Zack Snyder’s Justice League

 After the immense backlash against the 2017 film Justice League, fan’s call for the Snyder cut of the film to be released has been answered. The film, which contains the director’s original vision, is available to stream on HBO Max. 

   The film, originally supposed to be directed by Zack Snyder, was handed over to Joss Whedon, after a family tragedy. Whedon heavily changed the film from Snyder’s original vision, resulting in fan backlash. Snyder’s version, or the Snyder cut, has returned Justice League to his original vision, with a runtime of now four hours and two minutes, compared to Whedon’s two hour runtime. 

     Snyder’s version included many changes, such as the design of the main villain Steppenwolf, the inclusion of Martian Manhunter, Darkseid, and Iris West, and the drastic difference in the final battle of the movie. The final battle’s coloring most notably didn’t include its orange tint, and resulted in a very different series of events than shown in Whedon’s version. 

   While Whedon’s version of the film included Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Superman, Cyborg, and the Flash, Snyder’s film displayed a completely different take on the characters. In the Snyder cut, Cyborg plays a much more significant role, and is considered the heart of the story. The Flash and Aquaman also become more prominent, and Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman’s characters become more developed. 

    While the plots of the movies are similar, and share the same common aspects, Snyder’s version feels more developed. This is most likely due to the longer runtime, as Snyder originally envisioned the film being divided into two separate films. Snyder’s version elaborates on the backstory and motivations of the characters, especially the villain, Steppenwolf. His plan becomes more fully fledged and his character also becomes significantly more developed. 

    Snyder’s version clarifies the story, and fills in gaps cut by Whedon’s version. The plot appears more cohesive, with more defined characters, giving the majority of DC fans, another Justice League to enjoy.