How’s that for a group shot? I’m going deep on everything Zack Snyder and his epic Justice League movie has to offer, so buckle up, going to be a long one.
Zack Snyder’s definitive director’s cut of Justice League. Determined to ensure Superman’s ultimate sacrifice was not in vain, Bruce Wayne aligns forces with Diana Prince with plans to recruit a team of metahumans to protect the world from an approaching threat of catastrophic proportions.
Redemption. If I had to best sum up the movie and the man behind the camera, Zack Snyder with one word, that would be it. This was a long and tiresome battle, that drained not only fans but Zack himself. Zack has been making movies for DC for almost a decade now, since 2013 and the release of Man of Steel. It seems ever since that moment it’s almost been an uphill battle for Zack over at Warner Brothers. His movies dividing fans and critics alike and not being the total box-office success that Warner Brothers was hoping for. Even with the release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, people all over the world didn’t quite understand the magnitude of the situation at hand, because unless you follow these things closely, why would you? The events leading up to Justice League and the events that unfolded afterward will go down in Hollywood history. From the biblical-sized fan support and movement that honestly changed the way Hollywood could make movies going forward, to the backlash that the 2017 film endured and the fill-in director Joss Whedon faced. In March of 2017, one of Zack’s adopted daughters Autumn tragically took her own life and Zack like any parent didn’t know how to handle the situation. So when he decided he needed to step back from his work and focus on his family, his Justice League movie was on the brink of being complete. Warner Brothers decided that his vision and everything he had built for that studio since 2013 wasn’t their own ideas and beliefs anymore and wanted to alter, manipulate and downright destroy his beautiful movie. November 2017 rolls around and Justice League is released and to this day he hasn’t seen that product. Fans were unaware of just how mutilated his vision was and felt that “this wasn’t a Zack Snyder” movie and the birth of the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement began. The next 3 and a half years had so many ups and downs for fans, trying and doing whatever they could to get the attention needed to bring about Zack’s cut of his own movie. Until finally on May 20th of last year, that was finally made a reality and now we can all say, we have seen the true vision, the true Justice League movie. When it comes to situations like these, I will always be on the side of the film-maker, and at the end of the day, no matter how you feel about the movie. One thing we can all agree upon is being happy for Zack Snyder and his family that his original vision has come to life and in the end, he got total redemption. This is a win not only for the fans but for him as well, erasing a black mark on his career, which wasn’t even his fault to begin with. The movie being released didn’t just redeem Synder but every single person involved, not only do our actors experience it, but their hero counterparts as well.
First things first, make sure you empty that bladder before you hit the play button! Now, those four hours just flew by didn’t they? Toss out everything you know about the 2017 version, in my eyes, it’s a parody. Except for the little bit of the original Snyder content left in, we can bury it, it’s dead. This is exactly the type of Justice League movie fans have wanted their whole lives. It’s immense, epic, mythological, and offers so much from every single one of our heroes. Each one gets their own moment to shine, in the grandest of ways, each making sacrifices and realizing that they can only save the world when they work together. All of this was missing 4 years ago, that’s because this new version gives our heroes time to breathe and get a feeling for one another. You understand their motives and why they might be a little coy on joining a team. No matter how big or how small your fandom is for DC Comics, this movie kind of has something for everyone. Each character fleshed out, making them feel more human, most notably Ray Fisher’s Cyborg. His character and Ezra Miller’s Flash are the two characters in my mind that get the biggest overall boost from this cut. Making you realize that they are vital and important members of the league. Everyone else also gets a boost and you see that these are Zack’s characters and aren’t muddled in nonsensical humor or completely defying everything that was built with Man of Steel and Batman v Superman.
As for the movie, I’ll be going into a little spoiler territory! Within the first scene, you know this is the continuation of BvS, that this is a Zack Snyder film. Watching Superman scream to the high heavens before he dies, and having the Amazons, the Atlanteans and even Cyborg hear those cries. It lets you know that his death means deep shit for planet Earth. Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) is still trying to find the light again and he is doing his best Danny Ocean while attempting to recruit some warriors. He’s building an alliance and when Jason Momoa’s Aquaman essentially tells him to kick rocks, he goes back to Alfred with his tail between his legs. It was so amazing seeing Affleck back as Batman, and the way he was intended to be seen. I forgot how much I loved him in this role and so much of his anger is gone and this is a Batman just ripped straight out of a Justice League comic. Soon enough the only members he’s able to convince to help him Diana (Gal Gadot) obviously, and they are giving us a little “are these two just going to hook up” vibes a few times. I want it, you want it, we all want to see that go down. Evetually, after stalking Barry Allen they manage to take the League from a dynamic duo to a threesome but it still isn’t enough. Once Cyborg and Aquaman join their ranks after a tough first encounter with Steppenwolf, the team is ready to lay down the law. Speaking of Steppenwolf……
Can we all just take a moment and truly appreciate all the villains. Steppenwolf was a winey Momma’s boy in 2017 and became arguably the best villain in the DCEU. He’s mean, he’s lean and he kicks all sorts of ass. Amazons, dead, Atlanteans, dead, humans, dead. Steppenwolf’s design is just infinitely better this time around and it makes him look menacing and actually a formidable foe. We get a backstory for him this time, so we actually know what his motives are! We realize that he’s been kicked out of the house by dear old Dad, also known as Darkseid (Ray Porter). Everything is just so much more cohesive with the story actually being built. We understand why Steppenwolf has come to Earth and why rightfully so, he’s a little pissed off. As for Darkseid, who is DC’s Thanos, he’s terrifying, the dude straight up steps on Steppenwolf’s head after it’s been cut off like it didn’t even phase him. I wanted him to go to Earth and throw down against the league but we will save that for next time. However, we did get to see him and his little Omega Beams in action. In the Knightmare timeline, he totally alienates and kills Aquaman! They didn’t even bother putting DC’s biggest baddie in the 2017 version, like what on Earth were they thinking? I loved Steppenwolf and Darkseid looked terrific, we need to see more of him and the New Gods. We actually got to see him in action during the history lesson sequence. It was great to see the foreshadowing of the old gods coming together and being able to defeat him, each of them portraying one of our new heroes. One thing is for sure, we need more Darkseid and when we saw him take control of Superman after Lois Lane’s death, I can’t even imagine how much havoc he causes.
It takes almost 2 hours but Clark Kent (Henry Cavill) comes back. You didn’t think Zack would forget about his crown jewel. He’s resurrected once again, but this time they make it a little clearer about how they will do it and why it might be a terrible idea. When Superman returns he also gets his time to shine. He dons the epic Black Suit and all that was missing was his mullet. The action really ramps up once he is back on screen and for a 4-hour movie, the action is nicely spread out and isn’t overstuffed with unnecessary action sequences. The 3rd act of this film is mind-blowing and the team finally comes together and takes the fight to Steppenwolf. When the biggest moment of the film occurs that involves Barry running back through time to save everyone, that caught me off guard. I didn’t see that coming and it was the most powerful moment in the movie. His time to shine and in the biggest way possible.
Now for those last 20 minutes…….
Anyone else just want an entire movie set in the Knightmare timeline? Talk about the weirdest party anyone could ever attend. Batman, Joker, Deathstroke, Flash, Cyborg, and Mera all working together, well trying to work together to “make everything right”. Finally, we got some actual dialogue between Ben Affleck’s Batman and Jared Leto’s Joker and boy did it not disappoint. Some of the best dialogue between those two iconic characters ever put to screen. I think it totally redeems Leto’s Joker another character and actor to achieve redemption status. Then the ultimate party pooper shows up and we are left wondering how the hell our heroes got out of that one. Bruce wakes up and thinks Superman is coming to visit only to be visited by none other than Martian Manhunter himself! Bruce went from hating Superman and wanting to kill him to not giving a shit than an alien is flying towards him after waking his ass out of bed, now that’s character development baby! He lets Bruce know that “There’s a war coming” and Darkseid isn’t done with Earth. Bruce says he’ll see him around and that’s it. Until we get the most heartwarming moment of the film when “For Autumn” appears on the screen…..
This is a smorgasbord for DC fans and the accumulation of almost ten years from Zack Snyder. It’s one of the strongest and best comic-book movies I’ve ever seen and definitely cements it in the DC lure forever. Emotional beats, impactful character moments, with glorious and beautiful action set pieces. It met my expectations and rendered everything from 2017 obsolete. Whatever happens in the future regarding Zack Snyder and potential Justice League sequels remains unclear. One thing is clear, the world wants it, but I just don’t know if it will happen. That’s not important, what is important is a man got to undo something and maybe can sleep a little better at night.
This is and will always be about Zack Snyder and he just gave us one of the best comic book movies ever.
We are mere days away from Zack Snyder’s Justice League, so once again take a trip down memory lane with the birth of the expanded DCEU with Batman v Superman.
Fearing that the actions of Superman are left unchecked, Batman takes on the Man of Steel, while the world wrestles with what kind of a hero it really needs.
Remember this little indie flick that came into the zeitgeist back in 2016? Batman v Superman, arguably the most talked-about piece of pop culture this century. One of the most polarizing, divided, and controversial movies I can ever really remember seeing, it finally introduced us to the possibilities of the Justice League.
After the semi-success of Man of Steel, Warner Brothers knew they needed to go big for their next movie. Zack Snyder decided to bring in the big guns, which was Oscar Winner Ben Affleck, coming off winning best picture at the Oscars. He was going to be suiting up and taking on the Son of Krypton. Ben Affleck was at the height of his power, he had more juice than almost anyone in Hollywood at the time and Zack Snyder convinced this guy to come play Batman for him.
Warner Brothers had just wrapped up the monumental Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy, proving that Batman was essentially box-office gold. How could this fail? Once production got underway, Zack Snyder and his team rolled out one of the most impressive marketing campaigns in history. Everything was a homerun, casting, posters, and more importantly the trailers. Fans couldn’t wait to sink their teeth into this movie and the world was waiting to see what Zack Snyder had in store.
When reviews came pouring in, it wasn’t what WB was expecting, arriving at 28% on Rotten Tomatoes and now that isn’t an important marker for every movie, but it can sink a movie in terms of box-office success. Not even eclipsing 1 billion dollars at the box-office, things didn’t seem the same once BvS was released.
Again, the problem with the movie for a lot of fans, they felt it had too many holes and some of the pieces of the puzzle seemed to be missing. Then came along the Ultimate Edition of the movie that proved the intended version that Zack Snyder had for the world was the superior one. It changed how a lot of people viewed the movie and made a stronger case for as to why Zack Snyder should be the one leading the charge on the future of the DCEU.
Personally, I remember being disappointed when I walked out of the theatre after seeing BvS. I waited over 700 days for the movie and it didn’t live up to my expectations. Until I realized I had set the highest of expectations that could never be reached. Like most fans, I didn’t really fall in love with this movie until I watched the Ultimate Edition. Now with every passing viewing, I find myself enjoying this thing just so much more. Mostly due to the fact, that there is just so much more to enjoy, and the movie just feels complete to me.
The movie serves as a launching pad for the future team-up movie, introducing us to Ben Afflecks’ dark and lost Batman. As he tries to find himself again and is eventually inspired by Superman. This is a Batman who has broken free from his golden rule and has lost all sense of what made him such a strong figure for Gotham City. We never quite got to see this kind of Dark Knight, someone who lives inside a world with super-powered beings all while having 20 years of crime-fighting experience. Without a doubt as of right now he is the definitive Batman because he fills out the suit to perfection and his relationship with Alfred is the best part of his entire character. Making his Bruce Wayne just as valuable on the screen as his alter-ego.
We also get introduced to the last piece of the Trinity, Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman. Obviously not as flushed out as Batman, but we knew she would be getting her own solo flick in the near future. Gal steals the last third of the movie, having one of the best entrances for a superhero ever. She looks fierce and has only gained confidence on-screen as time has gone on. She’s a much better actor today than she was when she was first cast as Diana. Not to mention a quick glimpse at Cyborg, Flash, and Aquaman, Snyder was trying to tell us a much larger threat was on the horizon and these heroes would need to come together in order to save the world.
This is just so different from anything that was going on in the comic-book world at that time. It was serious and dealt with our heroes in a very thematic and layered way. In the MCU it was mostly ordinary people trying to be Gods, where Snyder was displaying our DC heroes as Gods that just wanted to be like everyone else. Superman is a flawed character, for good reasons and his story arc through the first two DCEU movies was a unique take.
Fron the beautiful score, that hits right from the very get-go as we watch the Waynes get gunned down once again in Crime Alley. Leading all the way until the very last moments of our film. The action isn’t what propels this movie forward. When it hits, of course, it’s great, that’s one thing you never really have to worry about with Snyder (warehouse scene anyone), and his visuals are always on the highest of peaks. These characters have never looked better in a movie. Jesse Eisenberg who gives a more Mark Zuckerberg rather than Jeff Bezos kind of Lex Luthor portrayal was met with such criticism, but for me, it’s one of the things that works so well. It’s interesting that as the movie goes forward we see Batman and Lex go on opposite paths, Batman gliding towards the light, while Lex slips deeper into the dark. His rooftop sequence with both Superman and Lois Lane is his crowning achievement.
Over time I think more people have come around to this movie, but it’s still highly discussed and has polarized a fanbase. It will leave a mark on the comic-book industry no doubt, even more so with the events that played out after its release.
Batman v Superman may be flawed in some areas but overall, I truly believe it is one of the best comic-book movies ever made. It’s rich in context and in texture and it is more than just heroes punching one another. Zack looks at our heroes through a certain lens that leaves you wondering what he had in store for the future. In less than a week, we will finally get to see that vision and I don’t think the world is ready.
Spread the love on this Valentine’s Day by sharing and streaming this epic trailer that just arrived.
Well, this is certainly the best Valentine’s Day in many years. Thank you, Zack Snyder, for delivering on this most joyous of days. We get another look at what’s to come in his 4 hour cut of Justice League that promises to be something special. Now a quick refresher, this isn’t the Justice League movie that came out in 2017 with a few extra minutes latched on, no, this is something completely new, something darker.
Let’s break down the trailer a little bit. We get our first real glimpse at all the baddies of the movie. They’re all hanging out on Apokolips where it appears that the ultimate baddie, Darkseid is giving orders to Steppenwolf to head to Earth and stir up some trouble. Everyone fell in love with Thanos and now it’s Darkseid’s turn to get some of that love because he and his Omega Beams deserve it. From there we get a few incredible voice-overs by Alfred (Jeremy Irons) who is essentially telling Bruce Wayne not to poke the bear unless he is sure that he can win. Followed up by the Pa Kent speech from Man of Steel. Snyder really pieced this trailer together perfectly.
The whole team gets their moment to shine, really showcasing how the world needs a bunch of new gods to step up and defend Earth or we are doomed. Black Suit Superman is learning how to possibly fly again, with his own rendition of the first flight sequence again from Man of Steel. Bruce Wayne has seen the future and it’s bleak and he knows that the world needs warriors to conquer the threats that are about to arrive.
Now for the motherload. A new look at the Knightmare timeline where we have Batman and the return of Jared Leto’s Joker, working together! That’s right, the Clown Prince of Crime and the Bat of Gotham will be working together. Like Joker says in the trailer, “honor is a distant memory,” meaning it’s time to put the past behind you and let’s save this planet together. I’m so happy Leto gets another chance to play this part and having him and Affleck on screen together is something fans have wanted for 5 years now.
Zack is bringing it all and this was just a small peek inside the curtain we have so much to look forward to. This will be epic.
Fearing that the actions of Superman are left unchecked, Batman takes on the Man of Steel, while the world wrestles with what kind of a hero it really needs.