Review: “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” is a grand four-hour superhero epic

By Ethan Ainley, Lifestyle Reporter

“Zack Snyder’s Justice League” is a director’s cut like no other that reveals a more comprehensive and better film than the 2017 theatrical cut.

After a butchered studio cut of “Justice League” in 2017, fans began to rally behind the release of director Zack Snyder’s original cut to see his true vision.

That release finally came on March 18th, 2021 which is nearly three and a half years after the theatrical release.

The director’s cut is different in nearly every way and all changes improve on the theatrical cut. This version has a longer run time, more characters, different designs for characters, and a different film score. It is a satisfying superhero epic akin to “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy.

In this version, characters like the Flash and Cyborg are given more time to develop. A stark difference between the films is that the director’s cut makes Cyborg “the heart” of the film, while the other cut sidelined his character and his development almost entirely.

Another important change from the theatrical cut is that all the forced humor that was mandated by the studio is cut. This leaves the more natural comedic and lighter moments to hit better.

The villain in both films is an alien character called Steppenwolf. However, their designs in each film are drastically different. The design in the director’s cut is more foreboding and alien-like. It is complete with razor-sharp armor and a demonic body structure.

Certain characters that the studio omitted in the theatrical cut have now been restored. This includes supporting characters that give our heroes emotional depth. As well as, major DC villain Darkseid, a character similar in size and relevance to Thanos. 

The Snyder cut is also longer to accommodate all the action and character development for the central heroes. In order, to make the film easier to digest Zack Snyder split it into six chapters. 

This director’s cut is a must-see film for any type of fan of the superhero genre as it brings the genre to epic new heights. It is the “Avengers: Endgame” of the DC cinematic franchise. 

“Zack Snyder’s Justice League” is currently streaming on HBO Max.