- MPAA Rating: NR
- Release Date: September 7, 2021
- Distributor: Warner Bros Metadata by TMDb
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After seeing the original Justice League during its theatrical run and on home video, I had a good enough time with it but there was always that nagging feeling where you knew it was a hot mess that could’ve been better. For years fans kept asking for the version that Zack Snyder worked on before leaving it, and at long last we have it in Zack Snyder’s Justice League. It won’t be for everybody with its four hour runtime, fullscreen presentation and episodic layout, but it’s without a doubt one of the best and ambitious comic book films ever made.
In case you missed it, Travis reviewed this film earlier in the year which you can check out for all of the plot details and more as I go into my take and the special features. I’m in total agreement with Travis’ review as watching this version of the movie is like night and day compared to the original release. This is the correct way to experience it as all of the delicious plot details and character backstories are here and make the film way more coherent.
I also love how they improved the special effects, especially on Cyborg and the new look Steppenwolf has which is awesome. Of course I squealed with glee upon seeing the infamous villain Darkseid at long last and I didn’t mind some of the liberties they took with his overall look (same with Steppenwolf as they both look different from their comic book counterparts).
The best treat was watching this in 4K with HDR finally and it looks amazing with loads of dazzling details and colors. While I wish that it was presented in widescreen instead of the old school “square box” fullscreen layout, you quickly forget about the black bars on the sides as the movie pulls you in and doesn’t let go until the credits. The Dolby Atmos audio is just as heroic as every line and epic sound effect comes in loud and clear to the point you’ll want to take cover behind the couch when the action-packed fights occur.
If there’s a downside to this release it’s the lack of special features. There’s the one from the previous release, “Road to Justice League” that goes goes behind the scenes of bringing these characters to the film, and that’s it. Don’t be surprised if another super, deluxe platinum edition is released later that will have a ton of extras and more, as Snyder himself has dropped hints of an audio commentary he’s done, and we’ve seen all of the sweet behind the scenes clips and images from his social media feeds that could be a special feature on their own.
Zack Snyder’s Justice League is one of the best comic book films out there as it has a very well done mix of action and drama to keep you glued to the screen for four hours. While it won’t be for everyone thanks to its small quirks, experiencing it in 4K with lovely HDR and Dolby Atmos audio makes for a release that finally does the film…justice.
