While I did enjoy the DCEU’s Justice League back in 2017, I also found it to be messy and uneven. And when compared to the MCU’s first Avengersfilm, it objectively comes off as an inferior product.
Most of the fault for its failure is attributed to the production woes behind the scenes. Zack Snyder, grieving the sudden death of his daughter, had to step down during post-production, and Warner Bros. brought in Joss Whedon to finish the film. The final cut of the film released back then apparently turned out being more Whedon than Snyder. Thus, the unsatisfactory performance of the film – which eventually came to be referred to as “Joss-tice League” – was mostly blamed on Whedon.
Soon afterward, rumors of the existence of a “Synder Cut” – a version of the film true to Zack Snyder’s original vision – spread around the Internet. While there was skepticism, the legitimacy of the Snyder Cut only gained more traction when people that were involved with the production started suggesting that it exists. Thus, fans began the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement. After years of campaigning, fans got what they want as Warner Bros. finally decided in 2020 to let Snyder realize his vision of the film. Warner Bros. had to shell out $70 million to cover the cost of finishing the visual effects and reshoots.
For its background story alone, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, as the Snyder Cut came to be officially named, is already a groundbreaking piece of cinema. Films have had director’s cuts before, but nothing like this has ever happened before.
Finally released last month (I actually got to see it almost immediately after its release, but it’s only now that I got around to writing my review for it), Zack Snyder’s Justice League is 242 minutes long – about twice longer than Joss-tice League. Because of its length, there was a plan to make it into a mini-series, but it ended up being released as a 4-hour film.
It doesn’t use any footage shot by Whedon; it’s completely what Zack Snyder wanted the Justice League movie to be. Actually, when I first watched Joss-tice League, there were scenes in it – especially those where humor is at work – which I thought were obviously Whedonian. While watching the movie, I was surprised to learn that they were actually Snyder’s.
It’s quite evident that the Snyder Cut is superior to Joss-tice League. It has a more logical narrative and a smoother tone. Characters are more realized, character drama has more depth, and spectacles seem to be more stimulating.
That being said, I disagree with the notion that it has suddenly made Justice League a masterpiece. There are aspects that unfold differently, yes, but it’s essentially the same plot as before. The Snyder Cut isn’t really a radically different movie from Joss-tice League. It’s simply a much more rewarding experience of the same movie. Moreover, the characters are more fleshed out and the storytelling is smoother because it runs for four hours – ample time to accomplish those things properly. Meanwhile, you can expect it to have a more consistent personality because creative control is centralized on Snyder. Its identity is no longer struggling between Snyder and Whedon. In context, accomplishing those aforementioned positives are arguably minimum requirements for it.
Actually, while I generally appreciate and enjoy Snyder’s vision, I’m not exactly a big fan of it in the first place. If I could get my way, I would want my DCEU Justice League to be closer to the dynamics and formula of the Timmverse Justice League/Justice League Unlimited animated series. But that’s just my personal bias, so I don’t really hold this against the Snyder Cut or Joss-tice League.
What I do hold against the Snyder Cut is its overindulgence with unnecessary slow motion sequences, cringey dialogue here and there, lack of moments where Batman shows he’s an ultra-competent badass (in most Justice League incarnations, even though he’s literally surrounded by gods, Batman actually comes off as the most dominant among everyone. Not in the DCEU, though), and the inorganic incorporation of the Martian Manhunter to the narrative.
There are also stuff in the Joss-tice League that I think were better. First (SPOILERS), I like that the Joss-tice League’s biggest villain was Steppenwolf. I think reserving Darkseid for a future movie was a smarter move. Plus, it makes better sense for Steppenwolf’s arc if he was the one who failed to invade Earth in the past. The Snyder Cut having Darkseid be the one leading and failing to invade the Earth in the past comes off as detrimental to the character and narrative. Second, the Joss-tice League had Flash be inexperienced in battle. This made Flash a more charming, grounded character. This also resulted to one of the best scene in the Joss-tice League, which was when Batman advised him to just start out saving one person, and that afterward, he’ll know what to do next. And third, the dynamic and scenes between Superman and Flash. There might be other things I liked more in the Joss-tice League aside from these three, but these are what’s on top of my head as of writing.
In the end, Zack Snyder’s Justice League is the ultimate version of the Justice League movie. It may not be the canonical version for the DCEU, but for the hearts of fans, it is.
Now, I wonder how successful the #RestoreTheSnyderVerse movement would be?
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