REVIEW: ZACK SNYDER'S JUSTICE LEAGUE

 

4/5

Justice For All.

242 Mins. Starring: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Henry Cavill, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Diane Lane, Connie Nielsen, Joe Morton, Billy Crudup, Ciaran Hinds, Willem Dafoe, Jeremy Irons, J.K. Simmons & Jared Leto. Director: Zack Snyder.

'Lawrence Of Arabia' isn't even as long as this s###. Seriously that clocks in at just under 227 minutes of runtime across the desert. This? Well we've waited almost four years for the ultimate edition of 'Justice League' like the underrated dawn that came before. So what's four more hours? An extreme epic, that's what it is. And they said the age of heroes would never come again. But it had to. We've been screaming, "release the Snyder Cut" for years and here it is in the name of real fan service, not toxic trolls in tandem with fandom (perhaps the real chemtrails can be traced back to those who just consume entertainment to find something to complain about. Why waste your time? Any of you). This is the big one. 'Zack Snyder's Justice League'. Driving a stake into 'Buffy' director Joss Whedon's much maligned botched job. "I tried", said a homeless man's Easter Egg sign in the 2017 clusterf###. From everything that's come out about this man since, from Ray Fisher to Charisma Carpenter, he should have tried harder. WAY harder! As a man he must be held accountable for the abuse he is accused of if found guilty. And we stand by Fisher, Carpenter and countless more too. As a director no matter how good his 'Avengers' assemble ensemble and 'Vampire Slayer' was, he tried to make the dark DC world of 'Justice' in a league with Marvel's humor, which is in one of its own (and Anthony a Mackie was worried 'The Falcon and The Winter Soldier' was going to be a flop). Which is ironic considering how cynical his 'Age of Ulton' and avenging press tour of passive aggression was. Although he should be credited for fighting to keep Clint Barton's family alive in the 'guess who's coming home for dinner in tights' scene that led to the most emotional 'Endgame' opening moments and that Ronin soldier lost in Tokyo's translation. We wouldn't have the Hailee Steinfeld, Kate Bishop 'Hawkeye' series on Disney + without it, or him. Also here we are missing a great Gotham moment with 'Mindhunter' Holt McCallany and that nice newspaper headline that asked if like Superman, Prince and Ziggy Stardust returned to their home planets he added. But that doesn't make up for the mistakes he has made in movies and the wrong he is said to have done in the real world. Snyder himself was victim of snide comments and social media jibes for his beautifully graphic novel style of directing when he had to leave the 2017 'JL' production due to a tragedy in the family. But look what we were left with without him. Now in a redemption he didn't need to earn when everything burned he really fights for the right side. Standing in solidarity like uniting the seven and raising money for suicide awareness and aid charities like 'Us United'. In loving memory of his lovely daughter. For Autumn...for always.

Snyder's stunning and sublime direction off the cells of a comic canvas come at you in a symphony of signature slow motion and operatic outstanding moments. Now all that's left to do at the coral of this living, breathing (and of course brooding) comic-book is marvel...no pun intended. The toys in this sandbox have all the moving parts for your iconic action figures. Last Christmas, '1984' reminded you of how much of a wonder Gal Gadot is as the woman of justice now Snyder takes this league and says it's good...but it could be better like a 'Mandalorian' or Baby Yoda for your Disney +. Like the King of Atlantis, Aquaman sitting on Prince's lasso in Whedon's version, the 'Fast and Furious' and forthcoming Agatha Christie to Kenneth Branagh Poirot, 'Death On The Nile' actress is just fabulous. And that's the golden neon truth like the technicolor wonder years of the 80's. And speaking of sleeping with the fishes, the Arthur Curry who talks to them has been redefined with dominance by Jason Momoa. With rumors of his other HBO franchise 'Game Of Thrones' having a spin-off revival, Momoa makes Curry, the former 'Robot Chicken' gag chuckle and cluck hot like the dish. Whilst his stunning solo movie showed that he could realm ravish Thor's world of Asgard (like Cate Blanchett destroying it all in two minutes...sorry to Mark Ruffalo you), just like he could muscle up with it. Arm for arms in this war chest that DC reopens. Ready to run like Ezra Miller's fun and free Barry Allen who one day might make it to the finish line of his own solo 'Flashpoint' movie. Although 'Watchmen's' Dr. Manhattan, Billy Crudup crossing the streams won't. Still, that doesn't stop him from playing pops in prison here with a touching moment through the perspex that's anything but phoned in. Just like the first time we see Barry break his bonds (or his sneakers), touch frosted glass like it was silk and rescue what could have been the love of his life passing him by with Quicksilver stops for snacks (what's with the wiener?). And how about the iron man of Ray Fisher's kinetic cyborg and his middle of a socially distanced streets, hooded isolation? Now we get the real directors cut and the original origin stories they deserve, we get to see that "snow" motion American Football scene on the gridiron that looks as epic as anything touching down here for your varsity jacket, or the time Tom Hardy's Bane, "let the games begiiin". Justice for Fish. Scene stealing, no Teen Titan. The depth and emotion of his character arc are defining and epic. It makes you think what Whedon really did to him and his character in his cut. But, with all due respect to Robin and the spray painted Easter Egg in 'BvS' that shows just how subtle Snyder can be in sobering sojourns when he's not soaring the stratosphere, how about the real dynamic duo? We may be excited for Robert Pattinson, but how good is it to see Ben Affleck back in noir as the Bat? Possibly the best Bruce Wayne of all-time when it comes to that "I'm rich" superpower side and best line of the brooding Batman suited and cloaked in loneliness. He brings a darkness to the knight and speaking of back in black, that tone fits the Captain America stars and stripes of Clark Kent's Superman perfectly too side-by-side, now these two heavyweights realize their mum has the same name (sorry I Christoph Waltz, "couldn't resist"). That black suit just hits different like a CGI moustache (sorry...we also couldn't...yep), but imagine if we could have got a Nicolas Cage mullet too for this cut. Self-destructing the notion that the fallout of the last movies effects was a mission impossible to redeem in the first five seconds we see him arrive like glasses of water out of 'Jurassic Park'. The cavalier Henry Cavill was born to play the Man Of Steel like Chris Evans Captain Rogers, or like we wish that was him in the 'Shazam' cafeteria cameo with the lunch tray. Symbols of hope, united after their own civil wars with billionaire, playboy philanthropists. Your critical kryptonite doesn't work anymore. Is it a bird? Is it the same? Now all we need is a Green Lantern. We saw Ryan Reynolds was watching. 

Rogue galleries and those not living long enough to see themselves become the villain could be filled here however with an all-star cast filling out the bench. Of course there's Amy Adams fresh off her 'Hillbilly Elegy' with Ron Howard and an Oscar and Razzie nominated Glenn Close, showing just how she made Lois Lane her own scoop. And of course the legend of Diane Lane, the reason why you are saying that name and the touching moments between the special ladies in Clark's life he would, "fight, fight, fight" for. As legendary as the '300' men one woman and her world could inspire in Connie Nielsen. The emotional gravity and groundwork of "I...don't...know...how...long", Joe "can...hold..this" Morton brings these capes right back down to earth as he holds on to the hope for his sons black box resurrection longer than he did the trigger in the 'Judgement Day' of 'Terminator 2'. Whilst 'Spider-Man', Norman Osborne, Green Goblin legend Willem Dafoe and Amber Heard fill in the 'Aquaman' exposition. Speaking of your friendly, neighbourhood web crawler, its great to see a perfect cast J. K. Simmons as Jim Gordon, like it is to see him back as the menacing journo Jonah Jameson in the Marvel multi-verse of more spiders than your bedroom in Summer (sorry). It's a shame to see him replaced (although the restrained passion of Jeffrey Wright is going to be redefining). Just like the Batman/Bruce banter of butler and 'Watchmen' series star Jeremy Irons as Alfred  (but then again, Andy Serkis people) for the 'Watchmen' movie director (did you forget how good he is?), with all the Kings horses and all the Kings men delivering one of the best rewrote lines like a raging bull as the red capes are coming back like Jesse Eisenberg's legacy remaking Lex Luthor (still can't believe someone had to tell Bryan Cranston and our hopes and dreams of him breaking bad and bald again as Luthor to leave after Jesse originally read for Jimmy Olsen (which he would have geeked out been perfect for...Eisenberg, not Cranston)). The only relationship closer than this guardian is that of hero and villain like a Celtic and Laker, Schwarzenegger and Stallone in the 90's. And if you thought Ciaran Hinds hallmark voiced villain Steppenwolf doing his best impression of the Destroyer off Thor was still a step behind, despite the improved CG (that left a little in the kitty and to be desired for Darkseid) then how about the clown prince of crime? Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix?! Not quite. How about an improved Jared Leto fresh off his award nominated 'Little Things' head-to-head with fellow Academy alumni winners Rami Malek and Denzel Washington? Now there it is Batmaannn. No longer "damaged" after 'Suicide', but in a straight jacket and SWAT vest with long acid hair, don't care and 'Morbius' Ruby blood red lips, this is one Knightmare we don't want to wake up from. Dancing in the pale moonlight, we want to see an Affleck and Leto Batman movie like we wish we could have a directed solo one from the 'Argo' Oscar winner, with all due respect and anticipation for the dawn of 'Planet Of The Apes' new generation Matt Reeves. Or the premonition of another long coat walk through the trenches of our deepest and darkest fears were "honor is a distant memory". Society, the joke is no longer on Jared. It's on us. If you know what I meme. He's back on as The Joker for yet another redemption, filling in all the Easter Egg exposition you may Wonder about like a "man's job". Cards laid out. All in. Now what a pack and a great deal taken to the max for HBO. With so many directors visions left on the cutting room floor, this one finally exists in the light of a new day, making everything right, like it's supposed to be. Sure there's problems (no more than any Marvel movie or season finale), but what hero doesn't go through trials? In the end, Snyder saves the day. It was the only way. Not the movie we got, but the movie we deserved. Cut, print and that's a wrap. Justice...served. TIM DAVID HARVEY. 

Further Filming: 'Justice League (2017)', 'Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice', '300'.