Years ago, Zack Snyder was forced to abandon post-production of his Justice League due to the tragic death of his daughter. He originally envisioned his film as a four-hour epic but, after being handed over to Joss Whedon (The Avengers), it was trimmed to two hours and 20 minutes to appease the studio. 2017’s theatrical Justice League is the result of chopping Snyder’s vision into little pieces, mending some of it back together, and using random puzzle pieces (that your dog chewed on) to fill in the gaps—Frankenstein’s monster masquerading as an Avengers rip-off. A fraction of Snyder’s work is there but it’s buried underneath CGI lips and jokes you won’t make any friends telling. Thanks to the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement, Snyder’s Justice League is now streaming on HBO Max. In this very (predictable) Mandatory Justice League Battle, we pit Snyder’s four-hour cut against Whedon’s abbreviated version. (WARNING: Spoilers for Justice League).
Cover Photo: Warner Media
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An absolute shutout. Watching Snyder’s Justice League feels as cathartic as giving “The Man” the middle finger. By comparison, the Jossitice League is unequivocal dogshit. In fact, there’s no comparison. Sure, you could say the Snyder Cut is too long, but it actually has character development, purpose, and you’re free to make use of a mandatory pause button if need be.
Snyder’s Justice League is a win for its creator and fans— the sprawling cut they asked for. That said, especially those who asked for it, need to support it. Make it loud and clear (by watching it…not rage tweeting) that the Studio shouldn’t have wrestled control away from Snyder; we want to see what happens next. Although we’ll likely never see because corporations don’t have the balls to admit defeat. Still, the internet can, and will, ask for the Snyder Cut 2.0.
Overall Winner: Zack Snyder’s Justice League
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JL Battle
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Visuals
Snyder’s Justice League simply looks better—from the director’s distinct lighting and images to its effects. Hell, we're here for its excessive use of slow motion. There’s no Snapchat of Superman but a vibrant, abstract painting of Superman’s death awakening the Mother Boxes (context we needed). Whedon originally cropped out much of Snyder’s footage to match up with a more standard aspect ratio. The Snyder Cut rocks a 4:3 aspect ratio, which may remind you of that brick of a big screen your parents had in the early '00s but who cares.
Winner: Zack Snyder's Justice League
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Character Development
This is the game-changer. Thanks to overall better pacing, Snyder’s Justice League has time to introduce its characters. In particular, Victor Stone/Cyborg and Barry Allen/Flash; the former embodying Justice League’s heart (something Whedon ripped out). His origin story, the loss of his mother, conflict with his father, and struggle to find a place in the world isn't in “Josstice League,” which basically leaves room for a single “booyah.” Salad dressing. Also, Flash isn’t just some coward who pushes people and runs away; he’s funnier, charming, and actually understands his powers and knows his limits. The development of these two characters alone completely changes Justice League’s climax. The League would’ve lost without Cyborg and Flash (whose time travel antics are a highlight).
On top of that, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Superman are all much better characters. You could spend hours asking questions like: why did Whedon change the farm’s dialogue? Have Flash fall on Wonder Woman implying sex stuff? Snyder fleshes out all of his characters so that their coming together make sense. They feel like the Justice League after four hours.
Winner: Zack Snyder's Justice League
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Easter Eggs/Supporting Characters
Let’s start with Joe Morton’s (basically playing the same character from Terminator 2: Judgment Day) Silas Stone, a character whose heroic actions are non-existent in Josstice League. Cyborg’s father not only provides context for Victor’s character (a pair of essential voiceovers) but sacrifices himself so that his son can save the world (by heating the Mother Box). Then there are appearances by William Dafoe’s Vulko, Harry Lennix’s Martian Manhunter, JK Simmons’ James Gordon, Amber Heard’s (British?) Mera, Jared Leto’s Joker—all characters that were useless in Josstice League. Their tactful inclusion (as well as Ryan Choi, Deathstroke, and so many others) in the Snyder Cut extends the universe, making it a fully-realized epic that sets up films Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and other films in the DC Extended Universe.
Winner: Zack Snyder's Justice League
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Action/Effects
R-rated action vs. PG-13 makes a huge difference here. Snyder’s action is much more intense (and there’s more of it). For example, in Wonder Woman’s first fight scene, she’s faster and hits people way harder. Blood splats. There are even tender moments like a child asking Diana if she can “be like [her] someday?” after Wonder Woman just straight-up bodied a handful of people. Another good example is when Steppenwolf takes the Mother Box from the Amazons—they weren’t a problem in Josstice League but they do work in the Snyder Cut.
The Snyder Cut takes time to build tension and then explodes on multiple occasions. This is best summed up by Aquaman impaling Steppenwolf, who then gets hit by Superman, and beheaded by Wonder Woman before the villain's head flies through the “boom tube” and lands at Darkseid’s feet (as opposed to Steppenwolf getting taken out by “fear” in Josstice League). Superman is more powerful, the team fights together (combo moves), and the stakes are higher in Snyder’s Justice League because no one is fucking around.
Winner: Zack Snyder's Justice League
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Villain (s)
Steppenwolf was lame in 2017. A cookie-cutter antagonist who talked to his mother a lot...In Snyder’s Justice League he looks terrifying and is an actual character who just wants to go home/get back in Darkseid’s good graces by delivering the Anti-Life Equation and the planet he lost. The looming threat of Darkseid (as well as a Lord of the Rings-style history lesson recounting the villain's first invasion of Earth) adds weight to everything.
In the same way, Marvel’s Thanos represented pending doom, Darkseid and Batman’s Knightmare sequence doesn’t bode well for the Justice League. By the time Darkseid, beside DeSaad (and thousands of servants), says “I guess we’re going do this the old-fashioned way” after being eyeballed by our heroes, you can wait for more of these villains to come at the League.
Winner: Zack Snyder's Justice League
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Score
Thomas Holkenborg (Junkie XL) scored Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and also composed the music for Snyder's Justice League (over three hours' worth). Danny Elfman took over Holkenborg’s duties for the theatrical cut. Snyder reinstates Holkenborg’s work and it sounds great. In-line with other films in the Snyderverse. Sure, Wonder Woman’s mythological-annoying music plays when she literally does anything but we’re happy to ignore that. Also, occasionally utilizing John Williams Superman score is a nice touch.
Winner: Zack Snyder's Justice League
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Development
The development of Snyder’s Justice League is unprecedented. A four-hour cut of his movie would’ve never made its way to theaters—which is weird because it almost needed to be four hours. You can’t introduce six characters, establish a villain, and build a believable world in two hours. Warner Bros. And DC tried to rush the development of their universe to keep up with Marvel Studios.
If there’s anything to be learned from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you need something longer (or just more movies) to build a cohesive universe. This is arguably why Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’s theatrical version failed; it tried to do too much. The Snyder Cut allows its visionary the time he needs (and has always needed) to deliver the goods. A labor of love felt by all who watch it, dedicated to Autumn. Josstice League represents Hollywood trying to squeeze a buck out of a constipated turd (*cheesy jokes*) as quickly as possible, and it’s not worth the squeeze.
Winner: Zack Snyder's Justice League
