Zack Snyder’s Justice League — major improvements from theatrical cut
Zack Snyder’s Justice league was released this weekend and it held up incredibly well to all the hype. When the infamous 2017 “Justice League” trailer was released, it boasted so much potential and envisioned a grand new path for DCEU. But, upon release on 17th November 2017, it was panned almost immediately by both fans and critics alike. I could still remember wondering whether I was watching what I had expected half way through the film. From superman’s weird CG upper lip to Batman’s cheesy one liners, it was a disaster. Fans were quick to blame Joss Whedon who helmed the project after the studio fired Zack.
One couldn’t blame Warner bros who were growing impatient with the mediocre results of Snyder’s films compared to the phenomenal growth of Marvel’s projects. But, switching Zack in the middle of filming was the grave mistake. There is a clear clash of ideas between the two directors which is visible in the final byproduct. Nearly, all the characters in the film seemed two dimensional and without a prior movie, the entire roster of heroes, except Superman and Batman were unfamiliar to general movie goers.
Within a few days of release, fans immediately demanded for the original Snyder cut. Though WB denied its existence time and time again, fans were adamant and campaigned harder making #ReleaseTheSnyderCut trend viral. Even the “Justice League” stars went forward to voice with the fans. After around two and half years, Snyder confirmed the existence of his cut on 20th May 2020 and that it would be released as a four hour movie on HBO Max. After processing the already shot footage with minimal additional shoots, the Zack Snyder’s Justice league was officially released on 18th March 2021.
With sheer persistence of the fans, Snyder’s vision was brought to life. And this version is nothing short of epic. Though the four hour runtime seemed like an overkill, while viewing, it passed like a breeze. Without any time or creative boundaries set by HBO, this version took its time fleshing out the backstory and motive for every character. The following are some major improvements noticeable in this cut (Spoilers ahead!):
Cyborg’s arc :
Victor Storne A.K.A Cyborg was the primary viewpoint of this version. From his descent into rage to the final redemption, his arc serves as the heart of the film interwoven with the main plot. I couldn’t believe they ripped his entire storyline in the theatrical version. Even the movie ends with Victor listening to his father, Silas Stone’s monologue. This felt horribly unfair to Ray Fischer.
Flash’s character :
In the theatrical release, Flash was entirely a comedy relief. Though Flash has some quirky moments in Snyder’s cut, it delves briefly into his relationship with his father and how he finally steps in to be the hero his father envisioned him to be. His time travelling abilities were shown shortly in the final act hinting on his role in the sequels.
Batman’s redemption :
Batman’s comedic nature was the chief turn-off in the theatrical version. From being the brooding merciless caped crusader we knew and loved in ‘Batman V Superman’, he became a one-liner spewing plot device. His role has seamlessly been changed a bit lighter-toned in the Snyder cut, where we learn he is still dealing with guilt of playing a hand in killing superman in ‘Batman V Superman’. Now, he is beginning to trust others rather than soloing the entire mission like he used to.
Steppenwolf’s everything :
Steppenwolf was entirely revamped. His character was rather monotonous in the theatrical cut with his only goal to unite mother boxes. And with a human-like design, hefelt more benign than a threat. The Snyder cut completely overhauled his design turning him into an abominable killing machine. It also focuses on him desperately seeking redemption from his betrayal to Darkseid. Though he downright hacked through a lot of amazons and atlanteans, it genuinely felt bad when he was beheaded in the end (poor guy).
Martian and Darkseid’s cameo :
Both Martian Manhunter and Darkseid were entirely sacked from the theatrical cut. Though Martian arrives at two separate scenes, it is implied that he is overviewing all major DCEU events anonymously, with his major alias being General Calvin Swanwick. His roles will probably be more solidified in sequels.
And DC’s major villain Darkseid is hinted from the start and finally revealed halfway through the movie when steppenwolf informs his findings about the anti-life equation. And there is a brief stand-off with the league when they behead Steppenwolf. His stare is downright chilling when he crushes Steppenwolf’s severed head. In one of the knighmare sequence, he is shown consoling a mourning superman with a dead Lois in his arms. Can’t wait to witness his schemes in the sequels.
What next?
Though there were countless differences like Superman’s iconic black suit to joker’s cameo, these moments stood out as the chief changes between the two versions of the film. When the movie ended, there were multiple questiongs like whether the sequel will be greenlit and whether Batfleck will get his promised solo movie?, as the end credit clearly sets up a potential clash between Batman and Deathstroke.
Failure of the theatrical cut led to scrapping the entire DCEU Snyder had envisioned two years ago. Though the future of Snyder’s DCEU seems puzzled at this point, nothing is set in stone. With revival of the coveted Snyder cut and it’s massive reception, it is proof that Snyderverse could also be restored. With a little hope, anything is possible. #RestoreTheSnyderVerse
