Zack Snyder began the DC Extended Universe with 2013's "Man of Steel", expanded it with 2016's "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice", and had intended to continue his story thread in 2017's "Justice League". After initial production however, Snyder stepped away from the film after the death of his daughter, with post-production being oversaw by Joss Whedon of Avengers and Buffy fame. What resulted was a serviceable film, but one that did not live up to expectations set by Snyder's previous films.
Since the theatrical cut's release, details about the troubled post-production period slowly came out overtime and made the film's shortcomings all the more evident. Script rewrites with a condensed story and forced humor, reshoots with unpolished CGI rushed to make its' release date, plot points and characters that were cut, and Joss Whedon's disrespectful behavior on set. Let's make it clear: Warner Bros., reacting to the shortcomings of "Batman v Superman" and the success of "Wonder Woman", took advantage of Snyder's family tragedy and basically neutered his vision in an attempt to capitalize on everything popular with superhero movies at the moment. If it weren't for the fact that several DCEU projects got derailed because of it, I'd say it served them right that their shameful plan blew up in their face.
For years, fans petitioned for the Snyder Cut. Some believed there was no such thing, despite the fact that Snyder did finish the initial filming, and some believed it would never come considering WB's efforts to move on from his vision. But much like the revival of "Young Justice" years after cancellation, never underestimate the power of the fans. The Snyder Cut of "Justice League" was announced last year for an HBO Max release, and it has finally arrived. So after nearly a decade of build up since "Man of Steel", does it live to the hype? While not a perfect film, "Zack Snyder's Justice League" is the epic I knew it was meant to be.
Everything about the Snyder Cut is consistent with his previous films, from the tone, cinematography, and even the music. Compared to Danny Elfman's in the theatrical cut, Junkie XL and Hans Zimmer deliver a score that matches the storytelling (although the chanting is a little weird sometimes). If you think music isn't important to film, compare some of Wonder Woman's fight scenes between the two cuts, and tell me her guitar theme doesn't amp you up more. The writing is more refined as well, with plot points being more elaborated on and characters actually having development. Throughout the whole film, it just made all the changes in Whedon's cut all the more baffling. There's more heart in the actors' performances, particularly Ben Affleck's Batman. The humorous moments (yes, it's not all joyless) come about more fluidly much like in Snyder's previous films. The climax is also handled much better and similar to the first Avengers film, giving each hero a pivotal moment in their victory rather than everyone just letting Superman handle it. Don't be mistaken, this is not just the same film but longer.
Many characters benefit more from the original version of the story.
*Jason Mamoa's Aquaman is a bit more serious here, which actually matches more with his portrayal in his solo film. On that note, the film includes more scenes with Atlanteans (including Willem Dafoe's Vulko with much longer hair) that were meant to foreshadow Orm's warmongering.
*Ezra Miller's Flash is still the comedic relief, not really putting to bed my view that he should have been Wally West instead of Barry Allen. However, his comedy isn't as grating here compared to the theatrical cut, coming off a bit more quirky like he's talking and thinking faster than he can handle. And while not always graceful, there's a bit more competence to his power use as he's still getting used to what he can do and looking into what he can potentially do, leading to his best moment in the film's climax. Plus, the CGI use of his superspeed doesn't look near as goofy anymore.
*Ray Fisher's Cyborg is the one who benefits most. He actually has an arc, coming to terms with his appearance and new abilities (bringing the classic man or machine identity crisis), along with his strained relationship with his father. Considering how all of this was barely glanced over or removed from Whedon's cut, it's no wonder Ray Fisher has been raising hell over what happened during reshoots, because they definitely did him and his character dirty. What I also like is some of his initial scenes where he's moving strangely, like he's still getting used to his mechanical body, only moving more human again as time goes on.
*Superman's arc is basically the same, being dead, resurrected, and returning to help save the world. But much like everything else in Snyder's version, it's not rushed. We actually take time to see Clark reacclimating to being alive again and reuniting with Martha and Lois (who I'm pretty sure is pregnant due to some hints). There's also a pivotal scene where Clark retrieves a new suit from the Kryptonian scout ship, thinking about the words of his fathers as he accepts his place in the world as Superman truly takes flight once again, mirroring the moment from "Man of Steel". And of course, his personality from the previous films carries over here.
*Steppenwolf is actually kind of scary in this version, with Snyder's original design brought back into use. He's more beastial with unique armor that's constantly moving and durable to a point. He also has better motivation than "destroy the world", as he's hoping to get back into Darkseid's good graces after a previous betrayal.
Speaking of which, Darkseid has finally made his live action debut in all his glory. As one of DC's biggest villains, whenever he's on screen, Darkseid brings an unsettling air of menace on par with Thanos (who was created in comics after Darkseid in case anyone thought differently). You can practically cut the tension with a knife when he's staring down at the League through his Boom Tube before it closes.
With the release greenlit, Snyder was allowed to film a new scene set in the Knightmare future not in the initial script. And though it's been explained in interviews that it's really a potential future, the films themselves really need to stop making it look like they're just strange dreams Bruce is having. While it's more for an epilogue and not integral to the main story, Snyder's main motive for the new scene was to finally bring Ben Affleck's Batman and Jared Leto's Joker on screen together in the DCEU. I don't think it will be enough for Leto to win everyone over, but it was definitely worth it in my opinion. Through Affleck and Leto conversing with each other for this brief scene, you can feel the history between the characters and their demented love/hate relationship. If anything, this further cements that Leto has all the right makings of the Joker when given the chance.
So who will end up enjoying this film? Of course, there are the Snyder fans who loved his previous films and worked hard to get this one released. If you're not a fan of Snyder's, there's a good chance you won't care for more of his style. Though from what I've seen, the Snyder cut is getting better reviews than not just the Whedon version, but also his own previous DC films. There's a part of me that feels that had some semblance of Snyder's version been released back in 2017, it would have been eviscerated by critics as well. Perhaps the benefit of hindsight is in play, as I've also been seeing more people starting to come around on "Man of Steel" and "Batman v Superman" as well. So if you're hesitant but curious, give it a shot. But I think the best reason to watch is to support an artist's true vision rather than one produced by corporate oversight.
There will probably be those who prefer Whedon's version (to each their own), but to me, there's only one live action Justice League movie now, and it's Snyder's. I'm also considering it canon to the DCEU since it doesn't contradict anything in the other DC films and even the directors of Wonder Woman and Aquaman, Patty Jenkins and James Wan, referred to Snyder's version in terms of continuity between films.
While this may unfortunately be the last we see of Zack Snyder's hand in the DCEU, the saying "never say never" certainly applies. We got the Snyder cut thanks to the fans' perseverance. Maybe if it's enough of a success, there's potential for sequels to Justice League and Man of Steel or Ben Affleck's solo Batman story will arrive in some fashion. But if this really is the end of the line, I thank Mr. Snyder for giving it his all.
My DC Extended Universe Film Rankings:
1. Aquaman
2. Wonder Woman
3. Zack Snyder's Justice League
4. Wonder Woman 1984
5. Shazam!
6. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
7. Man of Steel
8. Birds of Prey
9. Suicide Squad
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