We all have seen the 2017 version of the Justice League which was directed by Joss Whedon (the director of The Avengers). The 2017 version was originally credited to Zack Snyder but was forced to step out of the project because of personal reasons.

Just an early disclaimer: for those who haven’t watch both versions (2017 and Zack’s) please watch it first. Zack Snyder’s version is available in HBO Max and 2017 version is available in Netflix.

With that said, Joss had to do some fixing and he needs to finish what Zack had started and that brought us the said 2017 Justice League where Batman was able to put together the team that consists Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman, Cyborg and the newly resurrected Superman. But to all of the DC Fans, we were not THAT happy of the movie, you wanna know why? Because the movie was like fast forwarded without any substance and basically, the DC Extended Universe was ignored and only fragments from comics were included. Okay, that’s where fans hoped that there will be somehow ‘other’ version of the movie. Fans made it possible by bombarding social media with the campaign of having Snyder’s Cut of the Justice League. There was even a ‘Snyder Cut’ website made just to support this campaign. And then finally Warner Bros. announced on HBO Max the whole Snyder Cut last 2020. The campaign which was led for years has finally paid off!

And just recently, 18^th of March 2021, the 242 minutes-long Snyder’s Cut of Justice League is released.

I’m not gonna go around the bush anymore, I will straight tell you the whole verdict and comparison, right here, right now!

The Comparison

If you have seen both then you will know there are so many major changes
happened.

Let’s do Whedon’s and Snyder’s comparison.

Opening Scene

Whedon’s: Movie started with old footages of Superman interviews and progressively
showing what changed since Superman died and then gone into Gotham City where
Batman is trying to bait a thief to a Parademon.

Snyder’s: Movie started from a dramatic scene where Superman got a hole in
his heart and dies painfully, plus Lex Luthor’s sudden appearance too and then showing
the mother boxes from the three worlds suddenly waking up from a very long sleep.

Just with the opening scene alone, the whole movie is changed already and is
going to different paths which was pretty much a little clearer in Snyder’s cut.

Meeting Aquaman

Whedon’s: Bruce straight up noticing the mural and ask Arthur if he could show
him Atlantis which led to Arthur’s rage and most angles focused on him recruiting
Arthur because he was that desperate.

Snyder’s: Bruce kept a little mystery by talking to Arthur but ending up showing
them what he could do or could give, which was money and when Arthur just
figured that was all bullshit and he decided to scoot out of the place and one
thing I noticed another change too was hen three ladies started chanting as
Aquaman disappears into the water.

But both ended not getting Aquaman’s participation.

Lois Lane

Whedon’s: Lois left doing fluff pieces after Clark’s death. She was also
drove by Alfred to meet Superman during his first time waking up after his
death.

Snyder’s: He focused on Lois’ loss too. Showed how Lois kept visiting
Superman’s memorial every day since he died. Even during the day he resurrected,
she was there, making it more realistic rather than Alfred driving her off just
for Superman to recognize something familiar.

She was also motivated by Clark’s mom which little did she know was a
shapeshifter Martian. Which tackles the next point…

Well, this you also noticed the pregnancy test on her nightstand drawer?
Uhm, like is there any follow-ups for Superman coming in soon?

The Martian Manhunter

Whedon’s: Didn’t do any cameos. It just focused on raw details and straight
to what you see is what you get kind of vibes.

Snyder’s: We all know that the Martian was first scene in Man of Steel and
Batman V. Superman, so when he did use Martian to shapeshift as Clark’s mother,
we got the hint that there’s something bigger coming which later on explained
in the movie what might the Martian’s part in the future.

Steppenwolf and the Darkseid

Whedon’s: Steppenwolf was powerful and was considered as the only enemy
in the movie aside from the Parademons which can smell fear. But he wasn’t a
big of a deal, if you know what I mean. The mother boxes was their focus alone.

Snyder’s: Steppenwolf’s appearance look more powerful this time and parademons
doesn’t smell fear anymore, they’re just there being a side kick for
Steppenwolf, he is actually working for another more powerful one, the Darkseid,
who is the Lord of Apokolips. Aside from the mother box, tow powerful villains
are there which is more comically theatrical for DC Fans.

Well, let’s talk about a bit of Darkseid. In Snyder’s cut it also showed who
it was and how he was stopped by the original age of heroes back in Uxas which
gave a little background of the story. Darkseid has been searching for the
Anti-life which later on found to be on Earth. If MCU has Thanos then DCEU
considers Darkseid the Thanos too.

The Original Age Superheroes

Whedon’s: Showed a flashback but the main villain was Steppenwolf.

Snyder’s: He showed a flashback of the entire event where the heroes united in
Uxas to fight the Big Bad – Darkside. Imagine, Zeus fighting along side of the Men,
Amazons and Atlantenans; not to mention, Green Lantern too! It makes more sense
for them to be in the flashbacks coz Darkseid is really a strong villain.

I’m thinking if Snyder’s version of DCEU gets a sequence then another hero
alliance like that must exist. After all, who can make Darkseid bleed aside
from a combination of all superheroes right?

Cyborg

Whedon’s: There’s not much about him; his history was shortcut and made it
more like he’s already there and assumed we know the story. 

Snyder’s: The movie focused a little more on him coz why not? After all, he
is made from the power of the motherbox and he has the ability to destroy the boxes
too. From his pain of losing himself and losing his father, it was made it more
appropriate. I also love how his father sacrificed himself to get the motherbox
the charge they need. His death maybe a little harsh but works on the
storyline. 

And one thing exciting was when he saw a vision of the Knightmare future while activating the Mother box, trying to resurrect Superman. I mean, he potentially saw it first.

Superman

Whedon’s: Superman of course showed up in the most needed time and well, he
was the only one who was able to put a scratch on Steppenwolf.

Snyder’s: Superman showed up in the same scene but this time, he saved
Cyborg from being cut into half by Steppenwolf. But what was really good in
this version is it was also showed the dramatic transition of him realizing
that he needs to help the Justice League and how he showed up in front of Alfred
to prove Bruce’s point. I mean, it makes more sense, right?

Wonder Woman

Whedon’s: With the help of Superman, she was able to destroy the axe of
Steppenwolf and basically finish the business.

Snyder’s: Well, she finished the business too but this time by cutting
Steppenwolf head off which made it more theatrical.

The Flash

Whedon’s: In this version, he was this clumsy superhero that gets to save
the day but gets to mess up in a way.

Snyder’s: The whole thing was actually messed and saved by Barry at the same
time. I mean, Snyder gets to show what The Flash could really do. If you really
know The Flash, then you know that he could play with the time, hence, The
Flashpoint. I also liked how they showed Iris West in the picture too. She’s
also an important element in the hero’s life aside from his father who is in
prison. If the solo movie of The Flash will happen and they will
eventually  connect it with Snyder’s cut
of Justice League then most likely, because Barry’s interference with time can
create another alternative timeline and potentially trigger the Speed Force that
can also be a storyline for Flash solo movie too.

In this version, Flashpoint happened which made Barry reverse the timeline after
it got messed up because he wasn’t able to get to Cyborg on time and he was
able to save everyone from being killed by the motherbox which is really how it
should’ve been done coz DC Heroes have different abilities for them to be able
to defeat a villain. If you don’t know Flash, then you won’t think it’s
possible but it was!

Ryan Choi

Whedon’s: The character never made the cut to the 2017 Justice League movie.

Snyder’s: After Silas Stone’s death, he became the new director of S.T.A.R. Labs. So what’s gonna be his role in this new timeline? Well, in the DCU, he is one of the three Atom. So basically, he might be showing on the next JL sequel too. If you watched  The Arrow and The Flash TV Series, you’ll know about Arrowverse crossover, the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Ryan Choi was there too so basically multiverse is actually happening and a possible crossover will be there in line. I know! I watch the TV Series too!

The Ending

Whedon’s: Parademons ate Steppenwolf because they sense his fear.

Snyder’s: Steppenwolf lost his head but the whole gang discovers that Darkseid
exists.

The ending on Snyder’s cut made more sense. An ending which was followed by
an Epilogue which I will explain in my next post. I believe Zack just made the
DCEU more flexible to connecting each of the movies that were previously made
if in the future they use this cut as a start too. It could create an actual
possibilities of crossovers and multiverse in the coming future.

The Verdict

I have no words but WOW! I was begging for this version for years. I saw
this version like it was in my dream. It gave us more light than the 2017
version did. It gave us more possibilities.

We’ve seen more than expected, The Martian Manhunter who will possibly be
part of the next Justice League sequel if they follow this through, Iris West
which basically a main goal if they wanna do the Flash solo movie, Darkseid
which can lead to a new storyline connecting the whole DCEU and  multiverse/alternate universe that are
basically/somehow created due to Flashpoint.

I may sound bias but I think we have waited pretty damn long for this not to
be good. For years, I have been expecting a follow up for the Justice League or
another version of it and then here it is a much better version.

I like the visual effects more. The way Steppenwolf looked, well, his appearance
is better convincing in Snyder’s cut that he is powerful than in Whedon’s cut. Superman
wears different colour too. Black looks sleek for the Man of Steel after all,
he just resurrected so a little change is not that bad.

The ending was just more effective if you ask me. It gave it more justice to
the story. Like, of course after Steppenwolf died, there’s should be something
else to look forward to, rather than just seeing Lex Luthor escape.

Well, the ending credits are well, established too, just as I mentioned,
Martian Manhunter will be joining the league and Lex recruits Deathstroke too.
But what intrigues me is the best part of the Epilogue(Post credit scene), the Knightmare
which is considered a future of DCEU where Lois Lane dies, Darkseid taking
control of Superman, then Superman kills Batman and the Insurgency dies along
with him.

These scenes are most likely could be an alternate ending in the
future but before this will happen, there’s gonna be a lot more things that has
to occur. Let’s talk about the Knightmare future on my next blog but right now,
let’s just relax and enjoy this moment for all DCU fans who were hopeful that a
Snyder cut will happen…After few years of waiting, here’s the fruit of our wishes!

I totally give this a 95% wonderroanne rating