Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021) is a superhero movie that runs for four hours and has been described as a masterpiece. It satisfies fans who demanded that the studio give in to their demands. The film has everything a superhero movie should have: great action, a compelling story, powerful visuals, and a perfect score by Tom Holkenborg that creates a sense of nostalgia and continuity with prior DCEU films.
As a lifelong fan of superheroes and comic books, Zack Snyder’s Justice League is the film that I have been waiting for. Snyder raises the stakes with more high-octane action sequences, a layered plot with severe consequences, and high stakes that lead to a jaw-dropping cliffhanger of an ending that leaves the audience longing for more. However, the best parts of the film are the character moments, the team building, the mini-arcs, and the time taken to flesh out each character.
In Zack Snyder’s Justice League, the audience sees an enthralling and compelling essence to the characters, which was previously unseen. All the heroes have brilliant and fantastic depth this time, and it builds up perfectly to the climax. The plot is outstandingly structured well this time and it seems to always pace at its own speed. The movie’s dark, gritty, ambitious, and eerie tone is reminiscent of previous DCEU films such as “Man of Steel” and “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.”
Snyder is an extremely talented director who paints scenes and brings characters to life in his unique style, making those moments feel epic. While not everything he does is good, everything he’s done represents his vision, which is clear.
Batman has actual Batman moments, and he isn’t just a gun-toting psychopath. While I’m still not 100% happy with this iteration of the character, he also doesn’t blatantly kill humans. Ben Affleck is absolutely capable of carrying this character in the right direction, should he only be given the chance to do it right.
Aquaman is represented as a unique version of the character that feels better than the comics will ever be able to represent. Momoa brings a lot of heart to the character while still keeping the darker tone people enjoy and having the fun moments people have enjoyed.
Flash does so much more than just blip around occasionally. Ezra Miller’s representation of Barry in the other film was despised, but he is a little more reined in by the third act and actually serves a purpose other than being a budget sink.
Cyborg’s arc makes the audience feel and care for his character in this version. His character’s involvement in the plot is much larger and is much closer to a comic book version of his character and serves a purpose throughout the whole plot.
Wonder Woman is not only more intriguing than in the original film (as well as the most recent film she was in), but she also feels strong as a character without just beating the audience over the head with generic feminism being shoehorned in.
Superman’s spirit from the comics shines through much better in this version, which is a little shocking when considering how dark Snyder likes to take the character. His role is perhaps a bit diminished compared to the previous version while still feeling important, which opens up space for other characters to shine, and Henry Cavill was born for this role.
Steppenwolf is now a menacing force to be reckoned with, but a villain that the audience learns about and understands, not just a generic conqueror. Darkseid, the king of DC villains, the Lord of Apokolips, makes his film debut, and it is fantastic.
It’d be no surprise if the fans demand a sequel considering the amazing world-building & the climax looking forward to the multiverse possibilities. And hopefully, the studio may agree to invest in the franchise based on its own merit & off course targeting the number game. And I’m pretty sure that when it’s going to happens, It’s going to be really GRAND!