In ZACK SNYDER'S JUSTICE LEAGUE, determined to ensure Superman's (Henry Cavill) ultimate sacrifice was not in vain, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) aligns forces with Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) with plans to recruit a team of metahumans to protect the world from an approaching threat of catastrophic proportions.
Director: Zack Snyder
Cast: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Amy Adams, Ezra Miller, Jason Momoa, Ray
Fisher, Ciarán Hinds
Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Rated R for violence and some language
Runtime: 4h 2min
Review:
Zack Snyder's Justice League had a long and tragic road to becoming a reality. Joss Whedon's cobbled together Frankenstein film isn't terrible but it just reeks of shooting for the lowest common denominator, what works is mainly due to the cast. Regardless of that, the Whedon film felt nothing like Snyder's lead in, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, an overstuffed film but one with a clear vision. The last time we've been able to see two separate versions of the same film was in the early 2000's when both Renny Harlin's Exorcist: The Beginning and Paul Schrader's Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist were both released with one film being the result of studio meddling, sadly both films were terrible for different reasons. Against all odds, Zack Snyder's Justice League is a opus that hits all the right marks without any of cheesy one liners of the Whedon film. Snyder's film is entirely his own entity from the start and fits in perfectly with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Perhaps the most interesting thing about the whole thing is that while it's much more serious than the Whedon film, it's never an overly dour affair. There's well placed levity throughout with Ezra Miller's Flash carrying the comedic load and it never feels fake or forced. Even more surprising is the amount of heart and character building on display in this film, something that's been lacking from the majority of Snyder's previous films.
This film gave Ray Fisher's Cyborg a real emotional arch and the character himself feels more like a fully realized creation with understandable motivations and emotions. Ciarán Hinds's villain Steppenwolf is given more depth than he did in the original which works in the character's and story's favor. Likewise, Jason Momoa's Aquaman isn't the over the top dudebro from the original release which makes his character far more interesting and nuanced. This approach gives Momoa the chance to actually display some real acting chops and he does incredibly well. Ben Affleck's Batman is more hopeful in this version without having to use goofy one liners. Henry Cavill's resurrected Superman is saved from bad facial CGI and it's nerdy fun to see him don the black suit but his story is more or less unchanged. Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman gets a far better shake in this version as well, those complaining about the lack of action in Wonder Woman 84 from the Amazonian will find plenty to love here. The action sequences themselves are also a revelation, the major set pieces are more or less the same but Snyder's version are stylized 300 esque battles that deliver an appropriately epic scope. Steppenwolf's attack on Themyscira early on serves as a prime example of how Snyder's action worked much better on multiple levels, it helps that Connie Nielsen's Hippolyta is given more screen. Much like the action, the story itself is cleaner and more efficient here which makes you wonder why some of the changes were even made in the first place. It's a testament to how engaging the story and characters are that its four hour runtime rarely feels oppressive. There aren't many scenes that feel superfluous, instead they all serve the character's story. Zack Snyder's Justice League is an achievement on multiple levels, it's both ground and personal but epic in scope. Comic book fans will find plenty to love in this version while DC fans will finally get to see their hero's in film they deserve which makes the sequel set up all that more painful.
A-
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