Zack Snyder’s ‘Justice League’: is it worth the watch?

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

Four hours of a superhero movie sounds like a lot, and many people might be skeptical to watch it after the DCU’s previous cinematic failures, but Zack Snyder’s “Justice League” stands on its own and delivers everything that comic book fans wanted. The new version shows the director’s true vision for the characters and their complex stories, detached from the limitations enforced by Warner Brothers and the fiasco that was Joss Whedon’s movie, while also teasing the immense potential to revive the franchise. 

The most significant improvement was reflected on the characters. The new version showed us genuine people, not caricatures or accessories, and did justice to the comic book origins and overall personalities of the characters. The Flash and Cyborg were my personal favorites as we got to see more of their backstories, their families, motivations and also their moments of absolute vulnerability. Cyborg’s character was butchered in the theatrical version, but Snyder made him the heart of the movie, someone to root for and appreciate, who was further elevated by Snyder’s great visual storytelling. 

The Flash was used for comic relief, again, but this time the jokes were slightly better. The introduction of Iris West and the longer scenes with Barry’s father provided a solid set-up for the upcoming Flash movie. This Flash made more realistic choices during the movie, aware of the high stakes, and thus showcased the character’s potential and underrated power. Barry tapped into the Speedforce and saved the day in one of the most iconic slow-mo scenes ever, instead of wasting time running round saving strangers like in the previous version. 

As for Wonder Woman and the Amazons, the Snyder cut showed their most hardcore version yet, sharpening every fight scene and not cowering from the violent shots. Diana inspired characters to fight, refused to give up on Clark, and delivered the perfect touch needed to conclude the final battle. 

One of my favorite changes was Steppenwolf’s character. After the theatrical version, I’d taken him for one of the lamest and most forgettable super-villains in the big screen, but Snyder showed what he’d initially imagined for the character. The complete re-design elevated Steppenwolf and made him look scary and intimidating, like an actual threat to the Justice League, which is something I never felt with the previous version. Besides, the new Steppenwolf had a decent backstory and a clear motivation that stayed true to the source material. 

Comic book fans gasped when Martha Kent’s eyes turned red and she became the one and only Martian Manhunter. I wasn’t expecting the cameo at all, but now I can’t wait to see him involved in future projects, as his story is one of the most interesting in the DC Universe and he was a personal favorite from my childhood. 

In terms of plot, most of it is the same, just with the addition of subplots that added depth to the characters and teased the future of the so-called Snyderverse. It’s unbelievable to see how a studio chose to delete the most interesting aspects of the movie and denied a great director the chance to pursue other projects that he’d pitched to them. This version gave Snyder a platform to tease his ideas, to excite audiences and reignite the belief in a proper “Justice League” trilogy, like it was supposed to be. 

On top of that, the silent challenge between Darkseid and the Justice League was a wonderful moment of tension, further developed by the nightmares and visions of the future that showed how chaotic the universe would be. We got to see Jared Leto’s Joker with a more decent attire, far better dialogue and outright look of insanity, but the laugh remained weird and over the top. Still, it was great to see him get under Batman’s skin to the point where the caped crusader promised to kill him once their truce ended. 

Those glimpses of the future (or alternate realities) simply told audiences that the possibilities of DCEU are endless, but only if Zack Snyder gets to be the man in charge. 

In retrospect, I was happy to give four hours of my day to watch Zack Snyder’s vision realized. Now my only hope is that the big corporations and studios leave their egos and creative constrictions aside when Snyder proposes his next projects.