Director: Zack Snyder
Distributor: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
Duration: 242 minutes
Zack Snyder’s Justice League (VOD) – Movie Review
It’s not often that a ‘rerelease’ of a movie happens within a few years of its original release, while using the same footage, telling the same story, but differently, with different nuances, different highlights and a completely altered atmosphere. This is exactly what happened with Justice League, now that Zack Snyder was asked back to show us his vision of DC’s band of heroes. It’s actually quite hard to discuss the following movie, as the original ‘vision’ had its own unique quirks and charms, making it a bit lighter, faster and accessible for everyone. Snyder’s version, however, focuses on lengthy scenes, back-stories and the general atmosphere during his definitive cut. Be warned though, Zack Snyder’s Justice League is four hours long. If you wish to read up on the original version first, be sure to click here for our review.
In Zack Snyder’s Justice League, the same story is being told. Earth is left without its main protector, Superman (Henry Cavill), making the planet very vulnerable. Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) has also noticed that a big evil force is approaching, creating the need to assemble a team of superheroes to protect the world. He works together with Diana Prince (Gal Gadot), a.k.a. Wonder Woman, to find suitable candidates. There are already a few people on his list, each having a unique set of powers and skills. Getting them together, however, proves to be a very hard task.
At the same time, the world is being terrorized by Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds), who is collecting so-called ‘mother boxes’ that have an infinite amount of power stored inside them. With this power, he wishes to overthrow the defenders of Earth and ultimately destroy the planet for his master, Darkseid (Ray Porter), in an attempt to claim a place at his side again.
Even with the story being somewhat the same, the movie’s pacing, atmosphere and even emphasis on things have completely changed. The original film spanned only two hours, while Zack Snyder’s version is four hours long. With the inclusion of actual different chapters, that are announced during the film, it feels like a short series you’re watching, rather than a normal film. We are left with somewhat mixed feelings because of this, as ‘gloom and doom’ have again become the standard for a DC film with sometimes dragged-out scenes that go with it. Nonetheless, the attention spent on, for example, Cyborg’s (Ray Fisher) past, is amazingly handled. We feel that certain characters have been fleshed out more, while also giving the impression that the world is truly in danger. The original tried a lighter approach, which was amazing for Shazam, but didn’t always work for the 2017 version of Justice League.
As mentioned above, while being the same, this is very much a different movie. The color tones have been altered, some dumb one-liners have been removed, certain sidetracks have been trashed, and so on, while adding new items. These new items are actually not completely new. Most of the footage for this long project was readily available to be processed and edited. Only the appearance of another villain in the movie has been new footage. This also means that this was basically a massive editing project, than actually redoing the entire movie. We do feel that it turned out quite well. It has to be said though, that some scenes do feel absolutely redundant. We feel like there are new scenes added to the mix, that do not add anything at all, especially if they are not continuing with this current cast and crew for upcoming DC projects. We already have a new Batman movie in the works, so introducing some new elements to this movie feels a bit useless.
In terms of acting, the quality is still very much the same as we saw in the original version. Nonetheless, we get to see more of it, and once again, people like Ray Fisher get a proper chance to prove themselves, rather than mope in a corner for the duration of the film and stick to a line or two when needed. His ‘presence’ is now actually felt throughout the movie, shifting the team balance a little. Some performances feel a bit different as well, as this ‘cut’ is more violent and brutal, showing a darker side to some of the characters. This is not necessarily a good or a bad thing, it just adds another layer to the experience. Other characters remain relatively as flat as before, and the extra scenes with Ezra Miller don’t always live up to the expectations. He is already a somewhat dumbed-down version of The Flash, where Grant Gustin, who plays Barry Allen in the series, actually plays him in a more believable fashion. The latter is surprising for a somewhat ‘accessible-to-all-TV-series’.
As we watched a VOD version of the film, we are unaware of any extras or special features that may be included if a physical version should ever be released. We would love to see the creative process behind this reimagining of the film, but we reckon this could also result in awkwardness where past ‘mistakes’ are being brought up.
Conclusion
Zack Snyder’s Justice League is a movie that directs itself to fans of the original gloomy DC movies we have come to love (or hate). If you’re a fan of the original, and already found it somewhat long-winded at times, it’s probably best to see this one chapter by chapter or skip it. Those who are looking for a fleshed-out experience or one that shows us more nuances will probably enjoy this very long experience. Each has its merits and bad sides, making it hard to grade this movie any different than we did the original. Both deserve a chance in the spotlight, where one is a bit more PG and fun for everyone, while the other pulls out all the stops to show us every nook and cranny of the universe but ends up being long-winded. We did enjoy this one, but we imagine it’s not for casual viewers.
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