Zack Snyder's Justice League Review

As I start to write this, I am listening to the Zack Snyder’s Justice League soundtrack by Junkie XL. While everything I am about to talk about in this review is unbelievable, I don’t think anything quite sums up just how unbelievable and unprecedented this whole situation is, more than the fact that I am listening to a soundtrack for a movie that did not exist when the movie was originally released over 3 years ago. And yet, somehow, through a confluence of bad judgement, timing and unprecedented fan support, here I am listening to a very atmospheric and epic score. For an epic film. 

I won’t rehash all the details of the events that led to this point, but I will quickly recap the highlights for those that may have missed all the other 10,000 articles that have covered the subject in the recent weeks. Zack Snyder was replaced by Joss Whedon for the release of 2017’s Justice League. While Zack had filmed virtually all of the follow up to Batman v Superman (BvS), prior to the release of BvS, the critical and audience reaction to BvS, combined with a box office that didn’t quite live up to Warner Bros. hopes caused WB to want to change course midstream. Joss Whedon came in and reshot (if reports are correct) almost 75% of the film, cutting much of what Snyder had done, and creating a more light-hearted film. While never publicly stated by anyone involved, I feel very confident in saying that WB was hoping to mimic Marvel’s success and style by bringing in the same director that help the first Avengers and Age of Ultron to such great box office and critical success. While I personally enjoyed the version dubbed “Josstice League” (see my old social media posts), I will never try to defend it from the critical and audience bashing it received. It is a mess of a movie, a Frankenstien’s monster of filmmaking that had just about as happy an ending as the classic monster movie. Josstice League movie failed by every measure - critically, commercially, even in just being a well made movie. Famously, because so much new footage had to be shot to change the story and tone, the cast that had already moved on to other projects had to come back to film all the new scenes. Henry Cavill was already filming his role for Mission Impossible and had grown a mustache for his role in that film. Because of his contractual obligations to Mission Impossible, he was not able to shave the infamous ‘stache and WB decided to digitally remove the hairy upper lip in all the newly filmed scenes. This was done so poorly, that it turned into a joke and the clear example of how terrible and far off the rails the production had become. This was not a well planned out epic that would elevate DC to the success of Marvel. It wasn’t even a cohesive vision or well produced film one would expect from one of Hollywood’s elite production companies. It was a joke to many. But worse than that, to many DC fans and fans of Zack Snyder, it was a slap in the face. And they were not going to let it just fade into history. Not when there was another version of the movie, an epic, universe establishing, masterpiece that was fabled to exist. This other version, was of course, Zack Snyder’s original cut of the film, supposedly put together and shown to studio heads in rough form (missing visual effects shots, soundtrack, etc.) and then shelved to never see the light of day. And thus began the “Release The Snyder Cut'' campaign. A years long fan push to get WB to release this version of the film. The fans held events, fundraisers (over $500,000 for suicide prevention) and flooded social media non-stop with their support for Snyder’s vision. And once it was evident the fans were not going to relent, after two years had passed since Josstice League as released and fans were still able to take over Twitter with the #releasethesnydercut alongside support from the cast and crew of Zack’s film, and with WB desperate to find some way to create hype and drive subscriptions for it’s new streaming service, HBO Max, Warner Brothers struck up a deal with Mr. Snyder to finally complete his version of the film and bring it to the fledgling streaming service. And that, believe it or not, is the short version of what happened. I promise. 

Now, with all the background out of the way, and having sat down and watched the entire 4 hour film on March 18th straight through, I can honestly say, despite GREAT reservations on my part about what Zack Snyder would do to the heroes I have loved since I was old enough to consume entertainment, that Justice League is an amazing and epic film that has left me wanting more from Zack Snyder and company. It isn’t perfect. But the scope, heart and execution make up for the few small quibbles I have with the film. 

I have seen some initial reactions bemoaning the movies length (yes, it is all of 4 hours), and while I understand that type of time commitment, I will point out that we live in an age were people pride themselves on binge watching entire seasons of television shows, 12-24 hours of content, in a single day or weekend, so complaining about a four hour film doesn’t hold a lot of water with me. And the film is broken up into chapters, so there are natural stopping points for those that just don’t think they have it in them to watch a movie for four hours. If you love these kinds of movies (superheores), then why would you not want more of them? I wish all superhero movies were this long, as long as there is a story to tell. And there is in this movie. It never felt slow or dragged for me. Each scene has a purpose and establishes the characters, motivations and overall story in a way that Josstice League didn’t come close to doing. Also remember that beyond the silly “cameos'' in BvS, this would have been the first introduction to Aquaman, Flash and Cyborg in the DC cinematic universe and barring a bland exposition scene, they have to be established in this world. And so do the villains. 

The film opens with the death of Superman at the end of BvS and his death cry being the catalyst that wakes up ancient machines called Mother Boxes that have been locked away by the three main protectors of earth - humans, Atlanteans, and Amazons. This works well, tying the story to the previous movie and giving you a quick idea of the scope of the film. It will cover the entire world, the threat is not just to one city or country, and involves ancient races much of the human world has forgotten about. Then we get a beautiful series of scenes as Bruce Wayne makes his way across a frozen tundra in search of Aquaman. While I understand the complaints that this goes on too long, the cinematography is incredible and it is a throwback to the old days of filmmaking when all of the credits ran at the beginning of the film, as well as the end.

Arthur Curry and Bruce Wayne’s first meeting plays out similarly to how it did in the previous version, except here Bruce comes off much more serious. He is lighter, to be sure, than the Bruce we saw in BvS and Affleck does a great job of subtly moving the character away from the vindictive version he played in the previous film. His voice isn’t as hard and his words don’t drip with anger the way they did in almost all of BvS. He feels much more like Batman in this version than he did in Josstice League, in which he came off almost goofy and jokey (“I hear you talk to fish”). Jason Mamoa’s Arthur works really well, coming across as someone who wants to be left alone, and standoffish, but still likeable. He may not want to get involved, but he isn’t a jerk about it. The scene ends with the people Aquaman has come to help singing to him as he leaves. I have heard that this is unnecessary and drags on too long. I understand this complaint. I think the scene could probably get cut and not affect the overall story, but I think it is a good scene and goes a long way to show that despite Arthur’s insistence that he wants to be left alone, he clearly is a character that helps people in need, so much so that the people of this village revere him as a god-like figure that they sing to/praise. 

Quick, but emotional scene with Martha Kent at Clark’s grave. This is the kind of thing that Josstice League failed to do. The kind of thing that Marvel does so well. When big events happen in other films, the weight of them carries over to other films. They aren’t just glossed over. In Josstice League we got a quicker version of this scene, but it holds more weight here. The first of many tears roll.

Great scene with Alfred welcoming Bruce back from his journey to recruit Aquaman. And the banter and relationship between the two is already markedly better than in BvS. Alfred comes across as concerned for this boy, now man, he has been a defacto father for and who was left in his charge, but not scolding. Bruce is much more respectful and appreciative of Alfred’s input and point of view, not dismissive and almost hostile towards him as he was in BvS.

Lois visiting Clark’s memorial. Heartbreaking. See my above comments on the Martha scene. Tears are back.

Wonder Woman time! Gal is an incredible Wonder Woman. At this point, I can’t imagine another actress playing her better. She is obviously beautiful, but she has a presence that makes her strength, toughness and grace real. You buy that she is one of the most powerful beings in the DC Universe, but also able to perform incredibly graceful moves with speed. Great balance. But more than anything else, she can switch from that tough as nails badass portrayal, to the kind, caring ambassador of peace on a dime. After she takes care of the terrorist, she immediately goes into that role, and it is a wonderfully sweet scene. I am sure many would call it hokey, but I am a sucker for hokey.

I need to break from the scene by scene recap to cover something quickly. This was the first, of a handful of scenes that illustrated my biggest issue with Zack Snyder’s characterization of these characters - they have no subtlety or restraint, maybe, about them. They have no chill when it comes to taking out criminals and villains. Wonder Woman kills all of the terrorists. She clearly outclasses them and would be able to subdue them without killing them, but she does not. She tosses/kicks terrorists into walls, leaving blood splatters. She uses her gauntlets to vaporize the final terrorist. Now, I am not saying that these villains didn’t deserve what they got. They did. And I am willing to accept that WW comes from a race of Amazon warriors, and they are more inclined to not “take prisoners” as it were. But I have also spent the past 30 years reading stories of these characters where they subdue bad guys. They try to rehabilitate people. They don’t just kill their adversaries. This was my biggest problem with BvS. The only other overtly vicious thing I can think of that happens in this film is Superman using his heat vision to sever a piece of Steppenwolf’s head and Steppenwolf’s ultimate fate. But outside of these two instances, I was pleasantly surprised that Zack kind of reigned in the brutality of these heroes. Which makes them feel more like heroes, to me. Yes, the parademons are brutally slaughtered, but as is stated early in the film, parademons are more or less mindless drones. I think of them as zombies, they are not really living beings, but just mindless minions in a pseudo-alive state. Their slaughter is more akin to robots being destroyed. This may be splitting hairs, but it works for me. 

Here we go. Our first EPIC set piece. Steppenwolf’s arrival and war with the Amazons. This is what Zack Snyder excels at. Giant, visceral, action. Seeing the Amazons, this race of warriors face off against this seemingly omnipotent god from another universe is inspiring. Had this movie come out in this form as it was supposed to back in 2016, DC would be able to tout itself as not only having the first female led modern superhero film with Wonder Woman, but also having the first female centric action scenes in modern superhero films. Every hero in this scene is a woman. Every one is strong, smart, and self-sacrificing. And yes, this scene is in the Josstice League version, but it is neutered (yes, I recognize the disharmony of using the phrase neutered with regards to a female centric scene, I just can’t think of a better analogy in this circumstance). The way it plays out here, you see how over matched the Amazons are, but yet they keep coming, keep sacrificing. The scene doesn’t play as a plot point to set up where Steppenwolf gets the first of the mother boxes, but is more a look at how important these women are and were to the safety and security of the earth over time and why Wonder Woman, the greatest of these women, will be the primary bulwark between Steppenwolf and his armies until Superman makes his return.

Steppenwolf gives some exposition here, laying out his plan as he establishes his base on earth. Maybe not the most elegant way to do this, but without thought bubbles, I don’t know a better way to have a villain convey their plans to the audience. And it works, as he is giving directions to his minions, and not just talking to no one like some crazy person. 

In an effort to not make this review not quite as long as the film itself, I will start glossing over or skipping entirely some of these quicker scenes. While I may be doing so, I want to make it clear that I think they are all great. They are all of value. They all offer something important, be it story/plot development, or character development that is worthwhile and contributes to the movie being so great as a whole. Bruce gets a good scene in here showing the impact that Superman’s life and sacrifice had on him. Great line about spending time trying to divide, and now he needs to bring them together. He is making amends. Wonder Woman gets a warning from her sisters, and is led to a temple revealing what she and the rest of the League is about to face. 

We now get our first character focused moment on one of the League members we would have known very little about at this point, had the film come out in 2016. Aquaman. This is a really good scene that gives you an idea of Arthur’s feelings about the world. It does a great job, along with the opening scene, with Bruce at the fishing village, showing how he doesn’t feel like he belongs to either part of the world, the sea or the land. 

Zack Snyder and company's vision and imagination shine yet again, with a very cool method of communication between Apokolips and Steppenwolf. The molten metal changing shape and dripping is just a crazy and cool visual. It also plays nicely when you think back to the way information was shared/relayed in Man of Steel, with Krypton using clean polished metal to morph into scenes of its history. 

Wonder Woman gets into Bruce’s lair. Fun interaction between the two again. Their flirty nature and interactions was always one of my favorite parts about these versions of the characters, and harkens back to past comics and the old Justice League animated show where the two have been involved. I always preferred the Bruce/Diana paring over the Diana/Clark paring. Clark has Lois. That is his lobster for those of you that are Friends fans. Bruce and Diana are more... driven, I guess is the right word, characters. They both understand and respect  the determination and single mindedness they see in each other.

As the Joker said in The Dark Knight, “And here. We. Go.” Any DC comics fan that has watched as Thanos became a pop culture icon, a new baseline for villainy and evil in cinema, has waited for this moment. Thanos is a major MCU threat, to be sure, but in the pantheon of comics history, it is well known that Thanos is pretty much a knock off Darkseid. Darkseid is THE threat in the DCU. The villain capable of not just world, but universal, domination. And he makes his glorious debut here. He will be used sparingly, but to great effect throughout the rest of the movie. His presence looming over all the events that transpire from here on out. 

Another great action scene. Plays out much like I remember the Josstice League version. It has been so long since I have seen that version though, I am sure there is additional footage, as well as more bloodshed. This scene can go pound for pound with any of the great battles ever put on screen. Lord of The Rings, Game of Thrones, etc. It may not be quite as long, or have the set up of some of those, but in terms of execution and spectacle, this is on the same level. 

This next chapter gives us some really good character development. We get an introduction to Barry Allen, and while I still prefer the CW Grant Gustin portrayal of the character, this version grew on me throughout this film. He is clearly socially awkward, but he maintains that exuberance that the character has had over his decades of publication. The car crash and save is a good way of showing his powers, if a little common place. Not sure how else you show superspeed, but the go to method for all entertainment nowadays is put everything else in super slow-mo and have your speedster move at normal speed. The one thing that struck me as a beautiful attention to detail with this scene was the care and gentleness with which Barry saves Iris. He doesn’t just grab her and pull her into his arms. He carefully folds her arms to her body and cradles her, doing all he can to spare her from even incidental harm. This was a great touch. And just to show I am not a COMPLETE homer for this movie (ok, I am), but the pause to grab the hot dog was a little silly. He could have easily grabbed it on his way back in, not in the midst of a dramatic rescue. Oh, and the music. I know some people don’t like Zack’s use of music to accentuate scenes, but I think it is great, and found this to be a perfect example of how he uses music to elevate the tone of a scene. 

Atlanteans being dragged from the sea, and Steppenwolf being light years ahead of anyone on earth with his tech. Just further showing the odds our heroes are up against. Lois, understandably, having a hard time moving on. Looking for anyway to keep hold of that connection to Clark, even if it is only through his things. I’m not crying! You are! More great Bruce and Diana interaction. And they lead us into our next, and basically last, character introduction. Cyborg.

There has been a lot of online discussion about Ray Fisher and his portrayal of Cyborg, and his treatment and accusations about filming once Joss Whedon took over. I will admit, I wondered if maybe Ray was just upset his role had been minimized for time constraints when Joss took over, and he was just upset he didn’t get as much face time as he was expecting. I wondered if maybe his performance wasn’t that great, and that led to his role being minimized. Cyborg has traditionally been a member of the Teen Titans in the comic books. His inclusion in the Justice League was a relatively recent development with the DC New 52 publishing initiative back in 2011. So if you are going to cut a character arc to make a movie shorter, it stood to reason for me, you would do so with one of the less well known members of the league. However, having now seen his character arc and his portrayal of the character, to say it is obvious why he was upset is an understatement. This is one of the most moving and compelling character introductions in all of comic movies. And it is done in such an emotionally investing manner. Victor is a kid that has the world at his finger tips, and despite that he can’t get the one thing he wants more than anything, his dad’s attention/love/time. His dad isn’t a bad guy, he just doesn’t have his priorities in order. Then Victor loses everything, and is turned into something he never asked to be. We get another bit of exposition here as his dad explains to him what he can do, thus letting the audience know what he can do, and even though it is exposition, it works well, accompanied by the great visuals. And then Zack tugs on the heart strings, hard. He shows us Victor is a kind and compassionate hero. No matter what physical or emotional trauma he is dealing with, he is going to be a hero. He finds a single mother struggling to make ends meet, who still has the kindness to help those less fortunate than she is, even to her own detriment. And Victor changes her life by “adjusting” her financial situation. Better hand those tissues back over. 

Then we get more character insight into Barry, with his visit to his father, which is touching. And Bruce’s recruitment of Barry. All done well, with a bit of humor - “I’m rich.” Moving into a great scene with Diana and Alfred, a pairing I have hardly ever seen interact in 30 years of reading, watching and listening to DC comics. Love Alfred being concerned with Diana making tea the “proper” way. And we get a great quick explanation for how Bruce will be able to withstand going up against parademons armed with other worldly weaponry, as well as the Man of Steel himself. Diana asks for Cyborg’s help and plants the seeds that he isn’t alone in the world despite what he may be feeling. Our first look at Jim Gordon! Good scene establishing how and why the Justice League will be able to find Steppenwolf later. And we get a live action Crispus Allen, which if you are a fan of the Gotham Central comic, you have to love! 

Balancing the quieter character driven moments with the bombastic action scenes, it is now time to jump back into the latter. And here we get the treat of having another female character take the lead, at least for a moment. While Mera doesn’t get billing as being part of the Leauge, this scene shows that she is more than capable and powerful enough to join the other six. She almost single handedly takes down Steppenwolf, using her water manipulation powers to pull the moisture from his body. He is able to fend this off, barely and discards her before being confronted by Aquaman. Despite Aquaman and Mera’s best efforts, Steppenwolf is able to grab the second Mother Box and get away. Nice touch of having Mera give Arthur a dose of tough love, making him understand he has a responsibility whether he wants to accept it or not. 

We jump ahead and meet Gordon on the roof of the GCPD. For all the seriousness and dark tone surrounding the movie, Snyder does a good job of inserting levity fairly naturally and in ways that are not distracting, at least for me. With Josstice League, the jokes felt very forced. Here they play as a nice palate cleanser from the more intense scenes, so the viewer doesn’t just get hammered over and over with doom and gloom. Barry’s excitement over seeing the Batsignal, the heroes bailing on Gordon (a long standing trope of the Gordon/Batman relationship) and Barry pointing out how rude it actually is. 

We are now in the last half of the movie, and we see a significant uptick in the action from here on out. Hopefully this will also mean an significant uptick in the brevity of this review from here on. ;-)

Much better tunnel/Gotham Harbor scene than Josstice League. Wonder Woman just absolutely dominates and shines. Keeping Steppenwolf and his minions at bay while Bats, Cyborg and Flash do what they can to rescue hostages. Great nick-of-time save and intro of Arthur to the team proper. They aren’t dominated the way they were individually, but they clearly are still not enough to take down Steppenwolf. This fight shows them they need something, or someone, more. 

Cool intro to our modern day version of Darkseid. In dripping molten metal form. Introduction of anti-life, and set up for why Earth is so important to Darkseid. Really liked Victor becoming a virtual tour guide of sorts for the history of the Mother Boxes for the rest of the team. I will point out here, and maybe I missed it, but one of the quibbles I have with the movie is why doesn’t Darkseid remember/know where the planet was that defeated him. It plays out like Steppenwolf just randomly stumbles upon Earth, or is drawn to it by the awakened Mother Box. But why didn’t Apokolips already know where they were? And Superman’s death is the call that wakes the mother boxes to draw Steppenwolf to Earth, but why didn’t they call out prior to his arrival? I think a good explanation would have been if Abin Sur, the Green Lantern protector of Earth was around up until Supes arrival and died sometime after Supes appearance and Hal Jordan or John Stewart, whoever took up the ring next, was off world on Oa being trained during Steppenwolf’s attack. But this is not addressed. And yes, I know it would have made the movie longer, but I am all for that. 

This next part plays so much differently and better than in Josstice League. Bruce’s whole plan in Josstice League revolves around bringing Clark back from the dead. It is a confusing idea, because why would Bruce think this was even possible. And of course it leads to cliche conflict with Diana and the rest of the team. Here is plays out a little more rational, to me at least. They kind of discover through the analysis of Cyborg’s Mother Box, or maybe the realization of what it is capable of, based on what it did for Cyborg. It restored him. So it stands to reason it may be able to do the same for Supes. 

Next we have a touching scene with “Martha” reaching out to Lois to coax her back into the world. This was a good scene, but the reveal at the end is odd. Martha is shown to be Martian Manhunter. This just leads to perplexing issues about what happens later. Eventually Lois will mention Martha’s visit to Martha, and Martha will have no idea what Lois is talking about. And it wasn’t necessary for this to be Martian Manhunter in this scene. Add to that the fact that Lois knows Martian Manhunters other alter ego, General Swanwick from Man of Steel. So why didn’t he just go to her as Swanwick. Sure the connection would not have been as strong, but still would have been a lot less confusing and problematic later on. 

The graveyard scene is one of those things that may have been better as a audience assumption thing. Not sure I needed to see them dig up Clark’s body. But it did give us the great Cyborg line “She’s 5000 years old. EVERY guy is a younger guy.” Ha, good stuff. There is also some good self reflection moments here. Barry telling Cyborg about Superman inspiring him. Diana and Arhur finding out they are more similar than they may have thought. 

We get another wonderful Bruce and Alfred moment. These scenes make me really bummed we never got a proper stand along Ben Affleck Batman film with Jeremy Irons as Alfred. But Bruce reinforces his change in perspective, telling Alfred he is operating on faith. A welcome change from him operating on flawed fear and dark logic of BvS (“If there is even a 1% chance, we have to take that as an absolute certainty!” Um. What?). 

Supes resurrection takes place very similarly to how it did in Josstice League from what I can remember. It is a fine way to do it. They don’t go through the contrivance of why Barry has to touch the box as it hits the water with Supes body. They just play it that way, and it allows for the audience to get a peak at Flash’s time manipulation powers, which will come into play later. 

The Mother Boxes give Cyborg a vision of the future. Some pretty iconic imagery here, of the Justice League dead or dying. We also get what might be our only live action shot of Darkseid using his iconic omega beams. It is amazing, and almost cruel in that we will probably never get to see them again. 

Superman comes back. He fights the Justice League. It is a great look at just how powerful Superman is. And how much the League needs him. A friend mentioned they didn’t like Lois randomly showing up. I felt that was fine. Sure, it is a little convenient, but she was visiting his memorial one last time. If she sees a figure hovering over the site of her soulmates ship, she is probably going to investigate what is going on. He pointed out that Lois was part of Bat’s plans in Josstice League, which made Batman seem smarter. And while this is true, in this version, it was not Batman’s plan all along to restore Superman, so it stands to reason he might not have thought to have Lois waiting in the wings. Plus it always struck me as odd that in Josstice League, Bruce had to go to Lois at some point and say “Yeah, so I am going to go try and raise your boyfriend from the grave, and I need you to chill with my butler in case I need you.” 

Another side note. Henry Cavill is the perfect Superman. I love Christopher Reeve's Superman. He was who I grew up with, and will always have special place in my heart. But Henry has the acting ability to pull off the iconic role, along with the physical presence to make you believe this is a god walking among us. He looks like he stepped off the pages of a comic. If Warner Bros. does not have him play the character again in his own film, something is very, very wrong with the entertainment industry.

Victor’s dad sacrifices himself to allow Victor to trace the box, as Victor looks on helpless. The tragedy continues to pile up for Cyborg, and this makes his resolve and perseverance all the more impressive. Great acting from Ray. Death scenes can always be too much, or not enough. He finds the right tone here. 

Lois guides Clark as he readjusts back to the land of the living. The acting in the movie is so good. The story of Lois and Clark and Martha is so well done and has so much weight when you account for the fact that their arcs started all the way back in Man of Steel. The League makes a plan to stop Steppenwolf. Martha shows up to see her son alive and well. Zack, you’re gonna have to cut it out, the tissues are almost gone. 

The League prepares to go. Bruce tells Diana about his vision of the dark future. Cyborg gets the flying troop carrier working. Interesting idea that Vic and “talk” to machines, not just control them. He says that she (the ship) wanted to fly. Then we get one of my favorite sequences in the whole movie. As the rest of the team loads into the ship, Bruce tells Alfred that “He’ll be here,” referring to Superman. Alfred asks how he knows, and Bruce just replies “Faith Alfred! Faith.” Such a good line and scene. This Bruce isn’t devoid of emotion and hope. He is a more well rounded person than the soulless rage machine that wanted to hunt down and kill Superman for very sketchy reasons through the first half of BvS. 

Jumping ahead just a bit, Steppenwolf starts the Unity now that he has all three Mother Boxes. But then we get maybe my favorite part of the whole film. Superman, reborn, and taking flight again for the first time in his new suit. The call back to Clark’s first flight in Man of Steel brings up all the feels, and they make it even better by reconciling the one issue I had with Man of Steel. Jonathan Kent’s reluctance to let Clark be who he was meant to be. His lack of moral fortitude when it comes to Clark doing the “right” thing, was always hard to reconcile. I understand why he did it. In that movie, Jonathan was scared. Scared for his son. He knew what the world was like, and knew how it could descend upon his family and take his son away if anyone ever found out what he could do. And so he did his best to keep him safe, including answering difficult questions as honestly as he could. “What was I supposed to do? Let them die?” “Maybe.” Having been a fan of Superman as long as I have been alive, the one think that I know about Superman is that he always does what is right. And this strong, unwavering moral compass comes from his mother and father. So having Jonathan present anything short of that strong moral guidepost for Clark was jarring. And then we get this scene. Jonathan provides dualing voice over narration with Jor El. They both impart their son with one last message of love. Letting him know that he is the person they always knew he could and would be. Jor El encourages Kal to love the world the way he and Kal’s mom loved him. And Jonathan lets Clark know that he needs to be who he was meant to be. Jonathan’s words play almost apologetic to me, letting Clark know, any reservations Clark may have had about who he was and was supposed to be, those were not his faults, but Jonathan’s. The worries he may have been saddle with, because of the fears of a father trying to keep his child safe, are not his to carry. It is time for Clark to be the hero he was supposed to be. And with a final word “Fly.” Clark takes off, completing the character arc that was started back in Man of Steel.

I don’t have a ton to say about the final battle. It is spectacular. It is exciting and engrossing. It isn’t saddled with odd Russian families that force the action to stop or slow down to save. Which makes sense, as Steppenwolf chose this area because of its remoteness and radiation. I loved every second of it. Wonder Woman, Cyborg and Aquaman get some great powerhouse moments, giving Steppenwolf all he can handle for the most part. Batman doesn’t come off as overpowered, or unrealistic for a human going up against other worldly creatures, but he still is able to make key contributions to the fight. And Superman showing up is a stand up and cheer moment. One I could only imagine would have gotten a round of applause in the theater, had it happened in that setting. And then Superman using his abilities to the fullest is just awesome. Superspeed, heat vision, super strength, FREEZE BREATH! Just awesome. And yet, it still appears they were just a fraction too late, as a parademon gets a lucky hit on The Flash, and he is unable to get Vic the boost he needs to separate the Mother Boxes. Until, we get one of the coolest visual scenes in a movie jam packed with cool visual scenes. Barry reverses time, step by step as he propels himself back through time to get to Vic and give him the chance he needs to save the day. Vic faces off against the Mother Boxes and shows them and the audience that he is secure in who he is, a great message for so many people struggling with identity and their place in the world today. Great ending. 

Oh, and Steppenwolf gets shish kabobed and beheaded on his way back to Apokolips while Darkseid, Dessaad and Granny Goodness look on via boom tube. Again, the imagery is astounding. You can reference my previous paragraph about the brutal nature of Zack’s characters for the rest. 

And then we get our Epilogue. AKA “Leave them wanting more”. Some wonderful wrap up moments. Bruce and Clark at the Kent farm (“I bought the bank” such a great line), showing the world’s finest dynamic that I prefer in my Batman and Superman. And incredible Lex and Deathstroke scene that may be the cruelest tease of all, knowing we will never get to see that awesome Bruce and Deathstroke showdown. And a return to the Knightmare future, and a great back and forth between Affleck’s Batman and Leto’s Joker. I will say, Batman saying he was going to f’ing kill the Joker was a little jarring, but, again, I am getting used to this being Zack’s version of the characters, and not as much of the classical versions I prefer. Also, why is Harley Quinn’s death the thing that finally pushes Bruce to decide to kill the Joker? That aside, this post apocalyptic (apokoliptic?) worlds are always fun, and I really want the full movie featuring this world and the heroes fighting to fix things. And finally one last visit to Bruce. Martian Manhunter let’s Bruce know it isn’t over. And we are left knowing WB has probably robbed us of any completion of this story. 

I can’t express how much I love this movie. There are some parts that don’t work storywise, as well as I wish they would. There is some character stuff (aka the brutality) that I could do without. But in spite of the little quibbles here and there, I still find myself incredibly invested in the film. It is epic. It is a visual masterpiece. It is virtually everything you could want from a comic book movie. It feels like a giant comic book story. It is long, to be sure, but it never felt that long to me. It actually blew by. I can’t wait to watch it again. And again, and again. Thank you to Zack and all the fans out there that pushed to #releasethesnydercut and had - Faith.