Logan Sork Film Reviews
Zack Snyder's Justice League
A few months before Justice League was scheduled to hit theaters in 2017, director Zack Snyder was forced to exit the project due to a personal tragedy. To finish the film, the studio enlisted the help of Avengers director Joss Whedon, who was reportedly only coming on to the project to help finish it. Flash-forward a few months to the release of the film, and it was clear that Whedon was more likely to have been brought on to retool the project. Gone was the dark, epic tone of Snyder’s previous films; instead, it was replaced with a lighter, but more cringe-inducing, tone to help reshape the film into something the studio wanted. This did not sit well with fans, who called for the release of Snyder’s original cut of the film, whose details had begun to surface in the following months. After years of campaigning for the release, Snyder’s true vision of the film is finally here; and after all of this drama, justice is finally served.
While it is entirely different in style and execution, the film still follows the same basic story as the 2017 theatrical cut. Following the death of Superman (Henry Cavill), Batman (Ben Affleck), driven by his guilt and restored faith in humanity, sets out to assemble a team of super-humans to protect the world from a potentially catastrophic threat. This threat arrives in the form of Steppenwolf (Ciaran Hinds), a disgraced alien warlord, who has come to earth seeking three ancient mother boxes that awoken following the death of superman. Aided by Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), Batman works to recruit Aquaman (Jason Momoa), The Flash (Ezra Miller), and Cyborg (Ray Fisher), each of whom is dealing with their own struggles. Together, the group must overcome their personal demons and unite to prevent the destruction of the world.
Again, though the story is the same, the difference in style and execution is (quite literally) night and day. Where the theatrical cut of the film felt like a Saturday-morning cartoon, the Snyder Cut feels more like a classic epic, featuring larger-than-life characters and action set-pieces. The differences can be as small as holding on a shot for a few seconds longer or a different musical choice to as big as restoring entire plot threads and characters that were cut from the theatrical version. No matter what you get out of the film, you can at least see the difference between what a director can bring to the table when it comes to a blockbuster like this. The theatrical cut of the film was the result of the hive-mind of conflicting studio executives that were trying to put out a product. The Snyder Cut, on the other hand, feels like one person trying to tell a sprawling story, filled with beautiful imagery and compelling characters.
Speaking of characters, with double the running time, Snyder is able to paint more rounded characters in this version of the film. With the theatrical cut, characters were stripped of any sort of development, reducing them to their most basic, hyper-exaggerated traits to keep the story moving as fast as possible. Within this version of the film, every core member of the team is given a compelling character arc and an interesting set of traits that makes their interactions more enjoyable to experience. These additions not only make the characters seem more relatable but also keep you invested in them and the journeys they go through in the film.
The actors and their performances also come across better in this film, with each one performer feeling more on board in this version of the film. Ben Affleck and Gal Gadot are probably the best versions of their perspective characters we’ll see for a while, but they just felt so off in the theatrical version, especially in the obvious reshoots. Here, they feel just as great as their first appearances, taking their characters to interesting new developments along the way. Ray Fisher in particular plays his scenes beautifully, with Cyborg finally becoming the heart of the story as originally intended. Jason Momoa also comes across better in this version as well, feeling less like the comedic jock this time around and more like a guy who’s struggling with his place in the world. The biggest improvement of the core cast, however, has to be Ezra Miller’s Flash. While I could not stand him in the theatrical cut, he delivers a charismatic, likable performance in this cut that contributes to some of the film’s best scenes.
The restored plot threads that were slashed from the theatrical cut of the film not only help to make the story more epic in scope, they also add some much-needed clarity. This time around, the villainous Steppenwolf not only has a new look and some much-needed personality but a backstory that offers a perspective not only on his motivations but also builds upon the mythos of the DC universe. This not only helps you to understand him as a character but also raises the stakes our heroes must contend with. Other plot threads that have been restored include Cyborg’s entire backstory, which not only adds to his character significantly but also restores the emotional core that was absent from the theatrical cut. Even plot threads from the theatrical cut are expanded upon in great detail, fixing many of the plot holes that arose from their removal. The story in this cut is not only bigger, but better as well.
Then there are the technical elements that are improved upon. Upon its initial release, the colors of the film were oversaturated and brightened up to such a degree it looked comical. With Snyder back at the helm, the color scheme has returned to a cooler, more metallic look. This not only makes the film easier to look at but also makes some production design elements like sets and costumes come across in a better light. The aspect ratio also makes the film look larger than life, giving the heroes more vertical room in the frame to help set them apart from the common man. Composer Tom Holkenborg also returns to this version of the film and creates a fantastic musical score to help elevate the film in several key scenes, particularly in the spectacular action sequences.
While there is a dramatic upgrade in terms of the quality of the film, there are some problems that this version of the film creates for itself. Clocking in at over four hours, there are some scenes that benefit from the extra breathing room, but there are also some moments that feel like they could be trimmed and not missed. This is particularly evident in the first fourth of the film, where scenes stick around a little longer than necessary. There are also some key exposition scenes that are a little clunky in terms of dialogue, dragging out the runtime even more. Though the score from Holkenborg is excellent, there are a few themes that recur a little too often and could’ve been improved by adding a little variety to them. And there are one or two scenes that come across as unintentionally hilarious, detracting from the epic scope of the film.
In the grand scheme of things, these minor problems are not nearly big enough to detract from how excellent the rest of the film is. Not only is this film Zack Snyder’s best work to date, but it’s also one of the best superhero films ever made. This brings into question why the changes made in the theatrical cut were made at all. We might never know the full story of what went down behind the scenes but we at least have Zack Snyder’s true vision of the film to view, something that does not happen all that much. Packed with likable and dynamic characters, improved production elements, and an epic sense of size and scope; this film makes a strong case to give directors more creative control of projects. In the end, justice is served not only for Snyder but for the titular league itself.
9.5/10