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Four years ago, the DC Extended Universe saw the release of its fifth movie, Justice League. After a finished product that changed directors (original director Zack Snyder left for personal reasons and the final cut of the original was directed by Joss Whedon instead) and received middling reviews from fans and critics alike, fans finally got to see the version intended to be released years ago when Zack Snyder’s Justice League, was released on HBO Max on March 18.
After watching it, I would say that this version definitely trumps Whedon’s original cut. The plot is the same as the original cut, with Batman and Wonder Woman looking to assemble a league of superheroes to carry on the legacy of the deceased Superman.
Viewers of the movie may find it tedious to sit through (it is 4 hours, after all), but that time is definitely not wasted, as it dedicates more time to developing characters than the previous cut did (characters like Cyborg and The Flash get more development), focuses more on the shared homes of the heroes involved (Wonder Woman and Aquaman’s homes get more focus), shows more of how the people of the world (specifically Lois Lane and Martha Kent) are affected by the loss of Superman, and even adds in another big villain in Darkseid, a feat that is sure to please the most hardcore of DC fandom.
In my opinion, this not only adds to the movie and raises the stakes even higher for our heroes, but is sure to make the viewer more invested in the outcome and epic final fight (and trust me, it is one epic finale).
The Snyder cut also takes more risks than the Whedon cut did, as the overall tone is much darker, and there are more violent and serious moments, which perfectly fits with the tone of previous movies like Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and very well justifies the movie’s R rating. As is typical with most superhero movies today (even the first Justice League), the acting is really good, too, as Ben Affleck (Batman), Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman), Ray Fisher (Cyborg), and more give great performances, and make it easy to root for their characters in the process.
The Snyder cut of Justice League is so satisfying to watch, in fact, that I would like to see more from this team in the future, especially if Warner Bros. ever considers bringing Snyder back for future projects. Needless to say, if you are into superhero movies, especially DC material, and you haven’t gotten a chance yet to check out the Snyder cut of Justice League, please do yourself a favor and tune in now.
