Something wicked (and awesome) this way comes
I'm actually one of those people who quite enjoyed the last two entries to the Snyder DCEU saga while still noticing its' flaws and understanding its' ambition. I respected the move behind the release of this version and initially, I wasn't really expecting much before watching this knowing it's the same plot as the 2017 one, which I kinda enjoy but thought it was mediocre and quite forgettable. But, man, how pleasantly surprised I was and honestly, shocked, to find out how different and amazing this turned out to be. It's not even the same movie anymore.
Right off the bat, the tone and atmosphere feels darker, unlike the moroseness of 'Batman v Superman' but more closer to 'Man of Steel'. There's something more at stake and tension is built up from the beginning. But, it's not all doom and gloom since we get to see our heroes living their lives before coming together to fight the big baddie Steppenwolf.
The thing that frustrated me the most with the older version is how nothing made much impact within the story going forward. This version on the other hand, puts emphasis on small moments throughout each scene and adds weight to its' proceedings. Two of the main characters, namely Cyborg and Flash, are given much more screen time than they were ever given before, fleshing them out more in the process. Intricate details within the story gets a few amount of spotlight, making the world feel grand, richer and much more immersive. Also something that stood out to me is how much more violent and adult this version comes off, and it's all the better for it.
Another real upgrade I'd like to mention is the villain of this story, Steppenwolf. This time around, he's given more to work with and has a better design to his character. You get a sense of what his motivations are and what drives him to do all the things he does, instead of just being a cartoonishly bad antagonist. There's a saying that a movie is only as good as its' conflict. Luckily, he stepped up to the plate (pun intended). And there's another looming presence (that I won't spoil for the sake of your enjoyment) that adds an extra sense of urgency and dread.
The only real gripe I have with this is some of the pacing issues and odd choices that were made and may seem unnecessary, which is ultimately nitpicky and doesn't deter my enjoyment of this movie that much, although for some people it might (you'll know it when you see it). I could argue it works better as a miniseries since it's divided in parts but as a whole it could still use some trimming down a bit.
Personally, I think it's up there with some of the best superhero movies. I would say it's one of the best iterations of the DCEU, after 'Wonder Woman' and 'Shazam' and I almost wished that I never watched the 2017 Justice League, now that I've witnessed the original intention for this story. It dwarves that version's worth in quality and only goes to show that you could never rush art for the sake of profit. I'd definitely recommend it even to casual fans who are not that invested in this franchise to give this one a try.
And there's gotta be a sequel after this.
Right off the bat, the tone and atmosphere feels darker, unlike the moroseness of 'Batman v Superman' but more closer to 'Man of Steel'. There's something more at stake and tension is built up from the beginning. But, it's not all doom and gloom since we get to see our heroes living their lives before coming together to fight the big baddie Steppenwolf.
The thing that frustrated me the most with the older version is how nothing made much impact within the story going forward. This version on the other hand, puts emphasis on small moments throughout each scene and adds weight to its' proceedings. Two of the main characters, namely Cyborg and Flash, are given much more screen time than they were ever given before, fleshing them out more in the process. Intricate details within the story gets a few amount of spotlight, making the world feel grand, richer and much more immersive. Also something that stood out to me is how much more violent and adult this version comes off, and it's all the better for it.
Another real upgrade I'd like to mention is the villain of this story, Steppenwolf. This time around, he's given more to work with and has a better design to his character. You get a sense of what his motivations are and what drives him to do all the things he does, instead of just being a cartoonishly bad antagonist. There's a saying that a movie is only as good as its' conflict. Luckily, he stepped up to the plate (pun intended). And there's another looming presence (that I won't spoil for the sake of your enjoyment) that adds an extra sense of urgency and dread.
The only real gripe I have with this is some of the pacing issues and odd choices that were made and may seem unnecessary, which is ultimately nitpicky and doesn't deter my enjoyment of this movie that much, although for some people it might (you'll know it when you see it). I could argue it works better as a miniseries since it's divided in parts but as a whole it could still use some trimming down a bit.
Personally, I think it's up there with some of the best superhero movies. I would say it's one of the best iterations of the DCEU, after 'Wonder Woman' and 'Shazam' and I almost wished that I never watched the 2017 Justice League, now that I've witnessed the original intention for this story. It dwarves that version's worth in quality and only goes to show that you could never rush art for the sake of profit. I'd definitely recommend it even to casual fans who are not that invested in this franchise to give this one a try.
And there's gotta be a sequel after this.
- kshirad
- Mar 18, 2021