So it's been a week and a half since the Snyder Cut of Justice League hit HBO Max. When I saw that it was FOUR HOURS LONG, I kept putting it off.
Eventually, I read somewhere that the movie was split up into Parts/Chapters. Hmmm...okay, that sounds easier to manage. There are six parts, each around 40 minutes long. It's like watching a TV mini-series. I can do that.
I wasn't expecting the movie to be all that different. Probably darker...grittier...less jokes. A whole bunch of extra scenes that don't really add more to the story. I mean, that's usually what a Director's Cut is, right? All those scenes that ended up on the cutting room floor (to improve the flow of the movie) get stuck back in...And fanboys like me moronically throw more money at what's essentially the same product (but with more "filler").
I was wrong.
My kid and I stared at the first Part of the movie with newfound wonder.
What the heck was going on???! Despite the fact that the movie was displayed in some odd-ball, squarish aspect ratio (I spent time fiddling with the TV settings before I finally Googled it, discovering that Snyder made the movie that shape on purpose)...everything was freakin' cool.
Everything was better. The storyline, the characters, the special effects, all of it.
We ended up watching all four hours. Each chapter left us wanting more.
Stupid studio. They should have let Snyder just fulfill his vision at his own pace. The version that went to the theaters four years ago was subpar. THIS...what was just released...is what Justice League should have been. THIS newest version would have maintained the momentum of the DC Universe long enough to get things back on track.
Now don't get me wrong. I still think MARVEL beats the snot out of pretty much all the DC movies. But part of that is because MARVEL took their time planning things out properly. The other reason has to do with the fundamental differences in how MARVEL and DC tackle their characters.
Growing up as a kid, MARVEL characters were more relatable. I could empathize with how the characters fumbled their way through the story, navigating their own faults and weaknesses. This was in stark contrast to DC characters, many of whom felt like gods walking among us.
It's not surprising to see why Snyder decided to embrace that direction. He was working with source material that painted the heroes like Greek gods.
I think the Snyder Cut fulfills that vision. It speaks to DC's strengths.
I can honestly say that my kid and I wanted more. The movie left us wanting to see the story progress further. We wanted to explore all these new subplots. We wanted to see more Darkseid. We wanted to bare witness to the apocalyptic future in Batman's visions.
Give us MORE!
Er...nope. No more. Word on the street is that DC is going another direction with their movies. Apparently, the Snyder Cut isn't even canon, haha.
Well, that sucks.
But even knowing all that, I've gotta say...it's still worth watching. In the 2017 release, the story was sorta dumb. In this one, the story makes more sense. The Justice League also feels more like a TEAM, whereas in the fist version, there didn't seem to be a point to having a team...all you needed was a Superman.
Even if you ignore all the story elements, the scenes are way cooler. Way, way cooler.
So if you're wondering whether it's worth watching, the answer is Yes. Go watch it! Doing so will let you say goodbye to the Snyder-verse with fondness and respect (rather than a snort of disappointment).
Disclaimer: Rights to the image above belong to DC or Warner Bros or HBO or some combination of the three, haha.
