‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ Review

After years on end of a vociferous campaign for Zack Snyder’s Justice League, the movie has arrived. After Joss Whedon’s Justice League in 2017 missed the mark in so many ways we were given four hours of content to dine on. The verdict? It’s a mixed bag.

On one hand, we got the backstories of the Flash and Cyborg, two of three characters hastily introduced in Batman vs Superman. Ray Fisher’s Victor Stone is a standout in the film, ironically being the moral center of the group. Ezra Miller still doesn’t hit as the Flash, as he comes off more annoying than funny. Also, there’s a legitimate question; why does the Flash run like he’s ice skating? It’s an eyesore throughout the film. The third of those characters is Aquaman, whose personality from his solo film is not present here at all. He’s very drab and dark just as the tone of the movie itself.

The action in the movie certainly had its fun moments with said Flash running back in time. The visuals there were impressive. In addition, the Mother Box keep-away scene with the Amazons that shined in 2017 was added upon with fun detail. There were also some low points that cannot be ignored.

For whatever reason, Zack Snyder relies on slow motion for a good portion of their action scenes. Sure it’s fine in doses, but when you’re over-saturating every single fight with slow-moving frames it defeats the purpose. The music in addition to all these scenes was unnecessary. You want to feel every punch and kick, but I just felt a random rock song or Wonder Woman’s score.

From a positive standpoint, the movie did not feel long in the three installments I watched it. Of course, there’s exposition, but never to the point where the movie dragged. That was a pleasant surprise. Another pleasant surprise was the addition of the Martian Manhunter. Even in limited scenes those felt like the Justice League we know and love.

Steppenwolf is still a weak villain with an overall empty story, but the inclusion of Darkseid and Desaad was a needed touch. There’s always a need to over-critique the villain but here it applies. They could’ve used someone or something else.

Watching this movie immediately gives two thoughts. The first is it is unfortunate that the 2017 version was a thing that happened. To each their own but it’s an irritant that they allowed that movie to be released. With studio and life circumstances taken into account, this movie should’ve been in this form.

The second thought is I don’t need to see more of this Justice League. Some liked the Knightmare timeline, I thought it didn’t fit. Sure a rogue Superman is quite a sight, but I was satisfied with what I had watched to that point. Yes, #RestoreTheSnyder verse is catching steam, and I’m glad Snyder got to let his work speak for itself. If it’s all the same to you, I think it’s time to move on.

The transition from Man Of Steel to Batman vs. Superman turned this all into a plan that was destined to fail before it even got started. Just imagine a world where a solo Batman movie’s events led to the end of the Man Of Steel? It allows more wriggle room and more time to get to know and care about these characters.

One thing that I hope Warner Bros. learns from this whole ordeal is that building characters and stories take time. Not everything needs to be connected and intricate. A good standalone story can carry weight and give memories for a lifetime. The fans will watch regardless, but they’ll appreciate a great story.

Rating: 7/10

MVP-Ray Fisher

Best moment-Flash runs back in time

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