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J.K. Simmons

Zack Snyder’s Justice League: Reborn Film Finally Does Justice to the Franchise

September 7, 2021 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

You could forgive me if I doubted.

After years of hearing about the mythological ‘Snyder Cut’, there was simply no way that this film could meet expectations. After all, the original film was such a tepid piece of fodder that there was simply no way that a few tweaks or additional scenes could self-correct a franchise that had fallen so far off the rails. Now, with a refreshed budget and a new home on HBOMax and Blu-ray, Zack Snyder’s Justice League has finally arrived. 

And I admit that I was stunned by the results.

The details of the Snyder Cut’s resurgence has been well-documented. Determined not to copy Marvel’s roadmap to success, DC chartered their own path that rushed the process. By the time that The Avengers came around, standalone films had charted a path that allowed audiences to connect with the characters before they attempted to work together. Falling behind in the box office, the release of Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice gave DC the chance to try and regain some traction in the pop culture world. In their attempt to speed up the process, they threw their characters into films without any proper introductions. Whether they were attempting to ‘catch up’ to Marvel or simply afraid of being accused of ‘copying’ Disney’s juggernaut franchise, the result was a middling mess of confusion that left no time to create something special. 

After Joss Whedon’s cut of the Justice League failed to catch on with audiences, WB may have thought they were free of the franchise with a chance to reboot things once again. However, they underestimated their fans. After an unprecedented fan campaign that lasted three years and a hashtag (#ReleaseTheSnyderCut) that simply wouldn’t die, WB found themselves portrayed as the villains of a fiendish plot to suppress a director’s vision. Even so, they held firm to their comment that any other version for the film simply did not exist.

All that changed with the creation of HBOMax. Even if Snyder had been able to complete the film initially, there’s simply no way that the WB would have allowed a four-hour cut to be released in theatres, especially for a franchise that had been viewed as flailing. Although, with the move to streaming, Snyder suddenly had the opportunity to lean in to his longer take on the film. All of a sudden, he had the time (and freedom) to tell the story his way. Given more space in the world of digital media, Snyder’s League feels less like a theatrical release and more like the first chapter of a mega mini-series event. At a time when binge-watching has taken over the ‘theatrical experience’, Zack Snyder’s Justice League leans into our current obsession with long-form storytelling, complete with ‘chapters’ marking breaks within the film. 

Most importantly though, what about the quality of the film itself? 

The truth is that it’s good. Very, very good. 

Shockingly good, really.

In the new cut, Zack Snyder’s Justice League picks up immediately following the events of Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. After Superman’s (Henry Cavill) death, the world is left with a need for heroes. As such, Batman (Ben Affleck) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) begin building a team of super-humans who will stand together against an ancient evil that is preparing to return and exact revenge on humanity. 

Although I have never considered myself a ‘Snyder-apologist’, one can’t help but recognize the quality of his epic saga. The ‘director’s cut’ is far from a new concept in our culture. Even so, the extent of these re-edits usually amounts to a few additional scenes or some updated special effects. In the case of the new League, Snyder offers an almost entirely different story with new subplots and expanded character beats.

In fact, it’s not an exaggeration to suggest that it improves on the original theatrical cut in virtually every way.

While Whedon’s original film attempted to ‘lighten’ the tone with more quips and less exposition, that vision never truly fit with the world that Snyder had already created. Marked by rushed character arcs that never satisfy and a bland villain, the original film rarely works. Nevertheless, with the move to HBOMax, Snyder’s version has the proper time to explore the stories of new characters without betraying the larger superhero story. Though this saga would obviously have benefited from prior stand-alone films, Snyder’s League does its very best to compensate by giving meaningful backstories to its new additions, especially Ray Fisher’s Cyborg. Once a side character with little relevance, Cyborg has suddenly become the film’s emotional core with an arc that has a significant impact on the outcome of the story.

In addition, the most notable change comes through a more fully realized villain in Steppenwolf. Whereas Whedon trimmed the brute’s story down to almost nothing, Snyder’s new footage offers a meaningful role to the character. Instead of a standard ‘big bad’ who’s forgettable (at best), the new League highlights his motivation and relationship to the larger impending force of nature in Darkseid. As a result, not only does Steppenwolf become more interesting to the viewer but his actions simply make more sense. (What’s more, new special effects give the character a much more menacing look, a factor that was lacking in the original cut.) 

Of course, it’s also important to know that the film ends on an enormous cliff-hanger. Originally conceived to be the first of three films, League operates in grand strokes but never fully concludes. (For the record, Snyder has currently stated he has no intention of returning to the world.)

What’s more, despite its overall quality, this League will not likely win any new converts from those who struggle to connect with Snyder’s vision. Although it goes without saying that this a vastly improved version of the film, all the Snyder-isms that will cause derision remain front and centre. Off-putting to some for his showmanship, there’s little question that his visual polish drives his work. Featuring a litany of stylized effects, slow-motion action and dark, gritty story-telling, League is Snyder is at his free-wheeling best yet he will still likely alienate viewers who are looking for something more along the lines of Marvel’s lighter, more humorous tone.

However, these vast differences are all very intentional. Whereas Marvel has taken a much more scientific or ‘human-centred’ approach to their content, Snyder’s vision for the DC Universe has always included viewing these heroes as modern gods. Though Marvel seems to create heroes on par with mankind, Snyder views characters like Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman as super beings who have been sent as examples to inspire humanity to greatness. (One need not look further than the giant monument to Superman to see that this is true.) There’s a deep admiration for his characters within Snyder’s work that hints at the spiritual longings of a culture looking for heroes. As such, his vision for the League meets every superhuman act with a grand crescendo. Bursts of electricity, clangs of metal and a bombastic soundtrack give the film an epic scale that highlights his vision. To Snyder, the DC Universe is an example of our modern mythology and, as such, he is unapologetic in his reverence for the material.

With the release of his ambitious superhero opus, Snyder truly does come out as the winner here. With grandiose storytelling and vastly improved character arcs, Zack Snyder’s Justice League shows what the director can do when given the time (and money) to bring his vision to life. As a result, this reborn League certainly feels like the unexpectedly epic conclusion that this chapter of the DCEU (and Snyder himself) needed.

That is, until #RestoreTheSnyderVerse takes effect.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League is available to stream on HBOMax and on Blu-ray. The special feature included is “Road to Justice League” as Snyder reflects on the three DC films he made for Warner Bros.

Filed Under: Featured, Film, HBO Max, Premieres, Reviews, Television, VOD Tagged With: Amy Adams, Ben Affleck, Ciarin Hinds, DC, DCEU, Ezra Miller, Gal Gadot, Henry Cavill, J.K. Simmons, Jared Leto, Jason Mamoa, Jesse Eisenberg, Ray Fisher, ReleaseTheSnyderCut, superheroes, Superman, Wonder Woman, Zack Snyder, Zack Snyder's Justice League

21 Bridges – Hunting Cop Killers

November 21, 2019 by Darrel Manson Leave a Comment

“There are 21 bridges in and out of Manhattan. Shut’em down. Three rivers. Close them. Four tunnels. Block them. Stop every train line that leaves the island – Amtrak, PATH, New Jersey Transit, LIRR—and loop the subways. Then we flood the island with blue.”

That is certainly a dramatic undertaking! Just think of closing down all of Manhattan! That is the hook for 21 Bridges, a police thriller from director Brian Kirk and producers Joe and Anthony Russo.

Taylor Kitsch and Stephan James star in 21 BRIDGES

When a pair of criminals (Taylor Kitsch and Stephan James) steal cocaine from a restaurant used by a drug dealer, they are surprised by some police. In the shootout several police are killed. Detective Andre Davis (Chadwick Boseman) is brought in to investigate, and teamed up with narcotics detective Frankie Burns (Sienna Miller), a single mom struggling with the pressures of life. When it becomes obvious the killers are in Manhattan, and since it’s 2:00 a.m., the decision is made to shut down the island to find the killers. In a race against the clock the killers try to find their way out while Davis and the police zero in on them.

Davis is the real focus of the film. It opens with the words from Romans 13:4 being read at a funeral, and focusing on a child with tears in his eyes. It turns out that this is his father’s funeral, after his father, also a police officer, was killed in the line of duty. That verse, which of worldly authorities executing justice on God’s behalf, color how we see Andre throughout the film.

Chadwick Boseman stars in 21 Bridges

When we next see Davis, he is meeting with a police board. It turns out he has been involved in eight shootings in nine years—all justifiable. It is no wonder he is chosen to find these killers. No one wants them taken alive—except maybe Davis. The angry precinct captain (J.K. Simmons) is perfectly clear that he sees no point in prolonging the execution of justice. But Davis, we discover is not about killing bad guys—he’s about finding the truth. And the truth turns out to be far more complicated that just shutting down Manhattan. And when the truth is uncovered, Davis is determined to continue to be the manifestation of justice.

The film is very much a story of good vs. evil. However, the clear boundary between the two in the first half of the film becomes more complex in the second half. That makes the biblical quote that opens the film a bit sticky to consider. It is one thing to think of police as working with God’s authority to execute justice (I have some quibbles with this interpretation in the film, but I’ll let that pass), but what about when what we see the police acting in why that is clearly not in line with God’s justice? That becomes the central question of the latter part of the film.

J.K. Simmons, Chadwick Boseman and Sienna Miller star in 21 BRIDGES Image Courtesy of STXfilms

Oh, and the shutting all the bridges, etc.? I think it would make a really interesting film to focus on the logistics of that actually happening. Here it is really a minor plot point that very little actual attention is paid to. I wouldn’t be surprised that a plan to do that exists, but in this film it is far too spur of the moment to really be given credence.

Photos courtesy of STX Financing

Filed Under: Film, Reviews Tagged With: Brian Kirk, Chadwick Boseman, crime thriller, J.K. Simmons, New York City, Russo Brothers, Sienna Miller, Stephan James, Taylor Kitsch

Justice League Unlimited: The Complete Series On Blu-ray – Heroes United!

November 24, 2015 by Jacob Sahms Leave a Comment

justiceleaguemainFrom the Warner Archive Collection, Justice League Unlimited bursts onto televisions everywhere in this fantastic, high definition version. For the first time, the entire series is now available on Blu-ray, featuring the episodes from July 2004 to May 2006 in the series that immediately succeeded Justice League. With more heroes, more villains, and more team-ups, this is stellar DC entertainment for old and new fans of every age!

Originally, the Justice League was ‘simply’ the seven best known heroes (Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, J’onn J’onzz, Green Lantern and Hawkgirl) but after the results of the previous season of Justice League, the JL expands to include lesser known (or at least, under appreciated) heroes like Green Arrow, Black Canary, Hawk & Dove, Booster Gold, The Question, Jonah Hex, and others. It also means that these stories can use galactic enemies of the league like Mongul, Ares, or Darkseid, as well as more individualized characters like Solomon Grundy or Gorilla Grodd.

justiceleagueunlimitedAstute pop culture fans will recognize dozens of voices who coast through the show. Of course, at the core are still essential voices like Kevin Conroy as Batman, George Newbern as Superman, Susan Eisenberg as Wonder Woman, Michael Rosenbaum as Flash, and Phil LaMarr as Green Lantern. But isn’t it fun to hear from Mark Hamill, Neil Patrick Harris, J.K. Simmons, Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin, Robert Englund, Fred Savage, Ioan Gruffudd, or Rob Zombie as a hero – 0r a villain?

While it’s great fun to watch an animated series featuring your favorite superhero (various Batman cartoons, Green Lantern, or Superman ones come to mind), the purpose here allows for a much wider spectrum of stories featuring science, space, magic, and more. But it also raises more questions about how the League – I almost said, Society, but that would be another thing entirely – relate to each other.

We would like to believe that all good guys (and gals) get along, right? But it doesn’t actually work that way. We don’t actually necessarily enjoy every other ‘good’ person’s company – we don’t actually necessarily like everyone else who goes to our church. The thing is, the Kingdom of Heaven isn’t about ‘liking’ everyone else, but it’s about loving everyone as best you can, about loving them as if they were yourself. While the Justice League Unlimited team doesn’t always get along, they do realize how important it is to work together on their common vision – ending evil and tyranny everywhere!

While the bulk of the content is these decade-old episodes (with their seriousness, their silliness, their cartoonish animation), fans may also enjoy other features like the creator commentary on “This Little Piggy” or “The Return,” made by well-known artists, Paul Dini and J.M. DeMatteis. Given that the series was taken in a different direction between the end of Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, the series special features include “And Justice For All” about using the same characters in a different way. One of the two major story arcs, Project Cadmus, gets the superstar treatment as well, with the insights from Hamill and others in “Cadmus Exposed.” Various writers, producers, and directors also share their thoughts on the wrap-up of the series in “Justice League Chronicles.”

Again, the beauty of Justice League Unlimited is seeing your favorite, well-worn characters in a new way (as kids in “Kids Stuff” – based on JLA: World without Grownups and Young Justice: Sins of Youth) and meeting new ones for the first time. No matter what combination you experience, there are moments of humor and adventure that will leave you cheering – in this case, you could watch all day!

Filed Under: DVD, Reviews, Television Tagged With: Batman, Black Canary, Fred Savage, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, J.K. Simmons, J'onn J'Onzz, Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Nathan Fillion, Neil Patrick Harris, Rob Zombie, Superman, The Flash, Wonder Woman

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