Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021) Review

Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021) Review

Dir. Zack Snyder 

 

This redemptive epic is DC's best since The Dark Knight 

 

 

In 2017 the World saw the Justice League finally on the big screen for the first time. Following way too late after the footprints of Marvel's Avengers. They quickly forgot all about them. It was a rushed, soulless and ultimately disappointing affair that didn’t do the ultimate superhero team justice. 

 

Soon in the internet aether, we began to hear of all the creative decisions that caused Zack Snyder's planned epic trilogy of films to turn into a 2 hour smash and grab course-correction, complete with colour correction and reshot jokes by Joss Whedon. 

A few years of internet campaigning and hashtags later and DC fans finally have what they want. The Snyder Cut. The original vision, and it's every bit as epic and grand as promised.

 

I love this 4 hour movie. I’ve never been a fan of every direction that Snyder's DC films has taken with the characters, but it all seems worth it when you see this culmination. As someone who considers Snyder's Watchmen a masterpiece, I’ve always known he had the vision and the ability to create epic cinema. Our grandfathers sat and watched 3 hour epics like Ben Hur and watched their mythical heroes come to life with movie magic, and now we sit in their spots watching the modern Gods of Superman and Wonder Woman battle the minions of Darkseid. It’s a tale of Gods and Men. 

 

 

The difference between the theatrical and director's cuts of this film couldn’t be clearer. One was a studio mandated attempt to tick boxes, get as much money as possible and hope they can salvage any damage with their future projects. This, is a visionary filmmaker allowed to tell his story without interference or interruption. The difference is night and day. 

 

Perhaps the quickest 4 hour film of my life, ZSJL rights the biggest wrong of all. It makes you care about these characters. The Justice 

League ironically didn’t have much development in the original film. It left audiences feeling like they had no reason to root for this group of heroes, the majority of which were brand new and without solo-movies. Here, Snyder dedicates as much time as possible to every member.

 

Wonder Woman, arguably the least impeded of all in the original version, maintains her badass action moments, but is allowed to be more than just an object of destruction and exposition, instead getting moments of genuine heroism such as a memorable scene including a young girl.

 

Batman's character arc in the theatrical cut was purely apologetic, and largely pathetic, as he attempted to make up for his part in the death of Superman, and instead came across as an unearned 180 turn from his BVS counterpart. Here, we see his genuine reasoning through extra beats and interactions with characters like Jeremy Iron's Alfred as we see him go from cynical to faithful. 

 

The Flash, largely an annoying object of comic relief, is now the hero of the moment. Two standout sequences in this film were completely absent from the theatrical and its a crime to cinema that they were. Instead of just cracking cringeworthy jokes, Barry Allen here is a person with a point to prove. Powerful, conflicted and all in all absolutely vital to the survival of our heroes. 

 

Aquaman's scenes are slightly odd when you watch them after 2018's Aquaman movie, but in this version of the film you can see a clear effort to try and establish his world and his arc, with scenes that flesh out what his gripes and motivations are that are so basic and necessary that it’s baffling they weren’t present to begin with. 

 

And then there’s Cyborg. The biggest victim of all. Ray Fisher's performance in Justice League is arguably the standout. There’s countless minutes of story, dialogue, heart and soul in this version that makes Cyborg a character to root for. It’s completely crushing to see how much Fisher was done dirty by the executives at Warner. He really is marvellous here. 

 

 

 

The musical score by Tom Holkenborg is incredible stuff. The themes and motifs from Man of Steel, BVS and Wonder Woman are all integrated with new twists and some standout new material elevates moments from visually memorable to a complete experience. 

If you’ve seen this film you’ll know that The Flash's two standout scenes are perfectly accompanied by their music, and they become some of the best superhero sequences in recent cinema. When compared to the rushed and forgettable Danny Elfman score from 2017 it is very easy to see the difference. 

 

Zack Snyder's Justice League does the World of DC Justice. It feels like a cinematic event, unlike the original which felt like a misfire of massive proportions.

I think recent comments from Warner about leaving this universe alone are hugely misjudged. Look at the attention this is receiving and the redemption it has earned the entire DC Universe in the eyes of fans, and tell me that there’s no use continuing these characters' journeys. 

 

If you love DC heroes, or if you loved 300 and Watchmen, or if you love Darkseid and the New Gods, this is a movie you will love. But if you felt like Justice League made you fall out of love with DC, like I did to a certain extent, give this a watch, and see what the difference is when a filmmaker is allowed to be a filmmaker and not a vessel for corporate decision-making and marketing. 

 

Characters developed, Worlds established, moments earned and history made, the Snyder Cut is a moment that should change the way studios treat auteurs and visionaries. 

Release the Ayer Cut of Suicide Squad, and let fans see what the first comic con trailer promised and not a hastily edited music video movie. Release the Schumacher Cut of Batman Forever and honour the late filmmaker who wanted to explore the psyche of Bruce Wayne.

Restore the Snyder Verse and let fans see what they want, the next chapter in this epic tale of Gods and Monsters. 

 

A fan can dream. 

 

 8/10

 

 

 

 

 

Review by Elliott Thomas Griffiths