Zack Snyder's Justice League

 

A plot synopsis and review of the theatrical cut can be found here.

 

This movie’s troubled production is practically a film’s worth of drama unto itself. Since 2013’s Man of Steel, director Snyder had established himself as the DC Extended Universe’s divisive cinematic architect, cranking out films that were visually distinctive but narrative lacking. Much like Marvel’s The Avengers, Justice League was meant to be the culmination of several films’ worth of build-up. However, Snyder stepped away from the film following the death of his daughter, and Warner Brothers brought in Joss Whedon to rewrite, reshoot, and finish the production. The resulting movie, while not abysmal, was nevertheless disappointing, and between studio-mandated cuts and allegations of Whedon’s misconduct, it wasn’t long before fans started clamoring for Snyder’s original film to be completed. Finally, in 2020, Snyder reassembled the original cast for re-shoots, and the completed film launched last month on HBO Max.

 

So after years of controversy and anticipation and many millions of dollars spent, did Justice League get it right the second time around? Yes and no. For starters, this is a film that demands some affinity for the source material. With a four-hour runtime, it will feel torturous to those who are apathetic toward comic books and test the patience of even those who hold a more favorable view. That caveat aside, Snyder and co-writer Chris Terrio deserve credit for what they’ve been able to pull off here. Snyder has often referred to DC superheroes as mythological figures, and this film reflects that sensibility. The grandiosity, visual splendor, and violence have all been ratcheted up, and Darkseid, previously an unseen menace, appears here in the flesh, given gravitas courtesy of Ray Porter’s menacingly deep vocal performance. But this is not another eye-rolling all style, no substance affair. The added runtime addresses several of the pacing and character development problems that have plagued previous DCEU films. Barry Allen/The Flash (Ezra Miller) and especially Victor Stone/Cyborg (Ray Fisher) are given a fuller backstory, and Fisher uses the opportunity to make Victor, already a conflicted and tragic figure, arguably the film’s most relatable and sympathetic character.

 

When all is said and done, however, Snyder’s Justice League is still a flawed film. The dialogue feels at times expository, the score is lackluster, and the film suffers from a bad case of ending fatigue. The latter is especially frustrating as the closing moments, which hint at scientist Ryan Choi (Ryan Zheng) becoming The Atom and Ben Affleck’s underrated Batman forming an unlikely alliance with Jared Leto’s much-maligned (and here, partially redeemed) Joker in a post-apocalyptic future, offer tantalizing glimpses of future movies that will likely never come to pass.

 

Snyder and his collaborators deserve praise for their passion and determination, and this version of Justice League is definitely a cut (pun intended) above the theatrical release, but it’s ultimately a movie more appreciated than enjoyed.