It is finally here. The Snyder Cut. If you have ever been online since 2017 you probably know about this movie. Zack Snyder’s Justice League has been called many things over time, from a pipe dream that will never see the light of day to cul de sac that doesn't benefit DC going forward. However, here we are today with what turned out to be Snyder’s best film to date.
Back when Man of Steel was released the critics' reviews weren’t that favorable, and then when the time came for Batman v Superman the reviews were plain negative. Which caused the studio to panic and change its plans. Instead of trusting a filmmaker to complete his vision and appreciating the legion of dedicated fans, they made along the way, the studio chose to imitate marvel to beat marvel. An attempt that obliviously failed, since they managed to not only lose the critics but the fans as well. And that’s how Justice League (2017) was born.
After that travesty, many fans, including myself, lost faith in the franchise. But thanks to the passion of a small, but dedicated, group of fans, the call for the release of Zack Snyder’s original vision took over. A petition was started, trends were made, planes were flown and even charities were funded. The movement went from an online trend on Vero’s social network app, a favorite of Snyder’s, to a full-blown consideration for WB's newest streaming service HBO Max. There’s a narrative going around about how the additional millions needed for the film to wrap up were unnecessary and that a movie studio was bullied by fans online. However, the simple truth is that HBO Max wants to make money, and the Snyder Cut, with its online viral presence, was an easy cash grab. Now that the movie is finally released, it has proven itself to be more than just a monetarily gain, it has proven itself to be the future of DC if they ever want to compete with the MCU empire.
Zack Snyder’s Justice League opens up with Superman’s cry, a cry that might have lead to the world ending. With a convincing, and somehow adorable-looking villain wanting to make amends and redeem himself to an even bigger evil entity. Snyder’s slow-mos are there, as well as the beautiful scenery and visuals. The aspect ratio might have been a little strange at the start of the film, but as you watch along you start to get immersed easily. It doesn’t take long to see the comparison between this film and Whedon’s hybrid. Gone the underdeveloped plot and under-skirt shots, instead we got a four-hour mythological story about Gods playing heroes. The plot is fleshed out more, a perfect balance between big events and character development. We get to see more characters that were cut from the 2017 film, all of them being suspiciously people of color. Cyborg was one of these characters, even though they couldn’t edit him out of the 2017 film since he’s a Justice League member, after all, they elected to cut his entire story altogether. Ray Fisher’s Cyborg is not just the heart of the movie, he is the stand out too. Cyborg’s origins were not only explained, but they were tied to the entire plot driving it forward. The chemistry he has with Ezra Miller’s flash is such a wasted opportunity because WB fired Fischer for daring to speak out against the injustice he dealt with on Justice League’s set. Ezra Miller’s Flash was more developed and even more powerful in Snyder’s cut, he went from a mumbling kid to a relatable funny superhero. Wonder Woman is easily the best she’s ever been, even her “Kal EL No” was better. The Amazonians sequence was something out of this world, Connie Nielsen was phenomenal. I don’t know if it’s my love for Aquaman, the movie, that cemented his personality to me. Even if I enjoyed all of his scenes, Jason Momoa’s slightly less uptight personality from his solo film was better. Superman, although he wasn’t in the movie as much as I would have liked, is still likable. There’s something so extraordinary about Cavill’s portrayal of the infamous superhero. In this film, we get to see him as the world sees him, a God. And while he may be one, the relationships he has made on the earth are what is truly compelling about him. Affleck’s Batman has come a long way since Batman V Superman, this version of his, fueled by his guilt managed to bring the Justice League together and save the world. And while his superpowers maybe his money, it is his hope and a renewed love for Justice the gives us the satisfying end to his character.
The time flies when you start watching, the only indication of the actual runtime I experienced was the chapter introductions. The chapters were a nice addition and made the movie seem like a true comic book adaption. I was ready to call this chapter of DC the end, but the epilogue played. Leto’s addition to the film was confusing at first, but exciting at the end. The scene between him and Batman is just what I needed to start tweeting #restorethesnyderverse. The Snyder cut opens the path towards five to six more movies ranging from Justice League sequels to spin-offs. There’s no end to the creative ideas they can build on this. Only time will tell if WB will ignore their fanbase like they once did and ended up regretting it later. Or if they will finally give us the universe we deserve. The MCU is already doing what they’re good at, and it’s working. Why shouldn’t WB take a leap of faith with DC and bring something new to the table? Something epic.
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