “Ralph Breaks the Internet”), while clearly being the weakest actor of the main cast, still deliver a good performance, embodying the strength and heart that makes Diana such a beloved character. When he does appear, Henry Cavill’s (“Mission Impossible: Fallout,” “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.”) Superman is also an absolute highlight, with the same country boy smile and sense of righteousness that allowed him to save “Man of Steel” from the perils of forgetfulness.
If anyone’s performances deserve outright praise, its Ray Fisher (“True Detective”) and Ezra Miller (“The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”). Fisher’s Cyborg is a tortured soul with a lot to deal with and a conflicted sense of self. Fisher’s performance communicates this greatly, and it allows the film to truly serve as a showpiece for the character slowly coming out of his own shadow and realizing who he is. Miller, meanwhile, turns what could be just a comedic role into a delightful one. His Flash is still the youngest and most immature of the group, but he knows when and how to use his skills to help the group effectively. His youth and optimism are balanced against the jaded nature of Batman and the rest of the group to create an effective portrayal of someone who knows the odds are against them but still tried their hardest despite this. Also deserving praise is Ciarán Hinds (“Tinker Tailor Solider Spy,” “First Man”) who voices Stepphenwolf with a deep growl and a murderous intent. Yet, despite the roughness of his voice, Snyder’s vision for the character and Hinds performance create a villain who, if not empathetic, is one that is always enjoyable to see on screen, either for the performance of vastly improved visual design.
Thankfully, that’s where Snyder’s version vastly improves upon the 2017. Whereas the crunched production of the original forced much of the visuals to be rushed, Snyder’s version has quite excellent effects. Whether it’s the elaborate sets for sequences like the Kryptonian ship of Steppenwolf’s lair, or the improved visuals for Cyborg and Steppenwolf. Overall, the film just looks far more pleasing, with Snyder’s color-correction creating a dark world that doesn’t feel nearly as foreboding as his previous efforts.
Despite its 4-hour runtime, the film also feels quite brisk. Maybe it’s because the tone feels far more hopeful than Snyder’s pervious works or even the 2017 version, or maybe its Snyder’s desire to truly have his heroes feel like gods among men. Batman’s arc of trusting in others and becoming a more hopeful person lends the entire film an air of lightness. It simply doesn’t feel nearly as overly foreboding as it could have.
Tom Holkenborg (“Mad Max Fury Road,” “Deadpool”) returns to compose a brand-new score after he was let go from the 2017 version in favor of Danny Elfman and his score has a far more thumping and electronic base to it. Some moments heavily reuse past scores, like Hans Zimmer’s now ubiquitous “What Are You Going to Do When You Are Not Saving the World?” theme, but Holkenborg also creates a score all his own that perfectly underscores Snyder’s dramatic moments and the thunderously action-packed ones.
Despite the vast improvements over the 2017 version and Snyder’s own previous works, this is still by no means a perfect film. The climactic fight is still, no matter whether you watch it in the same ratio as “Citizen Kane” or “Hobbs and Shaw,” still a bunch of CGI heroes punching mindless baddies. This is also where the film begins to mirror the 2017 version quite a bit, and it becomes less enjoyable as a result. There are differences absolutely, but they pale in comparison to adding in entirely new arcs and scenes.
Chris Terrio’s (“Argo,” “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”) script is also, for the most part, fine. He understands Snyder’s love of these characters and the desire to place them on their godly pedestals but not every line lands, and it becomes apparent that, in a 4-hour movie, almost every line gets used even when they weren’t exactly golden to begin with. And nothing, nothing, can prepare you for the true awfulness that is this film’s “Knightmare” sequence. Being a dream doesn’t excuse it being terrible.
“Zack Snyder’s Justice League” is absolutely one man’s vision, warts and all, and that’s something to be celebrated. So rarely does a director get to turn in their definitive version of a work when making something with a property as lucrative as this. His vision might not be golden, but its certainly a spectacle to behold. It’s a definite improvement over the 2017 version, because Snyder knows why people love these characters like Whedon knew with the Avengers.
People flock to Marvel films because they make Captain America or Thor feel just like us, despite their abilities and stories. Superman, Batman, Aquaman, they aren’t like that. These are people put on pedestals, these are gods amongst men. Snyder understands this and knows how to portray them in a way deserving of their status.
It’s impossible to separate this film from its director or the history behind it. Snyder left the project to mourn his daughter and returned to create a film about hope and faith, with two father-child relationships at its very core. When one character says “Dad, whatever happens I want you to know, your kid was one of them, Dad. One of the best of the best” its hard not to see a father trying to hold on to what’s left of his daughter. And that, at the end of the day, is what makes Snyder’s League work despite all its flaws. Like the average people these heroes protect, it may stumble, and it may fall, but it’s got the big beating heart right where it counts. 3.5/5
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