“So begins the end.” —Steppenwolf
Today’s quick review: Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Obeying Superman’s (Henry Cavill) dying wish, Batman (Ben Affleck) sets out to recruit a team of heroes (Gal Gadot, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, and Jason Momoa) to protect the Earth from the alien conqueror known as Darkseid. Meanwhile, Darkseid’s general Steppenwolf (Ciaran Hinds) hunts for the three Mother Boxes hidden on Earth so he can unleash their power and claim the planet for his master.
Zack Snyder’s Justice League is a superhero action movie based on the DC comics. Director Zack Snyder’s take on Justice League features major changes from Joss Whedon’s verson of the film, including an extended run time, various continuity changes, and a more dramatic presentation style. The film’s large-scale action, well-picked cast, and expansive story make it a treat for the right viewer but an exhausting watch for the wrong one.
The main drawback of Zack Snyder’s Justice League is that it requires a significant amount of buy-in from the audience. The run time is nearly double the Whedon version, with slower scenes, more character work, and stronger connective tissue. The tone is heavy throughout, showing desperate situations and a fair amount of violence. And while the action is impressive, it visual palette and heavy use of CGI will not suit everyone’s tastes.
The reward for the audience’s investment is a superhero epic on a scale rarely seen. Zack Snyder’s Justice League not only continues the story begun in Man of Steel and Batman v. Superman but also provides partial origins for the Flash (Ezra Miller), Cyborg (Ray Fisher), and Aquaman (Jason Momoa). The film tours every corner of the DC Universe, from Themyscira to Atlantis, expanding the lore of the universe and laying the groundwork for Darkseid.
Zack Snyder’s Justice League also builds to some truly remarkable action scenes. The fights are spread out compared to most superhero movies, with lots of prep work and exposition, but they are polished, artful, and narratively important. The scope of the action matches the top tier of superhero films in terms of flashiness and destruction, while the action scenes are an excellent showcase of the characters’ powers and fighting styles.
As far as its story goes, Zack Snyder’s Justice League weave together a variety of interesting plot threads. The backbone of the story is a generic alien invasion plot, with a menacing supervillain collecting powerful artifacts to conquer the Earth. Where the film gets its personality is its subplots, which flesh out the members of the League and plant the seeds of stories yet to come. The end result is a hefty, multifaceted story.
Zack Snyder’s Justice League also compares favorably to the Whedon version of the film, at least in terms of story, character, and consistency. The Snyder version drops most of the humor in favor of a more serious tone that suffers from fewer abrupt shifts. The expanded plot helps shore up holes in the Whedon version of the story and gives each character a chance to breathe. However, the price is slower pacing and less of a self-contained story.
How much you get out of Zack Snyder’s Justice League will depend heavily on taste. Fans of his previous work with the DC Universe will find it to be a fitting progression of the story that shows off new ideas, introduces new characters, and delivers action on a large scale. Critics of his work will find its slow pacing and heavy tone to be a lot to ask. Superhero fans should dive right in; less invested viewers should approach with caution.
For a shorter, lighter take on the same plot, try the Joss Whedon version of Justice League. For a superhero team-up with a more colorful tone and a cleaner plot, try The Avengers. For a similarly climactic superhero movie, try Avengers: Infinity War or Avengers: Endgame. For an even darker movie about a conflict with Darkseid, try Justice League Dark: Apokolips War.
[8.7 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12361974/). I give it an 8.0 to 8.5 for impressive action and a story that covers a lot of ground.