I’ve been involved in the Snyder Cut movement since its inception in 2017. That’s almost 4 years worth of tweeting, campaigning, and fundraising. I’ll be honest, despite owning all of the t-shirts that came from Snyder and always being involved, part of me thought that getting his cut released was a pipe dream. After years of being told that it didn’t exist and that we were fighting for nothing, my hope started to dwindle. But here we are. Zack Snyder’s Justice League is just days away. We did it and I couldn’t be more proud.
I had the unbelievable privilege of watching Zack Snyder’s Justice League early and I’m now allowed to talk about it. I’m still in awe that I was provided with such an opportunity. However, I was confronted by a few mental brick walls. How do I review a 4 hour film that has so much going on in it, and how do I present a review to you guys that isn’t totally bias. In regards to the second dilemma… I don’t think I can. I won’t let that stop me from trying, but my aim is to give you all a sense of what this film means to me.
This is an incredibly different viewing experience. Some people might not be able to fully understand that but Zack Snyder’s Justice League is not a film… it’s an event. Much like the longevity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the vast world of Star Wars, I am personally attached to this film which fundamentally changed the way I processed it. If you can appreciate that sentimentality and the history behind this movement, this review should be easier to digest.
The Justice League prepare for battle.
Now, let’s return to dilemma number one. How do you review a 4 hour film? I had two modes of thought here. I could break down each Part, or I could just roll with it and see what happens. Originally, I was inclined to go with the more structured route where I would dissect each Part. However, I feel as though that way could potentially ruin the nature of the story. On top of that, you’d be reading for a while. So, I decided to just start typing with my 8 pages of notes at my side. Here we go.
I loved it. It was everything that I wanted and more. I think the main thing to take away from Snyder’s Justice League is that we’re actually dealing with characters. These characters, particularly the new ones like Aquaman, Cyborg, Flash, and Steppenwolf, have feelings, stories, and their own personal struggles. The Theatrical Cut literally stripped that away and we weren’t given characters, just empty vessels. This 4 hour journey presents us with multiple different subplots and potential story threads and it allows us to explore these characters in a lot more detail. Steppenwolf isn’t just a big CGI villain- well, he is but that’s not the point. He has a plan, he has a story to tell, and he has a purpose. Steppenwolf was arguable one of my favourite aspects of this film because we get so much from him… and he looked absolutely amazing.
When Zack mentioned that Cyborg was the heart of the film, I wasn’t sure what that meant. But Ray Fisher’s Victor Stone is absolutely pivotal to this story. Cyborg plays such an incredibly important role in Justice League and its sad knowing that his role was completely discarded back in 2017. Not only is he important to the story, but watching him grow and accept his responsibility and his new life is warming and endearing. It’s a brilliant performance from Fisher who does Cyborg justice. He may be mostly machine, but he still has a heart of gold and that realization was wonderful to watch.
Ray Fisher’s Cyborg- aka the heart of Justice League.
There is so much to take in since this film operates as a direct sequel to Batman v Superman as well as serving as a starting point for numerous characters. We’re dealing with Batman’s journey to recruit super powered beings, Lois and Martha’s grief, and a deeper dive into alien technology as a result of Batman v Superman. On top of that, we get introductions for Flash, Aquaman, Cyborg, and Steppenwolf who are all in their own little world. While we know a lot about Wonder Woman already, we get a surprising amount of footage from Themyscira and it really enriches the Amazon mythology that we know. Then of course you have the Mother Boxes and a very interesting development that plants the seed for future installments.
It’s a lot, isn’t it? In those 4 hours we get a really well paced and exciting narrative that handles each character and situation wonderfully. It’s amazing how quickly those 4 hours fly by when you’re glued to the screen watching an intensely multi-layered story unravel.
When it comes to the visuals, I was blown way by the overall look. I do believe there were a few moments that faltered but on the whole, I was absolutely engrossed. The various battle sequences looked incredible, especially the Darkseid flashback and the Justice League’s assault on Steppenwolf’s lair. For me, it was Steppenwolf who shined that most. They did some truly amazing things with his appearance, armor, and voice. He was menacing, huge, powerful and spectacular. Yet, there’s this sad and desperate aspect of him which really changes his character especially when you compare him to his Theatrical Cut appearance. I think a lot of people are going to love Steppenwolf this time round, I was just completely captivated by his presence. Any time he appeared on screen, you’d have a hard time wiping away my smile.
Ciarán Hinds as the menacing Steppenwolf.
As previously mentioned, the various fights and battles are simply fantastic. There are some really brutal sequences and it becomes obvious very early on why this version is rated R. As any ensemble should, Justice League provides each hero with multiple moments to show their worth. You really get a feel for their powers and abilities. This mostly applies for Flash and Cyborg. They get some amazing scenes that truly allow us to explore their capabilities and potential. The fight between Steppenwolf and the Amazons is outstanding. It’s used as a great indicator. We get a sense of Steppenwolf’s power and resolve and we’re left wondering how this fragmented group can defeat him.
The biggest surprise was definitely the final fight. Without going into spoiler territory, the war for the Mother Boxes is full of some incredibly cool surprises that I didn’t see coming. The entire film is a spectacle and despite having seen some of the action in the Theatrical Cut, this new lens we see it through just reinvigorates every scene and piece of action that transferred over.
Even outside of the battlefield, Snyder is able to beautifully show us how each hero uses their power. Returning to Cyborg once again, we get a stunning sequence that puts Victor’s new-found abilities in the spotlight. The way his abilities are envisioned is incredibly unique and it’s just a lovely scene that reminded me a lot of Superman’s first flight in Man of Steel. While Zack is great at showing the sheer force and strength of each character in the field, he’s also able to bring these godly figures to our level reminding us that these heroes are often bestowed with powers with very little control of their “gifts”. We get to see the newer heroes explore and experiment with their powers, and we also get to see them make mistakes.
The League united.
One of the other aspects I was really looking forward to, as I’m sure many others are, was Junkie XL’s long-awaited soundtrack. We received some great teases but to hear the tracks within the film was epic. Honestly, it wasn’t at all what I was expecting but it worked very well. I don’t think it had the emotional weight that Hans Zimmer’s scores have had in the past, but Junkie XL’s score approached it in a more unique way without relying too heavily on previous tracks. I’m hesitant to use the word, but I’d personally describe it as “metal”.
I was particularly fond of Wonder Woman’s new theme which acted as her motif. It really evoked a more ancient feeling that very much suited her Amazon roots. There are also some familiar tracks scattered within that immediately gave me goosebumps from the first note, especially given the contexts. While it was very minimal, it was great to hear tracks from all of the movies set within Zack’s universe. It really connected them all.
I could go on and on. The main thing to know about Zack Snyder’s Justice League is that it is a dramatic improvement. We’re presented with a coherent and well-structured narrative that is rich with history and superhero mythology. This cut explains a lot of the gaps in the Theatrical Cut and fixes a lot of issues that were raised in the dubbed “Josstice League”. While its length may put some casual audiences off, the multiple chapter format allows for an easier mode of watching since you can can manage your time more efficiently. However, to fully enjoy the entire event, I highly recommend doing it in one go.
Followers of the Snyder Cut movement will surely walk away beaming with joy. Our long fight for justice has not been in vain. Part of me still can’t believe we got here. Yet, here I am talking about watching Zack Snyder’s Justice League.
Zack Snyder’s Justice League will be available to watch on Sky Cinema at 7:00am on Thursday 18th March. Set your alarms, buy some snacks, and get ready for 4 hours of Justice League goodness.
Justice League stars Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Henry Cavill as Clark Kent/Superman and Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman. Joining them are Jason Mamoa as Arthur Curry/Aquaman, Ray Fisher as Victor Stone/Cyborg, and Ezra Miller as Barry Allen/The Flash.
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