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letterboxd · 3 years

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Lonesome Cruiser.

Blockbuster composer Tom Holkenborg, aka Junkie XL, talks to Gemma Gracewood about composing for titans, his pride in Dutch cinema, friendship with George Miller and longing for Olivia Newton-John. Plus: his Letterboxd Life in Film and why he’s selling his prized collection of recording gear.

It has been a spectacular spring for Tom Holkenborg, the Dutch musician also known as Junkie XL, who has crafted the scores for multiplex fare such as Mad Max: Fury Road, Deadpool, Terminator: Dark Fate, Sonic the Hedgehog and the upcoming zombie banger Army of the Dead. Only weeks apart, two blockbusters landed on screens with his sonic stamp all over them: Adam Wingard’s Godzilla vs. Kong and Zack Snyder’s re-realized Justice League.

Thankfully, the Godzilla vs. Kong score was complete by the time the Justice League telephone rang. Holkenborg—who had lost the Justice League gig along with Snyder the first time around—knew the Snyder cut was coming; he had closely watched the growing calls for it online. “Zack and I already started talking in 2019. He’s like, ‘What if we were to finish this? What would it take?’ Those conversations turned to ‘Well, how many recording days potentially do you need and how much of an orchestra do you potentially need?’ Finally, somewhere in April 2020, that’s when that phone call came: ‘Okay, light’s green, start tomorrow, and start running until it’s done because it’s four and a half hours’.”

Ray Fisher as Cyborg in ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’.

Holkenborg approaches the titanic task of blockbuster film scoring with an engineer’s mindset: “Building a fantastic, huge house with 20 bedrooms and the dance hall and the kitchen… You’re not going to start by building the third bathroom for the third guest room, right?” Once he has identified the scenes that are most important to his directors—for Snyder, they included the introduction of Cyborg, three fight set-pieces, and a scene of The Flash running that comes towards the end of the film—the composer identifies instrumental “colors” in order to build a theme around each character. Then he holds some of those colors back, theorizing that “if you want like an, ‘Oh!’ experience by looking at a painting that has a huge amount of bright yellow in it, it’s way more successful to see fifteen paintings in front of it, where yellow is absent.”

The Godzilla vs. Kong score satisfies Holkenborg’s life-long love of both characters. “I don’t have a preference for either one. I love them both for various different reasons.” Their respective histories fascinate him: Godzilla as a way to make sense of Japan’s nuclear fall-out, and Kong as a gigantic spectacle that ended up attracting the sympathies of the audiences he was supposed to scare. Even when the science makes no sense (“what the fuck are plasma boosters, anyway?!”), Holkenborg is still happy to wax lyrical about the emotional depth of Kong’s stories, the elaborate concepts of the Godzilla-verse, and his musical approach to the pair—dark, moving brass for Godzilla, with synthesized elements “because he is a half-synthesized animal”, and a more organic, complex orchestration for Kong, featuring “one of the world’s bigger bass drums”.

Adam Wingard’s ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’.

All of this seat-shaking bombast is composed on an “insanely massive sound system” in Holkenborg’s small home studio (though he reassures pandemic-stricken film lovers that he has recently seen both Godzilla vs. Kong and Justice League on his laptop—and “really enjoyed watching it like that”). The process, he says, was “pretty intense”, but only in terms of the sheer amount of score needed. Composing in quarantine was not much different from his usual workflow. “I’m a pretty lonesome cruiser anyway. Composing, by nature, is like a solo exercise—obviously with assistance.”

Like many creatives (Bong Joon-ho recently told a film studies class that he is up at 5:00am most days to watch a movie), Holkenborg is an early riser, waking by 4:00am. “I’m super sharp between like 4 or 5:00am and 9:00am, so I like to do a lot of creative work in that slot.” He takes care of business until mid-afternoon, when another creative spurt happens. “And then I have another batch of calls usually to make, and then around 8:30pm, I’m going to retire for the rest of the day and just chill out a little bit and watch stuff that I want to see, read things that I want to read. Right now I’m studying Portuguese.” By 10:30pm, he’s asleep. “And then at three o’clock I get up.” (Needless to say, Holkenborg’s children are no longer small.)

The pandemic simplified a lot of things for a lot of people: for Holkenborg, it has been a moment to tidy up the physical side of his work. In November last year, he opened an online shop to divest the bulk of his gear—synths, pedals, guitars, drum machines and much more—that he has been collecting since the late 1970s. When friends told him he’d regret it, he disagreed. “At some point I’m going to die. I can’t take them to the afterlife. I also found out I don’t need them. I love to have them around, but I don’t need them.”

Tom Holkenborg with the bass drum used in the ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ score.

It certainly solves the question of what he’d take if his house was on fire. “The hard drives with sounds and music over the last 40 years, 45 years, that’s hard to replace. So, that would be it. I’m just thinking about things that are absolutely irreplaceable and there are not that many, really.” Alas, it’s bad news for that bass drum. “I can’t take that with me when the house is on fire. Unfortunately, it’s going to make the house burn longer.”

Anyone who has interviewed or spent time with Holkenborg will agree: he may be a lonesome cruiser, but he is also personable, funny, loves to settle in for a chat. As he lights his second or third cigarette in readiness for his Life in Film questionnaire, I’m curious about his relationships with the esteemed filmmakers he has worked with—who include his mentor, Hans Zimmer, directors Sir Peter Jackson, Tim Miller, Robert Rodriguez and, especially, Fury Road’s George Miller.

The story of how Holkenborg scored Mad Max: Fury Road bears retelling: that George Miller did not want a soundtrack (“he was convinced that the orchestration of sounds of the cars would be enough to carry the whole movie”), that Holkenborg was only brought in to create a little something for the Coma-Doof Warrior’s flame-throwing guitar, that they hit it off, the job grew, and grew, into a score that covers almost the entire film.

The Coma-Doof Warrior in ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ (2015).

What is his best memory of Fury Road? “Well, obviously, when I saw the movie for the first time and I was like ‘what the hell am I looking at?’,” he laughs. “What I mostly look back on is the friendship that I developed with George and the film school one-on-one that I got admitted to, while being paid at the same time, to study with somebody like him. We would talk all night about all kinds of things and nothing, because that really defines our relationship so much—a joint interest in so many different things.”

Happily, Holkenborg and Miller are working together again, on Three Thousand Years of Longing. “It’s really great to be in that process with him again. It’s just like about pricking each other with a little needle. It’s like, ‘Oh, why are you saying that?’ We do that with each other to keep each other sharp. ‘Oh, but if you’re doing this, I’m going to be doing that.’ And then, ‘Oh, if you’re doing that, I’m going to be doing this.’ So it’s really interesting.”

What is your favorite Godzilla film?

Tom Holkenborg: 1989’s Godzilla vs. Biollante. It’s a very obscure one where he’s basically fighting a giant rose. Let’s not look for the logic there.

Why has that particular Godzilla captured your heart? It’s so corny. Yeah. Mothra vs. Godzilla is also great. Mothra looks like a very bad Arabian carpet that was imported through customs and it got delivered by FedEx completely ruined and then laid outside for like four weeks in the rain.

‘Godzilla vs. Biollante’ (ゴジラvsビオランテ, 1989).

What is the first film you remember seeing in a cinema? Bambi. I was six years old, yeah.

And is there a film you have fond memories of watching with your family—a movie that became a family favorite? Not, like, a family favorite because our opinions were too diverse for that, but the next movie that became very important to me when I was a little older was Saturday Night Fever. I thought the soundtrack was, like, groundbreaking, mind-blowingly insane. It’s not necessarily those three massive beats of the Bee Gees on there, but all these other really alternative, left-field tracks by bands like Kool & the Gang. And the way that that darker disco music played against that really dark movie about what it’s like to live in New York and become a competitive dancer, it’s incredible. And still, today, it’s one of the movies where film music and the film itself had so much impact on me, even though it’s not a traditional film score in that sense. It’s incredible.

What is the film that made you want to work in movies, given that you also have a whole musical career separate from movies? (Enjoy Junkie XL’s early 2000s remix of Elvis Presley’s ‘A Little Less Conversation’.) For me, the move from a traditional artist into film scoring was a very slow gradual process. There’s not one movie that pushed me over the cliff. It’s just, like, all the great movies that were made. And I still have a list of obscure movies, classic movies that I need to see.

Yesterday I saw the weirdest of all, but I do want to share this: the original, uncut R-rated version of Caligula, [from] 1979. He [director Tinto Brass] was notoriously brutal and he organized orgies and had terrible torturing techniques. But it’s really weird, there’s Shakespearean actors in there, and then it goes to full-on porn sections. It’s really weird. The music is incredible. You can find it online. You will not find it anywhere [else]. I can just imagine what this must have felt like in 1979 when the film came out. Suspiria, that’s another one. It’s just like, how weird was that thing?

What is your favorite blockbuster that you did not compose? Ben-Hur. I’ve seen that one at least 20 times.

What’s your all-time comfort re-watch? The movie I’ve seen the most is Blade Runner. It’s just, like, it’s a nice world you’re stepping into, that fantasy. It’s not necessarily because I have memories [of] that movie that brings me back to a certain time period, it’s not that. It’s just that I just love to dwell in it. It feels a little bit like coming home. You can use it as comfort food, you can use it as, “I’m not feeling anything today”, or the opposite. You feel very great and you feel very inspired and it’s like, “Oh, let’s go home and watch that movie again.”

Terrence Malick’s ‘The Thin Red Line’ (1998).

Hans Zimmer has been an important mentor to you. Do you have a favorite of his scores? Yes, The Thin Red Line. It’s also the filmmaking of Terrence Malick—he forces a composer to think a certain way. He would always say, “It’s too much, make it less, make it smaller, make it this, make it that.” So, A, it’s a very good movie and B, he got Hans into the right place and Hans just over-delivered by doing exactly the right things at the right time and then shining just because of that.

Who is a composer that you have your eye on and what is one of their films that we should watch next? It’s so sad to say, but I mean, let’s call it like a retrospective discovery if you will. I’m so sad that we lost Jóhann Jóhannsson. He was a composer I felt really close to. We started roughly in the same time period making our way in today’s world. Also, Jóhann came from an artist background, even though it was a modern classical background. He made really great records, great experimentation with electronic elements, with classical instruments, and the mix between the two of them—very original way of looking at music. With Denis Villeneuve as his partner in crime the movies that they did were just mind-boggling good, whether it was Sicario or Arrival or Prisoners, and his voice will truly be missed among film composers. So people that are not super familiar with his work, I would definitely check it out.

‘Turks Fruit’ (Turkish Delight, 1973).

What is a must-see Dutch film that we should add to our watchlists? Holland has small cinema, but it has a really rich cinema and a very serious cinema culture. Usually because there’s not enough work in film, people are serious stage performers but then they also act in movies so they understand both really well. And we’ve delivered. There’s a string of actors that make their way to Hollywood or star in well-known series, whether it’s like Game of Thrones, or what we just talked about, Blade Runner. Many directors like Paul Verhoeven, Jan de Bont, the cameraman.

And so a movie that I’d like to pick is an old movie, called Turks Fruit (Turkish Delight) from the 1970s. Rutger Hauer is a younger guy, like, this completely irresponsible guy that starts this relationship with a really beautiful young girl, and they do all these crazy things, they do a lot of drugs and they have a lot of sex. He’s just like a bad influence on her.

Then he finds out she [has] cancer and it’s terminal. And to see him deal with that, and to see him want a change, but also in that change he does a lot of bad stuff at the same time… It was a sensational movie when it came out. And it actually was directed by Paul Verhoeven, one of his earlier films. When you see it, you’re just like, ‘Why am I watching this?’ for the first 45 minutes and then it starts and it’s like, ‘whoa’. So it’s really good, even in retrospect.

Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta in ‘Grease’ (1978).

What is the sexiest film you’ve ever seen? When I was super young, it was definitely Grease, with Olivia Newton-John, when she was in her catsuit at the very end of it. I had her picture on my bedroom, above my bed sideways because I was only like ten years old or something. I was so in love with Olivia Newton-John. It wasn’t the film per se, it was her. Yeah, I find, personally, movies from the ’70s to be more sexy, but it has something to do with the super-loose way that people were dressed and people were behaving.

And the other one was later in life: Basic Instinct. Sharon Stone. I’m not talking about like the famous shot, right, where she crosses her legs. I’m not talking about that, but the way that she acts throughout the whole movie. It’s insane. It’s really great.

Are there any films that have scared you? Like, truly terrified you? Yeah, I’m not a big fan because I get sucked up too much in it. The found [footage] horror movies like Paranormal Activity and things like the Japanese version of The Grudge, I cannot watch that stuff. That gets me too much. Because when I watch a film, I cannot watch it with one eye half open, the other one closed, like, ‘Okay, kind of cool, interesting’. I just get sucked into it.

Is there a film that has made you cry like no other? Oh yeah. Multiple. Once Upon a Time in America. The Godfather. Hable con Ella (Talk to Her). Betty Blue.

Thomas Holkenborg, AKA Junkie XL.

These are the films that make you weep? Not like on a regular basis, but I remember those were the ones that I really got hit. I’m talking particularly about the third Godfather. That whole end scene when they get out of the church and then… It’s really well-acted. So many Godfather fans that were dismissive of the film when it came out, in retrospect, ten, fifteen, 20 years later, are like, ‘it’s a really good film’. And I actually think so.

Final question. Is there a film from the past year that you would recommend, that you’ve loved? [Long pause.] The thing is that I watch pretty much a movie a day. So, that’s like three to four hundred movies. It [has] happened so often that I watch a film and then I’m just like an hour and 45 minutes in, it’s like, ‘wait, fuck, I’ve seen this thing before’.

So, we have an app for that… [Laughs.]

Related content

Junkie XL’s Letterboxd Life in Film list

Freddie Baker’s review of Justice League

Dutch Cinema: Danielle’s extensive list of more than 2,000 films

Letterboxd Showdown: The Perfect Score (best film scores)

The official Junkie XL Reverb Shop

Follow Gemma on Letterboxd

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cheryls-blossomed · 3 years

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If that Flash movie ever gets made, it won't be about him. It's the Flashpoint story and it sounds like focus will mainly be on all if the different variations of heroes instead of Barry. That shouldn't be his 1st solo film, if you ask me. I admire the DCEU's ambition, but whoever is running the movies portion of the company don't get the characters at all. And they've treated Ray Fisher so dirty that he's not gonna be Cyborg anymore and they pretty much dgaf about Henry Cavill as Superman. Where's his sequel?

Ohhh yeah, I totally forgot that it’s supposed to be about Flashpoint. Why include any of these other heroes in the solo film, when we don’t really know DCEU Flash yet? It just makes no sense I just don’t understand why these other solo films don’t follow the Wonder Woman (2017) blueprint, because there’s a reason that film worked so well.

Right? Warner Bros has treated Ray Fisher so terribly. He deserved his own solo film, and now we may never see him as Cyborg again.

And yeah, I’m someone who genuinely believes that Henry Cavill’s Superman has a lot of potential (even though I wasn’t really a fan of MoS at all). And I don’t think they capitalized on any of that potential in BVS or JL. It’s strange how little they care about Superman, of all characters.

#anonymous #replies

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themosleyreview · 3 years

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The Mosley Review: Zack Snyder’s Justice League

It is a rarity in cinema to get a second chance at making a film. It is even more rare for a director to complete their original vision as intended while a different version exist. Richard Donner famously had a different cut of Superman II before being removed from the film and a decent film was later released. In 2006, Richard Donner's originally lost footage was restored and the film was a significant improvement and is the superior version. Fast forward 11 years later and a similar situation had happened again with Zack Snyder's Justice League. The film was stripped of Snyder's vision and just the bare bones were left for another director to wrap a different type of meat on them. The Joss Whedon or what I like to call the "Josstice League" version, was a lighter, inconsistent and leaner film that went for the fun aspects of the story. I liked bits of it, but as a whole it failed to live up to the ground work that was laid before it. It was then the bell for the reinstatement of Zack Snyder's original vision had been rung. It was heard and now his complete 4 hour epic has arrived and it was 95% a different film all together. There were character arcs, story beats and many visuals that were not featured in the Josstice League version, it was awesome and epic to witness. There were many different paths that this film took and I applaud the bold decisions made, but I also felt the same problems still exist in this new version. I see the strategy of bringing all of these legendary heroes together in one film and then explode them out into their own solo films later and it worked in retrospect, but it just wasn't built up enough. The problems I had with this version is that there are some truly over indulgent visual moments and the pace needed to be picked in some spots. I don't want to spoil the bigger surprises of the film and I won't go too deep into what the differences are, but just know that this is a Zack Snyder film in every way and you’ll need to forgive the film if it feels dated in terms of where the DCEU is now.

The cast in the film all do excellent jobs and I love that the consistency has been restored. Its a big cast so I'm gonna highlight the standouts. Ben Affleck was good as Bruce Wayne/Batman, but he was a little too jolly at times. There are 3 parts to Bruce: billionare playboy, brooding force of strength that is almost cold to people and the world's greatest detective. Ben has only gotten the first 2 right in the Batman v Superman and in this film. He's a decent Batman, but a good Bruce Wayne. Gal Gadot was great as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman and once again she brings home the inspiration and strength the character means to all of us. Henry Cavill comes back as Clark Kent/Superman and I liked that we see him slowly comeback to the man we knew him to be. There are moments where he is even more brutal than the Josstice League version and it was somewhat terrifying. Jason Mamoa was extra brooding and cool as Arthur Curry/Aquaman and I liked that we see more of his arc as he begins to make the decisions that would lead to his solo film. Ezra Miller gets more time to shine as Barry Allen/The Flash and I liked his comedic timing and how much of a dork he is. His scenes with his father played by Billy Crudup were touching and gave him more purpose. Now the real MVP and the one character that had the strongest story was Victor Stone/Cyborg portrayed wonderfully by Ray Fisher. Even in the Josstice League version, Ray Fisher was the highlight of the film and he is even more so here. His story in the film was the most heartfelt and the evolution of Victor excepting his new life was amazing and I felt the film was almost completely his. Joe Morton was beyond perfect as his father Silas Stone and their relationship was perfectly strained as it has always been in every iteration.

Ciarán Hinds was still great, powerful and brutal as Steppenwolf. I loved that this time around you see his mission was more than just conquest of our world. His design is striking and his armor is pretty sweet looking with all the jagged edges and spikes. Peter Guinness was cool as DeSaad and I liked that we got a taste of what Darkseid's legions are like. Ray Porter brings to life one the most deadliest and dangerous villains in the DC Universe, Darkseid. I have been waiting for the day that we would see him on screen and I was not disappointed. We get see his brutality on full display and I loved every bit of it. I truly hope we get to see more of him in the future. Jared Leto returns as the Joker in a new scene and honestly, I don't think it was necessary. He was better this time, but it was kind of a throwaway scene. Yes you want to see Batman and Joker on screen and the entire sequence reminds you of Bruce's motivation to bring back Superman, but I just felt it was just not that great of a scene.

The new score by Tom Holkenborg was excellent and melodic throughout. He brings all the themes we know from the past films, but also introduced a few new ones. A piece that really stuck out to me was "Cyborg Becoming/Human All Too Human". Visually this film is spectacular in every scene and the 4:3 aspect ratio didn't bother me at all. Zack is very fond of slow motion shots and I think the effect works in a dramatic since, but when every consecutive shot after the next is in slow motion just to drag out your opening credits or something "cool", it becomes way too indulgent and it really slows the pace of the film down. It was borderline gratuitous. The film earns its R rating with a lot more bloody violence and a few F bombs, but that wasn't a problem for me since DC has always been known for pushing the limits. I just felt that there was a whole universe to build before we got to this point and it still felt rushed. The film diverts so many times that you can almost get completely lost in what the actual story of the film is. It is Zack's vision and I applaud his ambition, but I see why it was cut down so dramatically. Is this the superior film to Josstic League? Absolutely! Is it a bold direction for DC? Yes. Did it need to be a 4 hour epic? No. Could there have been 3 different films made from this one epic? Yes. In the end, I enjoyed this better than the previous version and it did not disappoint. Definitely a must watch if you've enjoyed the DC films so far and a testament to the fans supporting a filmmakers' passion and vision. It is now streaming on HBO Max, but let me know what you thought of the film and my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

#zack snyder's justice league #ben affleck #gal gadot #henry cavill #jason mamoa #ezra miller #ray fisher #joe morton #joe manganiello #diane lane #amy adams #DC comics #dc films #dceu #hbo max

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sebkijk · 3 years

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Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021) - Movie Review | SebKijk

This movie review was originally published on: https://sebkijk.nl.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League is finally here. I can joyfully say that this movie has been well worth the wait. This movie is truly amazing. Not only is this my favorite DC Comics movie since The Dark Knight, but it is also one of my favorite superhero movies of all time. I’m just going to say it. Zack Snyder’s Justice League is also one of my favorite movies of all time. It is currently my number one movie of 2021. I have to limit my enthusiasm so I don’t just type in capital letters full of joy, but nonetheless, I’m going to fervently tell you why this movie is simply epic. My thanks to Warner Home Video and Day One MPM for their cooperation and screener copy of the film.

Synopsis Zack Snyder’s Justice League

In Zack Snyder’s Justice League, we see how Bruce Wayne is determined to make sure that Superman’s ultimate self-sacrifice was not futile. That’s why he teams up with Diana Prince. Together they try to form a team of meta-humans that can protect the world from an upcoming threat of catastrophic proportions. The task proves tougher than imagined for Bruce, as each member must deal with their own demons before they can form an unparalleled team of heroes together. United, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash may not be up to the task of saving the planet from the cruel plans of Steppenwolf, DeSaad and Darkseid.

Snyder’s Vision

I want to take a moment to talk about the making of Zack Snyder’s Justice League. This film is the director’s cut of the 2017 American superhero film Justice League. It’s directed by Zack Snyder – duh! The film reflects the original and true vision of director Zack Snyder. Zack Snyder outlined his visionary foundation for the DC Extended Universe with his films Man of Steel (2013) and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice(2016). Snyder’s original plan was to create a five-film arc. The films Man of Steel and BvS were to be succeeded by a Justice League trilogy. Snyder’s original vision was to show the dark and epic mythological side of superheroes.

This did not please everyone – including myself. I am not exactly a fan of Man of Steel, but I could appreciate BvS. However, I have only seen the theatrical version of this movie and not the Ultimate Cut. This ultimate version is also, according to many, the better version. After seeing Zack Snyder’s Justice League, I have also been itching to see this Ultimate Cut. Batman v Superman was mainly poorly received due to its dark tone, slow pace and lack of humor. Distributor Warner Bros. reconsidered changing the tone of the upcoming DCEU films, including the Justice League film which at the time was a month away from shooting.

Reshoots & other Difficulties

The shooting of Justice League began in April 2016 and concluded in December of that year. Months later, multiple versions of Snyder’s Justice League were shown to Warner Bros. executives. These executives considered these versions to be unwatchable. For this reason, Warner Bros. hired director Joss Whedon. Whedon had worked on superhero movies before. For example, he is the director of the Marvel Studios films The Avengers (2012) and Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015). He was hired to rewrite the script and help with extensive reshoots. CEO Kevin Tsujihara determined that Justice league should not exceed two hours in length, and Warner Bros. also decided not to push the release date. This made it more difficult for the filmmakers to finish the film properly. Zack Snyder was expected to film the scenes that Whedon rewrote.

They worked together until Zack Snyder’s daughter Autumn killed herself in 2017. Zack Snyder continued working on Justice League for two more months to distract himself, but finally stepped down in May. His wife – and producer of the film – Deborah Snyderalso left the project. Whedon took full control of the production, although Snyder retained directorial control. It is estimated that Whedon’s version used about 10% of the footage Snyder shot. Composer Tom Holkenborg was also replaced by Danny Elfmanmidway through post-production. The scenes Whedon wrote or reshot for the theatrical release had a different tone and more humor. In addition, the level of violence was reduced in Snyder’s darker direction.

#ReleasetheSnyderCut

More than 90 minutes of Snyder’s footage was removed, but the result still remained the basis of the story. Although the initial cut was poorly received by test audiences, the early screening of Whedon’s cut scored as high as the first Wonder Woman film. For this reason, Warner Bros. decided to go ahead with it. Justice League was released in theaters in November 2017. Many critics and fans were disappointed. The film was described as one in which the work of two different directors – with competing visions – totally failed to come together. Warner Bros. lost about $60 million with this film, according to Deadline Hollywood. Fans rebelled against this version of the Justice League film and created an online petition to see Zack Snyder’s vision of the film.

The movement to see the Snyder Cut continued to grow tremendously on social media under the hashtag #ReleaseTheSnyderCut. On May 20, 2020, Zack Snyder announced that his version of Justice League would be released on HBO Max in 2021. Fans around the world reacted to this news with enormous happiness. Additional scenes were shot in October 2020 that featured cast members such as Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill and Ray Fisher. In January 2021, it was announced that Snyder’s version of the film was completely finished. So this film has a long history, but how glad I am that this film still came out.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League is DC’s Crowing Achievement

Zack Snyder’s Justice League feels like an epic comic book movie adaptation that evokes profound emotions. The film may be longer than 4 hours, but the strong quality makes it feel even too short. Snyder put his full vision and passion into his version of Justice League. The film is full of scenes that you’ll have not seen before. These are not only incredible action or mythological scenes, but also storylines where more empathy is generated for the characters. All the main and supporting characters are more strongly underpinned with backstories and motives in this film. Even a weak villain like Steppenwolf is much better fleshed out in Zack Snyder’s version of Justice League. As a viewer, I almost couldn’t believe it, but Steppenwolf genuinely came across as a danger to the heroes. In the 2017 Justice League film he looks and acts like a joke.

The villain’s design may be slightly over-the-top, but in terms of visual effects and CGI, it is certainly as good as the Marvel villain Thanos. Zack Snyder’s Justice League feels like DC’s epic. This is their answer to franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universeand The Lord of the Rings. Zack Snyder’s Justice League is grandiose, spectacular and exceptionally deep. For example, the character elaborations are so good that as a viewer you start to care about fairly weird DC characters like Cyborg and Aquaman. Your empathy is not only created by the strongly written story and great acting. The camera work and editing also provide many symbolic shots that develop the characters.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League is the Better Version

Take for example shots where Cyborg is looking out of a broken window. This symbolizes the fact that this is a broken character with a damaged view of the world. Each superhero gets a chance to steal the show, in that each character is much more fun and better than the characters in Whedon’s version. The Snyder Cut is simply a dream come true. Not only for Snyder, but also for the fans. For those who weren’t already aware; in my opinion, Zack Snyder’s version of Justice League is way better than the 2017 version. The film may be very long (and, according to some, slow), but this does not take away from the fact that the added material has a purpose. It doesn’t just consist of extra fan-service scenes.

These new additions serve a purpose and do not feel like a weakening of the material. On the contrary – it strengthens the entire film and its supporting characters. In Joss Whedon’s version, the superheroes only come together because it’s a superhero movie. In Zack Snyder’s version, the choices and motives are so much better substantiated. As a viewer, you believe that these characters must come together to stop the enemies. This is due to the sincerity of the new scenes. You get to see how these characters must learn to appreciate and understand each other. You get to see how they must learn to function as one team. According to some critics, the story still does not feel earned. The reasoning behind these criticisms rests mainly on the idea that all the characters should have been worked out in solo films first.

Unnecessary Criticism and Minor Flaws

While I can appreciate the idea of previous solo films, I personally think this is bad criticism. It is not based on what the end product is, but on what the end product should have been according to the reviewer. In my opinion, this is not how (film) criticism should work, even though I sometimes understand the urge to review like this. Of course, every reviewer is free to write however they want. The problem is that these critics allow their written opinion to be presented as the truth, when in fact it is their personal opinion. Still, I must say that I (also) have some minor problems with Zack Snyder’s Justice League. For example, there is an overuse of slow-motion scenes in the first and last hour of the film. This can get quite irritating at certain points, but that’s a personal taste issue.

In addition, the CGI and special effects don’t look quite finished at some points. For me, these are the only two minor points that I would like to criticize. Other than that, I for one thoroughly enjoyed Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Also, the work of composer JunkieXL is simply brilliant. It brings together musical themes from different films and characters perfectly. The acting by the entire cast is top notch. In this movie I particularly enjoyed Ray Fisher, Ezra Miller and Ben Affleck. The powers of the superheroes are also used to their full creative potential. This makes for spectacular scenes full of action and suspense. After watching Zack Snyder’s Justice League, I have a huge desire to re-watch Man of Steel and BvS. It has also created desire where I hope Zack Snyder gets to continue and finish his vision for this franchise.

Conclusion

Normally I write an extensive conclusion, but I only want to say two things briefly now. My thanks to Zack Snyder. Not only for creating a top-notch movie, but also for continuing your original vision. And also I hope Zack Snyder can make his two other Justice League movies. In short – #RestoreTheSnyderVerse.

★★★★★

#zack snyder #justice league #snyderverse #deborah snyder #snyder cut #zack snyders justice league #justice league 2021 #sebkijk

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ben-solo98 · 3 years

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I can’t believe anyone at Warner Bros thought it was a good idea to release the theatrical version of JUSTICE LEAGUE when this version exists. I’m glad Zack was allowed to come back and show us his true vision. It could just be the 4 hour runtime, but it feels like an epic from the classic days of Hollywood. I really like Zack Snyder, I think he's a visionary director. I also think he's overpraised and overhated at the same time. He has a very vocal and passionate fanbase who think he's a god of cinema and then there's an equally vocal group of people who think he's one of the worst things to ever happen to movies. I like him a reasonable amount. Even if I don't always love his movies in their entirety, he's puts some of the most beautiful visuals on screen that I've ever seen, especially in the comic book movie genre. He also made me appreciate Superman, I've loved superheroes my entire life, but I was mostly into Marvel when I was a kid and when I did venture over to DC it was primarily for Batman, couldn't care less about Superman. Boring. Until I sat in a packed theater in June of 2013 to watch MAN OF STEEL in IMAX 3D and Zack Snyder (and everyone else involved) blew my mind and finally made me understand/appreciate the character of Superman. I'll even defend that Kevin Costner death scene, I don't care. Supes is only a small part of this film, but all of the scenes featuring him and/or the supporting characters from his solo ouing were some of my favorites, because of what Zack and the cast (especially Henry Cavill) had set up in the previous two films, but also because it was usually underlined by Hans Zimmer's amazing Superman theme.

On paper, the story is very similar to the theatrical version, but it feels like a completely different film. I didn't hate the theatrical cut when it first came out, but it definitely felt like it was nowhere near what it could have been and the more time that has passed and more we've learned about the controversies behind the scenes of those reshoots, the more problems I've found myself having with it. There's a different tone to this cut and while it's still not a perfect film, it's executed 1,000 times better. There's only about 4 or 5 scenes that I think are exactly the same and obviously since this movie is twice as long it's mostly new footage. My two favorite scenes from the theatrical version were Wonder Woman's entrance and the History of the Mother Boxes. Both scenes were still present here, but they were extended, more brutal and all around more awesome. Which just proves you gotta let Zack complete his vision, he knows what he's doing. It also proves that most of what was likable about the last one was because of Zack. Ray Fisher as Cyborg was a big highlight for me the last time around. Another character I didn't really care about until I saw his portrayal of him, which really says something about how great of an actor he is because he's been very vocal about how he was mistreated making that version of the movie, plus his role wasn't nearly as significant, but he still came out as one of the only really great things about that film. He's even better here, we get some much needed backstory on his character and next to Superman, he's kind of the heart and soul of the movie, it all falls apart without him. And it's refreshing to see a black character like this portrayed in such a positive way, I'm certainly not an expert on the subject, but I couldn't help but think that we don't really get to see black men cry much on screen. I really hope this isn't the last time we see him take on this role.

Ezra Miller as the Flash is a big step up as well, I didn't hate their interpretation in the last film, but the Flash was definitely my least favorite character. Wasn't ever excited about the character's upcoming solo film until now, my mind has been changed. Ezra Miller is a very solid Barry Allen and brings some much needed humor to the table. His powers are also fully utilized here, that's the thing about this cut of the movie, every character gets their moment to shine. I still think this film was lacking in the Aquaman department, there's some continuity issues between this movie and his stand alone feature. Mainly that we're introduced to two supporting players from his film and they feel like completely different characters. All of my Aquaman problems happen in the first half, I still thought Jason Momoa did a great job. I'm one of the few people (maybe the only person) who's been a Batfleck fan since the day they announced Ben was cast in the role, it's a shame we'll never get to see him in any Batman solo movies, I was really looking forward to that. J.K. Simmons is only in two scenes as Commissioner Gordon, but I want like 5 Batman films with him reprising his role. There's actually a few big actors who were in the first one and I didn't know why they agreed to do it and they don't get much more screen time here, but they actually feel crucial to the story. Also Jeremy Irons is an underrated Alfred, I think Jeremy Irons is just underrated period.

Steppenwolf is definitely a worthy villain this time around. I don't know why Joss Whedon decided to change his design or his motives/backstory, or why you'd completely cut out Darkseid, but that sucked, this was good. Occasionally he'd say something that made him sound like a bad guy from an 80s cartoon or old video game, but overall it was good.

Tom Holkenborg's score is phenomenal. Danny Elfman did it for the other one, I usually like him, but Tom's works a lot better. And some of Danny's comments make it seem like he has a really big ego and Tom's have made me feel the opposite. Almost everytime Wonder Woman came on screen this female warrior cry/siren song (I don't know how else to describe it) would play, at first I thought it was cool, but after 4 hours it got old. That's my only criticism about the score. There were a few "strange" music choices, Zack is known for those, sometimes I think he just does it because he likes to troll the haters, I respect it regardless. But, the last film had two covers recorded for it I really liked: "Everybody Knows" by Sigrid and "Come Together" by Gary Clarke Jr. (Which I've been on record saying it's "better than the Beatles' version"). I missed those songs a little, but also, not a big deal, ultimately.

I thought the 4 hour runtime would be way too long, but honestly, it worked. Nothing felt unnecessary, the story flowed at a reasonable pace. Sure, you could have probably cut out the last twenty minutes because it gives the film 3 or 4 different endings that just set up future films that will probably never happen now (I hope I'm proven wrong), but as a fan, I loved those scenes. I'm looking forward to see what happens and if anything good in the realm of DC films comes of releasing this. 8.6/10.

#thesnydercut #ForAutumn #JusticeLeague #moviereview

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frommountainstolonestars · 7 years

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You know I’ve made posts like this before, but I decided to go all out for this one. Here are reasons I love the DCEU.

1. Zack Synder: this man... this man has the most beautiful cinematography I have ever seen. He can make you go back and look at a movie over and over again and still not notice all the little details he has thrown in. He loves Superman and the DC guys. DCEU is about Superman... and how cool is that? Not to mention is absolute love and care for women and women characters. He’s just a god damn badass.

2. Patty Jenkins: I love her. I love her for giving me Wonder Woman. I love her for giving me a superhero I can look up to. She made this movie for young me and for young girls everywhere. I cannot even begin to express how much I love Patty.

3. Henry Cavill: let me just begin this with: DAMN THAT BOI IS FINE. Looks aside, you can tell how much HC loves Superman. He cares about his build, he cares about the comics, he goes and supports the other movies like Suicide Squad, his dog is named Kal! Now he’s not always the best actor, but he brings depth and love to Superman in a way previous incarnations have not had.

3. Ben Affleck: I’ve never really been a big fan of Affleck but seeing him bring a new, darker side to Batman has given me life. I loved this version of him, and I am so delighted to see him learn from his mistakes and realize that Superman does mean hope. And it’s because of Superman that the Justice League even truly begins. And Ben makes you believe that he hated Clark and that he learned the truth.

4. Gal Gadot: I love her with every fiber in my being. I had my reservations about her playing Wonder Woman mainly because I’d never heard of her, but seeing her on screen in BVS... I literally held onto my friend’s hand the entire damn time she was on screen. And her song brings me to my knees. She’s just... everything I could have hoped for.

5. Amy Adams: Lois Lane I think defines the DCEU. She is wait brings light onto Clark and Superman. She is what he believes in, and she’s a BAMF in her own right. She’s not some throw away love interest.

6. Jason Momoa: I’ve loved him for a long time. I think he’s funny and a great actor and to see a Native Hawaiian play a stereotypical white, blonde, blue-eyed character is beautiful. I’ve loved what I’ve seen in the JL trailers, and just can’t wait to see him on the big screen in JL and his own movie.

7. Ezra Miller: the man really became a favorite of mine when I saw Perks of Being a Wallflower. In an otherwise lackluster film, he shone. And I loved him. He embodies the Flash. I think he has this crazy ability to play a funny character that is also trying to come to terms with his meta-human reality. And I love it. Plus, from the JL trailers, he’s got some great damn lines.

8. Ray Fisher: Cyborg has always been one of my favorite characters. Since I’ve been invested in the DCU, I have loved him. He was my favorite Teen Titan, and I am so glad he is in this JL. I think Ray brings the charismatic and youthfulness that Cyborg is, and I hope he gets a solo.

9. Viola Davis: Amanda Waller is without a doubt one of the scariest characters I have ever seen on film, and to have the BAMF Viola Davis play her? It was like witnessing god. She made me afraid of Waller. She made me think that she would do anything to stop a threat.

10. Will Smith: Will has been my man since Fresh Prince, okay? The fact that he is playing one of my favorite villains is just icing on the damn cake. And he was brilliant as Deadshot. I think he gave us what we needed and still showed his fatherly side.

11. Margot Robbie: She is Harley. She is. And the fact that she is bringing in writers to give us Bombshells just makes me so fucking happy. Margot was great in the movie minus a couple of stupid lines, but I want to see more.

12. Karen Fukahara: KATANA MY LOVE! Give me more. I love that Karen gave so much depth to a character that we really only vaguely knew. I think it was brilliant, and I expect to see more of her.

13. Jay Hernandez: From the moment Friday Night Lights (the movie) came out, this man had my heart. El Diablo is one of the most complex characters I have ever read, and I think Jay gave him the depth that this character needed.

Okay, I could continue forever on just the characters but I digress.

14. The diversity: I have always found I connected better with movies that had diverse casts, not because I am a POC but because in the real world, all I see is diversity. Most of my friends are POC and when movies don’t even have background POC characters, I find it disturbing. The fact that the DCEU gives us diversity, even though it’s still about half and half is delightful. I expect more from them.

15. The creativity: They are doing what MCU is not. They are not giving us the same movie over and over. MOS was unlike any other Superman Origin, BVS gave us powerhouse characters and a start to JL that wasn’t just origin movies or an agency bringing them together. WW was a little more formulaic but it also was the first female led superhero film. SS was unique and JL will be unlike anything we have seen.

16. Different stories: I literally just touched on this, but none of the films feel the same. When I watch some other superhero movies, I sometimes have to remind myself who the titular character is. When I watch DCEU, I know who it is.

17. Memorable villains: This is one of the most important things to me in movies. If I can’t remember your villain, I can barely remember your movie. The movies I love the most are because of their villain. And other than Ultron and Loki, I can’t name a villain from the MCU. But I definitely remember the DCEU villains. They are memorable.

18. The heroes are held accountable: We see this the most in BVS and it’s touched on in SS. Superman is asked to be held accountable for the deaths in MOS. He knows how many lives were lost or ruined and then throughout the movie it is shown how he tries over and over to do better. The same cannot be said for another franchise.

19. Superman is the key: I mentioned this with Henry and Zack but Superman is what holds the whole DCEU together. He was the first, the origin. He was what brought Batman in and what got Wonder Woman to come back. He is what made Bruce form the League. He is the center. And I like seeing that.

20. Zack Synder: Did I mention him before? He is amazing as a director. Every film of his I have watched, I have enjoyed. Not just because of his wonderful cinematography, but I feel like he knows how to tell a story. And I think he’s ahead of his time. Their cult classics; they always will be. And I cannot thank him enough for giving me this universe with my favorite characters.

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alicejohnn9087 · 4 years

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Fisher Accuses Warner Bros. Of Lying About Justice League Reshoots

Recently, the Cyborg actor, Ray Fisher, accused Warner Bros. of lying about the Justice League reshoot. Fisher made his debut in DCEU by Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice in 2016, before getting any proper Justice League role. In the upcoming Justice League movie, which was planned to be directed by Zack Synder, Cyborg’s character was significant. Still, then Synder exited from the project due to family tragedy. After Snyder, Warner Bros. hired Joss Whedon to complete the film, and Fisher accused him of unprofessional and abusive behavior on set. Almost two months from now, Fisher has openly spoken about the poor treatment and unprofessionalism on the Justice League stage.

Raymond Fisher is an American actor and known for his famous character in DC Extended Universe, Cyborg. He was featured as Muhammad Ali in the play Fetch Clay, Make Man. Fisher started his career as a theatre artist in the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s live program Shakespeare Live. He then got the role of Tom Robinson in the production of To Kill a Mockingbird. He approached the film brilliantly; he tried to show his compassion. The character was in jail for seven months for the crime he did not commit. All he had, taken away from him, he can not feed his children and wife. And yet he does not complain or bad mouth anyone for what happened, partly because he can not. He does not have bad thoughts about others. And Fisher shared he wished if he would have the quality.

Ray is a very obedient and passionate actor and got his cameo role in the Justice League movie as superhero Victor Stone or Cyborg. After that movie, he signed a few contracts in other films, including the solo Cyborg film. Although later, the studio did not stay up to their contract and also according to Fisher, they behave unprofessionally on set.

The dispute led to an investigation started by Warner Bros. into the reshoot of the Justice League, but recently the matter has become extremely complicated. Fisher also accused the studio of manipulating the investigation, and Warner Bros. Studio claimed that Fisher has not cooperated with them. Fisher posted some evidence on Twitter to show why he refused to talk with the third-party investigator. Yesterday, the news broke about the new reshoots of Synder’s Justice League cut, and the movie will debut on HBO Max next year. After that, Fisher accused Warner Bros. of lying about the reshoots, he wrote: It would appear that @wbpictures has gone from giving libelous official statements to one media outlet, to becoming “a source” of purposeful misinformation for another. The people are on to you. The investigation is coming. Casting aspersions on me will not change that.

Fisher said that there is no doubt Warner Bros.’ said that he did not cooperate with them in the investigation because they wanted to quiet his allegations by announcing the upcoming Ben Affleck’s Batman. The studio also tried to do that by spreading the story about Jason Momoa featuring in the Frosty the Snowman remake. To which Momoa publicly came out and supported Fisher in his allegations. He also tweeted with hashtag #ISupportRayFisher. So if Fisher’s claims are right, Warner Bros. might distract people from the matter.

However, it is worth mentioning that the Superman of Justice League, Henry Cavill mentioned that he would not be retrained for the reshoots. After that, the studio has made an official announcement of the reshoot. According to Fisher’s statements, it seems a little strange. Although Synder has not yet commented on anything on reshoots, audiences expect some clarity soon from his side.

These are some latest updates about the Fisher and WB matter. We hope they both will soon solve problems.

Source : https://rennation.com/fisher-accuses-warner-bros-of-lying-about-justice-league-reshoots/

#justice #league #reshoot #fisher #accuses #warner

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atlantisking · 6 years

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OKAY! SO! very few people are awake at this point but i am here after less than 4,5 hours sleep because even when i put my head down on the pillow i was WAY TOO BUZZED to sleep, so opinion on the film and a reflection on arthur under the cut!

first of all, FUCK THE CRITICS! in the nicest possible way? or not? okay this review will be sleep deprived! BUT!! okay, so i looooved that they used the 1989 batman theme of course it’s elfman’s own creation AND ICONIC, so it made my heart flutter tbh, and bruce was an ASSHOLE at many points, but tbh that’s bruce?? i am not as much an expert but we discussed it with husband who is a biig fan and everything he does is very much in character, and tbh loved those awkward moments when he tries to talk to the other members, attempting to be sensitive and then massively fail, and the way he pushes people, prods them, it all had a reason and yeah honestly?? i loved bruce wayne even when i hated him and damn i love batfleck!!

AMAZONS!!! i was soooo gay throughout that whole scene! those badass ladies always make me want to go out and slay some people, just that whole scene was so awesome because we got to see them fighting and being so dedicated to the cause.

THE FLASHBACK TO THE FIRST WAR!!! LANTERNS!!!! GODS!!!I was so happy that we still got to see lanterns, it reminds us that the film is coming soon too! :’)

BARRY ALLEN MUST BE PROTECTED!!! i just loved him and tbh i think ezra stole the show, he was awkward and endearing and to see this growth was amazing, and the moments with his dad, they broke my heart. such great acting and i’d love to know which lines ezra improvised, there are so many from him that i loved!

DIANA KICKED SERIOUS ASS! And tbh the fact that bruce wants her to lead, the fact that he’d rather sit in the shotgun seat on that i liked very much, also diana punching bruce was a satisfying sight to my eyes!! her opening scene was jaw dropping, i loved every breath she took.

VICTOR!!! oh man, i want that cyborg film to happen. IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN!!! i loved ray fisher’s struggles, i loved that short interaction with diana, i love how you can see him open up bit by bit. AND THE UPGRADE AT THE END!!!!

AND OF COURSE CLARK! We knew we will get him back but tbh i thought he will just regenerate with time, so i didn’t quite expect this, but it was very bruce wayne and i kind of loved him fighting the league AND WHEN BARRY NOTICED CLARK CAN KEEP UP! (although i still think barry needs to win that race) Clark fits in so well in, another big heart to the team, i loved him with barry and that scene with victor!!! oh and clois made me cry, like no shame at all it was beautiful, every second of it!!!

OF COURSE FINALLY, MY SON, ARTHUR! we didn’t see a lot of atlantis, probably they’re keeping that fun for the solo film. the way mera was introduced and her interaction with arthur tbh LEAVES SO MANY QUESTIONS TO CANON, that could probably be a ramble in on itself because apparently atlanna took her in but then where is xebel in all this?? SO MANY QUESTIONS!!! and we won’t get answers until the solo film now. BUT SHE KICKED SERIOUS ASS and at least we got to see her and arthur talk. okay now i’m gonna talk about arthur. so i have to say certain things i was not a fan of, like i feel like him having to declare that diana is sooooooo hot under the spell of the lasso of truth was whedon and he can fuck off because it was really unnecessary, we didn’t need that, and the whole cyborg thing felt out of place too, i know arthur here is not supposed to be likable but at times that felt almost forced onto us. BUT. i loved him arguing with bruce every step of the way, that’s awesome guys, keep going, even if we got to see most of that argument already, i loved it, that strain between them is very much canon and i do love that dynamic. HE CARRIED CLARK INTO THE POOL!!! i was emotional... especially knowing that he saved him that one time, stopping him from sinking so he can live, and now another motif for them, and now pushing him down into that water to bring him back to life. i wish he got more interaction with everyone, and it’s obvious that zack snyder wanted to make him cool AF, the way he walks out slowmo chugging that whisky among the raging waves..... iconic. and yeah, i have many questions still, because this arthur is not aquaman yet, this is arthur after his dad’s death, but this is the arthur BEFORE he kills black manta’s father, the act that brings him to be a different man... so it makes me wonder if we will see that in the solo aquaman film??? I NEED ANSWERS! but i won’t get them for a year.... but damn, can’t wait for the first teasers. :’)

AS FOR MY CHARACTERISATION, tbh... nothing will change? like idk if people want to have specific dceu arthur i could give it a go, but i always advertise and make the fact obvious that i take a lot of my inspiration from comic arthur. so i don’t think you’ll see a lot of change, as i said, the arthur in this film is at the beginning of his journey, my arthur is somewhere in the middle, but i’ll consider interactions in those early days if people specifically request it, but otherwise, don’t expect that arthur here.

#🔱 ᵒᶰ ˢᵒˡᶤᵈ ᵍʳᵒᵘᶰᵈ ( ooc. )#[ THIS GOT LONG! ]#[ SORRY ]#justice league spoilers

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pvrplearrowz · 6 years

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SO I WATCHED JUSTICE LEAGUE AND WHAT A WILD RIDE

I’m just going to share my thoughts here; SPOILERS AHEAD

Overall it was a great movie that I really liked though the differences between Zack Snyder’s and Joss Whedon’s parts were very very obvious.

Concerning Joss Whedon’s part (starting from the middle to the end of the movie) I felt like some jokes were forced, cheesy and unnecessary. And I don’t get the common thought that all superhero movies need comedic elements because they sure don’t. It’s great and funny sometimes but at other times it’s just forced and it doesn’t define the movie.

I loved the team working together and that no one was defined by “the character here only for comic relief” and so on. They all did an amazing job. I also need to see more of them together and I hope there will be more members to the Justice League in the sequel (Green Lantern, Green Arrow, Black Canary, J’onn J’onzz etc)

Concerning feminism/Wonder Woman: She was badass (especially in the beginning OMG) as usual but the little Wonderbat scenes and the mentions of Steve Trevor were avoidable. Wonder Woman is independent and she doesn’t need to be defined by a man. Also they say that she shut down after Steve’s death but she lost Hippolyta too who was an important person in her life. There’s also a moment in the film where she isn’t strong enough so Aquaman helps her like???what?? I get it shows that they can work as a team but at the same time I KNOW she’s stronger that him and doesn’t need his help. It clearly shows the difference of when a film in directed by a man with when it’s by a woman. EDIT: another example could be the various shots of her boobs and her ass that highly objectify diana. *heavy sight* * roll eyes*

I loved the importance of Cyborg in the movie, especially since he’s very important in terms of representation (being a black disabled character) and Ray Fisher did an amazing job. I’m very happy for him because he seems to love the character, he’s so grateful and humble and he deserves all the attention he can get. I also hope he’ll get the solo movie he deserves.

Ezra as Flash was Incredible. I slightly prefer him to the CW’s Flash even if I really like both and if I never thought I’d say that. The role suits him so well and I can’t wait for his solo movie. And can we talk about his friendship with Cyborg.

Aquaman’s introduction was weirdly handled but he fit the team correctly. Introducing him here was a good idea to create the curiosity of the public to lead them to watch his solo movie. However, I would have preferred to see more of Queen Mera (she only has one scene).

The return of Superman was epic. Henry Cavill IS SUPERMAN. I know a lot of people complained about the CGI but when you watch the movie it doesn’t bother you. Loved the fight between him and the Flash which was somewhat hilarious. I ship Clark with Lois even more, their scenes were so corny it was satisfying. Superman’s role as giver of hope was well introduced and his friendship/importance for Batman is soo important.

I ADORED comic book references: The ICONIC race between The Flash and Superman. The quick apparition of Green Lantern on the flashbacks when Diana tells the story of the fight against Steppenwolf. When Aquaman mentions the fight between the Atlanteans and the Amazons. EDIT: If you want more comic book references/easter eggs, I highly advise you to watch the videos of comic book nerds on youtube because they’re very interesting.

About Steppenwolf, he’s a weak villain, just like everybody thought he were. But at the same time I think it was kinda great as a start to have a weak villain to introduce the team and get ready for awesome and iconic villains for future dceu movies.

Which lastly leads to the post-credit scenes that were AWESOME. There’s two of them so make sure you, you stay for both. I won’t spoil them but the last one, introducing the dceu continuation was so AMAZING I WHEEZED. I also can’t wait for Snyder’s (I hope) extended cut. EDIT: (also about the comic book nerds on youtube) there are well made videos explaining why the movie is too short and also videos talking about the leaked deleted footage so if you need more/are skeptical about the movie, I advise you to watch those.

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rate-out-of-10 · 6 years

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JUSTICE LEAGUE REVIEW

The DC Cinematic Universe continues to trek on, giving us a proper “team up” film. Many argue that Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice was DC’s first team up followed by Suicide Squad’s villain team-up, but really we’re all looking for DC’s answer to Marvel’s Avengers in the MCU. Justice League, directed by Zack Snyder, is an ambitious undertaking, with it having to directly compete with Thor: Ragnarok at the box office, and also show that DC is also perfectly capable of offering a quality superhero movie. Other than Wonder Woman this passed summer, DC has had trouble garnering enough positivity for their shared cinematic universe. Justice League doesn’t quite lift the DC universe to new heights, but it does surpass its previous hero movie outings, with the exception of Wonder Woman of course.

SPOILERS AHEAD

CHARACTERS & PERFORMANCES

Justice League had a lot cut out for itself. It was introducing not one new hero, but three new heroes. Aquaman (played by Jason Mamoa), The Flash (played by Ezra Miller), and Cyborg (played by Ray Fisher). It goes without saying that a solo outing for at least two of these characters (my picks would be Aquaman and The Flash) would’ve benefitted this movie greatly. Arthur Curry has a tremendous world for us to explore, Atlantis, and the history of Atlantians is very rich. But here, we don’t get much of that, and understandably so; you can’t delve too much into that in the team-up film, but that’s precisely the reason why a solo film revolving around Jason Mamoa’s character would’ve been really cool. Especially since Mamoa’s take on the Atlantian is very likable and down to earth. Alongside of that, Ezra Miller’s Flash is very kid like. He’s a little immature, but it’s mostly because of his inexperience with being a “hero”. He puts it very plainly himself in the movie: “I’ve never really done battle. I’ve just pushed some people and ran away.” He’s a lighter character, often supplying the comic relief, as Barry Allen does, and being able to see him and his struggle with his father and that backstory could’ve been very compelling and would allow us to empathize more with him when he’s put into these “world ending” situations. Instead we’re just eager for him to get over his anxiety and run fast. As for our third newbie, Cyborg, his back story and introduction could’ve very well remained here in the JL team up, but with more of a focus on his struggle in adapting to his new body and capabilities. Cyborg sometimes feels brushed over through this movie. Ray Fisher does an admirable job with the character, but there isn’t much to like about him here. And I think that’s because we don’t the character focus we need on him since the movie is trying so hard to divide time between all these heroes, Batman and Wonder Woman included, plus the extra burden of the introduction of two other heroes. Justice League suffers in some of the same areas that BvS did. Much of the characterization from our newcomers feels a little rushed and not genuine.

As for the three heroes we are already acquainted with, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman, we get strong performances from them. Gal Gadot’s Diana Prince is as wonderful as ever, she remains the shining light she’s always been. Henry Cavill’s Superman feels revitalized in a much better way. As wasted as his death and return was, it was a nice sequence to see Superman command the screen, but not hogging from the other heroes. I was never against Bat-fleck, he was strong in the BvS and he remains so here. I could tell, though, that the writers lightened up the tones with his character in this movie. He doesn’t seem at all as gritty, angry, or murderous as he was in BvS, at times he’s actually pretty funny. I think it served the character for the better overall. One thing had me smiling through the film and engaged was how the cast worked together. I felt a great chemistry between everyone, even with Superman’s short appearances towards the end of the film, everyone’s energy together worked very well. I’m going to say it again, I’m sorry, but this is also another reason why some more solo films prior to this would’ve benefitted this movie greatly.

One thing in particular that pulls the movie down a bit is Steppenwolf (played by Ciaran Hinds). We get a cool backstory sequence to him about a war he waged ages ago on Earth against the old Greek gods and Amazons, Atlantians, and ancient humans. It was a cool sequence visually, but we don’t get much else to wonder about through the rest of the movie. Sometimes Steppenwolf seems extremely powerful and formidable, other times he’s like a palpable rag. Also, the CGI for the character just did not look up to standard. I think much of the effort went into making Cyborg look really cool, and the leftover budget and time was thrown on Steppenwolf. He doesn’t look terrible, but he does stick out like a sore thumb. His character also felt like more of the same. Just a looming threat, building an army, or plotting in the background while we focus on our heroes figuring things out. He just simply passes as a villain. One thing that felt better, however, was the climactic fight against him with all the heroes helping out in their own ways. With how Steppenwolf was characterized and how he played out, it was a good enough fight.

WRITING & DIRECTION

Zack Snyder’s worlds also feel a little cold, gloomy, and dirty, and Justice League feels no different. Aside from our heroes not feeling quite so stoic and angry in this movie, this “darker” take on the DC comics world remains. Much of the scenery makes the world look like it’s about to rain all the time. And that’s just Snyder’s thing I suppose. What really gets me about his direction is how jumbled his movies are. Justice League feels noticeably more grounded than Batman V Superman specifically. It has a clear intent and it doesn’t masquerade as anything other than a superhero/comic film. Batman literally walks around saying, “I’m building/assembling a team of people with special abilities”. I respect Justice League for narrowing its scope and supplying more fanservice.

The film also has some impressive fight sequences. Flash specifically gets a lot of attention with a lot of slow-motion shots of him running through the Speed Force. We even get a nod to The Flash racing Superman (that was very exciting for me)! Our alien bug soldiers didn’t look too menacing, I will say. They suffer from the same thing Steppenwolf does, they just look off. They just look like insignificant filler creatures who are there to provide our heroes something to consistently punch. But to that soundtrack, the mindless punching of non-essential bug looking monsters doesn’t seem all that bad, it can sometimes feel pretty epic.

From a writing standpoint, it’s more apparent that when DC has a more stable focus, whether it be with a clear villain, or the process of building a team, just those small pieces of creating a story, the universe can really improve. JL feels a lot more like a genuine superhero film. It has some pacing issues, especially through the muddled character introductions and progression of some, but it can shine when they give their characters a chance to be together and interact, and just be heroes. The overall plot of Justice League wasn’t spectacular, it wasn’t groundbreaking, but it at least felt more focused and that should be commended. It shows that DC and their writing team is looking at critic reviews from fans. I think this movie is another step in the right direction for DC, not quite as significant as Wonder Woman, but it at least gives the universe a bit more stability.

Also, we’re set up for another villain oriented movie? We get out first look at Deathstroke and Lex is out of prison talking about making “a league of our own”. I wonder if this is something that will build which each solo film to come, or just something for Justice League 2. We’ve already got some villain looks from Suicide Squad so it’ll be interesting to see where our villains are led. I will give DC some extra props putting in the effort at least to arch the villains across films. Marvel hasn’t really done that other than Loki, and if you count Thanos.

FINAL RATING

7.25/10

Justice League is a solid step up from its predecessors. It has a clearer focus in terms of story and it gives our heroes some more chances to shine. It is, however, bogged down a bit by rushed introductions to characters, a lackluster villain, some messy CGI spots and appearances of some characters, namely Steppenwolf, and a basic seen-it-before plot. I still feel as though DC should have waited on this and gave us some more character work through solo films, this way Justice League would feel truly earned. It doesn’t quite here. Who cares if it’s what Marvel did? Marvel did it right: building the universe from the ground up with its focus set on the characters, rather trying to get these iconic faces together and get them fighting aliens and stuff. Hopefully DcC is counting Justice League as a win, despite its weaker box office opening numbers, and they go and build some interesting characters with the several solo films they have slated for the future. They’ll need to do that.

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jessika7979 · 6 years

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Justice league Review (Finally)

So yeah ok I know it’s been a week and I literally have seen this film 4 times, so it is understandable that you may be asking, “Jessika, why?” – basically, a few reasons. Firstly, I wanted to see it more than once, understandably. Secondly, I wanted to see other people’s reviews because I wanted to respond to the critics and positives and finally I was just busy.

So first off, if you want a review that is negative, this is not the post for you.

Seriously, I really loved this film.

Over the week I have been trying to see the criticisms, and although I can defiantly see a few, I just can’t see the majority. The good drastically outweigh the bad by 10 to 1, and seriously it’s shocking me the critics reviews are so low. I am convinced they didn’t want to say it was good in case the audience didn’t like it. I also feel like they saw Snyder’s name and ran with that, completely ignoring whedon and Nolan (!!!! who was a producer).

I’ve been thinking maybe I am biased, because I just love DC so much, but I know that’s not it, because I really hated BVS. I also thought maybe I just liked it the first time and after that I would dislike it and see everything wrong with it, but I didn’t. It got better and better.

Anyway, spoilers ahead (although if you haven’t seen it yet and you are reading a review…… why?)

So firstly, things I disliked:

- Yeah ok CGI was the worst thing I have ever seen, but I can 100% forgive that. They had literally, 3 months MAX to do that and I understand the immense pressure that everyone was under. (Also, when people say, “Oh it defiantly should have been pushed back”, yes, I agree, but I understand why they felt like they couldn’t. Star Wars is out next month, January is an awful time to release a movie and the rest of the year is almost full to the brink with blockbusters coming out, from Han solo to Black Panther.) The whole mustache thing, honestly, I didn’t think it was too bad until I saw stills of it, but during the movie it didn’t distract me or anything. However, the rest of it was pretty bad.

- Steppenwolf was weak AF.

- Nearly all of the trailer wasn’t in the movie.

- That random Russian Family. Why?

- Some of the dialogue was cringy as hell, but yet not as bad as BVS (which isn’t hard)

- No black suit. (Biggest disappointment)

- Superman’s resurrection – it was unrealistic and just generally shit. The fact they actually killed him annoyed me. Yeah, I really didn’t like BVS, but don’t completely ignore it.

Things I liked:

- Superman – EVERY. BLOODY. SCENE. – Jesus lord what a character FINALLY!!! Superman has been such a crap character for the passed two movies and in this one he is finally just allowed be himself. WOOP.

- Especially Superman vs the Justice league. Oh, holy lord. They eye move – give me strength. Best scene of all time in a superhero movie, seriously.

- Ben Affleck’s batman was brilliant. I hated him in BVS, thought his acting was mediocre and his storyline was unbelievable. Before I saw the film and I heard he wanted out, I honestly thought that might be a good idea, but now, I really hope he stays on for as long as possible.

- Ezra miller’s flash is brilliant. Yeah, it’s definitely different to what I’m used to in the comics, but I thought it worked brilliantly.

- Gal Gadot continuing to prove she was born for that role.

- Aqua man was perfect – Honestly, I thought he might be the one who gets left behind and was pleasantly surprised when he was involved as everyone.

- Ray fisher, Jesus Christ what a man. He was a stage actor and to seamlessly transfer onto the screen and bring a character that is nearly 98% CGI to life with humour, seriousness and just pure respect for it, was amazing to watch. I can’t wait to see him in other things.

- TEAM DYNAMIC – they worked together, individually and even one or two together. Bruce and Diana, Flash and Cyborg, Aqua man and Bruce, Flash and Aqua man, and then later Bruce and Clark. Something DC do extremely better than Marvel.

- When they said “Darkseid”. I nearly died.

- They all wore amazing clothes, like not their suits, their average clothes. Especially their jackets. Their jacket games was very very strong.

- The Amazonian battle I thought would break up the flow of the movie, but it was just epic.

- When superman came back and whipped Steppenwolf’s ass because it would be that easy in reality.

- Christopher Reeves vibes when Clark walked down the alley and took his shirt off. (*cries*)

- Flash/ Superman race. (We all know who won)

- THE 2ND END CREDIT SCENE. Jesse Eisenberg who gave the worst performance of the 21st century in BVS, actually made me excited. Also, legion of doom – enough said.

I think that is everything, but at the end of the day, I loved it.

I pray they continue with this universe because they aren’t going to get a better cast then this.

People have been saying “X, stole the movie” and honestly I can see how every single one stole the movie, but it has to be superman for me, but I might be biased.

Rating: 8.5/10

#justice league #dc #Superman #Batman #Wonder woman #The flash #aquaman #Cyborg #Review

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