Released: March 18
Director: Zack Snyder
Run Time: 4 Hours 2 Minutes
Rated R
Distributor: Warner Bros/HBO Max
Genre: Action/Adventure
Cast:
Ben Affleck: Bruce Wayne/Batman
Henry Cavill: Clark Kent/Superman
Gal Gadot: Diana Prince/Wonder Woman
Diane Lane: Martha Kent
Jared Leto: The Joker
Ezra Miller: Barry Allen/The Flash
Jason Momoa: Arthur Curry/Aquaman
Ray Fisher: Victor Stone/Cyborg
When I reviewed Oliver Stone’s Alexander, I brought up how I generally felt about extended versions of movies. While most extended versions only add a few minutes of additional footage, and maybe some more blood and a few F-bombs here and there, those versions generally don’t distinguish themselves very much from the theatrically released product. But there are a number of movies out there where an extended version does more than just add a few new scenes. Sometimes, the content that is added can flesh out characters and motivations, but sometimes can actually change the structure of the film by adding missing subplots that are integral to the overall story. Extended versions of movies like Alien 3, Kingdom of Heaven, and Daredevil are just a handful of movies that actually benefit from the extra material, because the extra material adds better pacing and actually allows certain scenes to make more sense. It’s incredibly rare, though, for a movie studio to fund an extended version years after the theatrical film’s release. Director Zack Snyder is no stranger to having extended versions of his movies. Watchmen is one of the best examples. Another is Batman V. Superman: Ultimate Cut, which added 30 minutes of extra footage that included necessary edits and plot points to flesh out a seriously flawed movie. It ended up being much better in the long run. Well, Zack Snyder is back with HIS version of Justice League, and this one is a doozy…..in all the best ways.
Justice League follows Bruce Wayne as he tries to recruit people with unique abilities in order to fight a growing threat from another world. Like the theatrical version of Justice League, that’s the gist of the plot. I oversimplified it, of course, but this movie is so much more than that. There were story points in the theatrical release that just didn’t make a whole lot of sense, and honestly, a movie of this scale really can’t be told in a two-hour film. Two and a half-hours MAYBE. Not this time. Zack Snyder’s version of Justice League runs at 4 hours. I’m not lying about that. Here’s the thing though, it doesn’t feel like 4 hours. The pacing of this version is amazing. This version is broken up into 7 parts, mostly because it was going to be a mini-series at one point. Justice League is a tale of two movies. One which was abandoned, and one that was completed without Snyder’s input. Warner Bros. brought in Joss Whedon, who directed The Avengers, to come in and basically reshoot a large chunk of the movie when Zack Snyder left the project. Snyder ultimately left because of a personal tragedy that was more important to deal with. As a result, Joss Whedon’s version ended up being a much lighter and shorter affair than what Snyder had intended. Certain villains, including Darkseid, were cut out, and character issues were reduced to fleeting moments in order to drive a more action-oriented experience. To an extent, it worked, but the final product ended up feeling a bit shallow and tonally inconsistent. Zack Snyder’s version eliminates nearly all of Whedon’s additions, but expands on a lot of other elements.
One of the many things that Zack Snyder’s version is expand on character motivations and issues. For instance, we’re given more detail into what Barry Allen’s life is like and see more of what he’s capable of. In this version, he’s more naturally awkward, yet he’s fully committed to the team while offering good ideas. He feels like a real addition to the team. Steppenwolf himself is actually given more of a reason for doing what he’s doing. The character failed his master, Darkseid, and is forced to conquer thousands of worlds to regain his footing with the dark lord. His motivations are clear and make him feel like more of a threat than in the previous version. The real benefactor of Zack Snyder’s Justice League is Ray Fisher’s Cyborg. This guy is clearly the heart and soul of the film. We learn that not only was he a great athlete, but he’s also incredibly intelligent, and we get to see more of his relationship with his parents, which adds a new level of detail to what’s going on. Cyborg’s motivations are clearly personal. Even the character’s father is given more to do and has a real arc. The one thing that really drew my attention to this version was Darkseid himself. The character is one of the most powerful beings in DC comics, even going so far as to be more powerful than Superman himself. We don’t see a lot of Darkseid in the film, but when he shows up, you can feel it. There’s a scene in which the original release showed Steppenwolf show up on Earth and battled the Amazons, the Old Gods, Atlanteans, and men. In this version, it’s Darkseid that invades, and it’s spectacular. We actually get to see a little bit of what Darkseid is capable of. For the most part, though, he’s like Emperor Palpatine from Star Wars, mostly a behind-the-scenes puppeteer. The 4-hour runtime allows for a lot more character and story development, but also cuts out unnecessary pork like the Flash and Superman evacuating civilians during the final battle. A lot of those moments were cut for this version and rightfully so.
One of the major changes to the film was the design of Steppenwolf. In the theatrical release, Steppenwolf looked like a terribly goofy CGI abomination with a lame outfit. In Zack Snyder’s movie, this guy looks like a freaking demon. His armor itself is a weapon with spikes. As you can see in the picture above, the difference between the two is night and day. There was also a lot of bizarre dialogue that made Steppenwolf feel weak. In the original film, he just comes across as a typical egotistical maniac. In Snyder’s movie, everything that he does is to try and get back in Darkseid’s good graces. Even the designs of the parademons are more refined here and feel incredibly dangerous. Tonally, Zack Snyder’s film is more in line with Man of Steel and Batman V. Superman. More so than the theatrical release. The tone in the original release was all over the place because you had elements that Snyder had shot along with Joss Whedon’s additions, and they just didn’t mesh well at all. Here, the tone is far more consistent at least visually. It’s dark, gritty, but there is still a sense of humor. The color palate is also different than the previous version. The theatrical was bright and colorful, while this version the brightness is toned down to fit in with Snyder’s other films. The action is still really good and there is more of it for sure. It’s also a lot more violent than the previous version. This one earns it’s R-rating, because blood flows freely here. People are dismembered and cut into pieces. It can be brutal at times. But it’s a better movie for it.
If there’s really one big issue with Zack Snyder’s Justice League, it’s that the film sets up for sequels that aren’t going to happen. Don’t get me wrong, the way this version ends is pretty satisfying, but the fact is, is that we aren’t going to see how the Justice League are going to fight Darkseid in the future. Zack Snyder won’t be back to direct in the DCEU, which is a shame, because I really love his movies. Not only that, there are some CGI sequences that aren’t that great, and there’s a moment in which Batman’s voice is really bizarre. I didn’t go over every little thing that was added to the movie, because I don’t want to spoil it. Ultimately, I think this version is superior to the theatrical release in nearly every way. It’s better paced, it’s got more character development, and gives us a villain to be feared. I really enjoyed the previous version, but I think I’ll take this version any day of the week, even if it means sitting through 4 hours. It’s worth it. If you didn’t like any of Zack Snyder’s previous superhero movies, this isn’t likely to change your mind. In fact, you would be sitting through 4 hours of misery. Don’t do that to yourself. If you’re a fan of his work or are just curious about it, it’s worth taking a look at. The overall story in the film hasn’t changed, it’s just a lot of elements did and I think those elements make for a better experience. I gave the original release an 8.5/10, and I stand by that. But this is better.
My Final Recommendation: For Darkseid. 9.5/10