PC: "Justice League Poster FINALLY Adds Superman!" by AntMan3001 is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Isabella Gargiulo

Four years after the original film, the four hour director’s cut of “Justice League” has been released on HBO Max.

In 2017, fans were left heartbroken over the first directorial cut of “Justice League.” The film, originally directed by Zack Snyder, had to quickly shift gears in production when his daughter committed suicide during filming. Warner Brothers, the company behind producing the movie, decided to bring in Joss Whedon to finish the film, and it was nothing like what Snyder originally planned for this iconic group. 

Whedon’s version lacked a storyline, as well as including unnecessary scenes that became major plot holes, such as a Russian family living in a toxic wasteland that was supposed to be deserted for over 30 years. 

Fans had many more concerns with the film, as it seemed rushed and  put out to compete against Marvel at the time. But when fans were notified that Whedon’s version was in fact not Snyder’s vision and he had a whole other movie filmed, they were furious. This news led fans on a four-year long journey, begging for the Snyder Cut to be released.

“Fans fought and begged for years under #ReleaseTheSnyderCut and received a movie that made the calls for this movie well beyond worth it,” sophomore Shea Soja said. “In the aftermath of the release, fans are starting a similar movement again on social media, this time it is #RestoreTheSnyderVerse , because fans loved what Zack Snyder gave them with this movie and want to see all the easter eggs in this movie come to life on the big screen in future films.”

The Snyder Cut is vastly different from the film that was released in theatres nearly four years ago. The film is now four hours long and split into six chapters, along with an epilogue and end credits scene. 

The introduction changed greatly; instead of a young boy filming Superman, the film starts with the death of Superman, which occured at the end of “Batman v. Superman.” Snyder captures the ripple effect of Superman’s death, as his scream radiates around the world and awakes the mother boxes: three powerful boxes that have the availability to destroy planets. 

In the original film, Steppenwolf is the main villain, who seeks the mother boxes once they are awakened. 

In this version, he serves the formidable foe Darkseid, one of the Justice League’s most powerful enemies. This addition excited fans, as Darkseid had never been seen in a live-action DC film before. The film also introduces two new villains, Desaad and Granny Goodness, who are briefly mentioned.

Along with the introduction of new villains, there was the introduction of a new superhero as well, who may be joining the league in their future battles. 

Fans finally got to see Martian Manhunter, a character hinted at for quite some time, but never revealed. In the film, Martian Manhunter disguises himself as Martha Kent, Superman’s mom, to have a discussion with Lois Lane on the death of Superman. After the conversation, he turns into his true form, a green alien, completely designed and made using CGI. 

Martian Manhunter is brought in again towards the end credits of the film, as he meets with Bruce Wayne to formally introduce himself and discuss his plan of wanting to fight to protect the Earth. It was quite a surprise to see him in the film, but it made fans more eager to see what happens to him in the future.

Fans around the world are raving about the Snyder Cut, but current students at Florida Southern College are enjoying Zack Snyder’s version of the film as well. 

“Zack Snyder’s Justice League was a true masterpiece,” Soja said. “Compared to the 2017 theatrical cut, this version was improved in every aspect. We saw fleshed out character backstories, strong character development, and a fitting ending to an amazing movie.” 

The Snyder Cut was beautifully done, as it gave fans closure on Zack Snyder’s true vision. His inclusion of more detailed explanations, such as the origin of Darkseid, as well as more action scenes and familiar faces, set the film to be one of the best superhero movies right now. While the film may be four hours long, the pacing allows the viewer to be invested the whole time, following along with the concrete storyline. 

The epilogue was nicely crafted, as Snyder was able to film the interaction between Batman and Joker. Their interaction has not been seen yet in this universe. Deathstroke.another villain also made his first appearace. With the improved storyline and addition of new and old faces, Snyder was able to capture the message of the Justice League: a team of superheroes fighting for justice and facing threats that are too great for humanity to face alone. 

 “Overall, Zack Snyder’s Justice League was a major success, giving the fans what they wanted for so long and allowing Zack Snyder to see his vision displayed in grand fashion,” Soja said.

Zack Snyder’s “Justice League” is currently streaming for free on HBO Max.

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