Walt Minnick

Zack Snyder's delivered with his version of Justice League, shaping it into a character driven epic of mythic heroes among us. When originally released in 2017, the product of studio interference and director shuffling amidst a family's deeply personal tragedy, that theatrical release was uneven in tone, riddled with plot holes, and missing a great deal of character development that would have provided the bricks, mortar, and foundation to what had become a tenuous ramshackle lean-to of a movie. Snyder's restored and expanded cut carries a consistent tone throughout, and while Snyder maintained the serious tone for which he's been criticized during his tenure in the DCEU, first with Man of Steel, and then with Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, this film is the clear start of the evolution he'd promised for the continued narrative of a rookie Superman and his legendary peers - in addition to the heart apparent from beginning to end of this monstrous undertaking, an optimism unrevealed in the two prior films is first unapologetically expressed by Ezra Miller's Barry Allen, the all but codenamed Flash, and later by Henry Cavill's Clark Kent, as he embraces the heroic persona he'd been reluctantly forced into in prior films. Superman's participation in the final battle is a joy to experience - in stark contrast to the desperate struggle he experienced during the invasion scenes in Man of Steel, this resurrected hero exhibits a new appreciation for each experience in life, even reveling in the challenge he faces with the villain, Steppenwolf. While the 4 hour length seems daunting at a glance, the actual viewing was enjoyable - though it definitely felt long, the pace of the story kept things moving in such a way that I didn't feel the 4 hours passing. I'd also be remiss to not mention this (I'm saving the best for last): Ray Fisher's Victor Stone, genius college athlete turned otherworldly cyborg after a tragic accident, is the true heart of the film, experiencing his own hero's journey as he comes to accept the gifts of his new circumstances with eventual determination (and even delight) to serve as a vital member of this nascent Justice League. The wealth of new material that allows his character to truly shine highlights how much of disappointment the theatrical version was. Zack Snyder's Justice League is worth the viewing - and if you're concerned about the length, it's been clearly separated into chapters to allow for breaks, if necessary, so there's little excuse to avoid the opportunity to check it out.