Following director Snyder's withdrawal from then-filming Justice League owing to tragic personal circumstances, the subsequent major re-write/re-shoot by Joss Whedon that was released in cinemas in 2017 was a disappointingly dull and underwhelming affair. This release of the completed legendary 'Snyder Cut' is a rare example of the studio listening to fans and funding extensive and costly shooting/effects work to complete the director's original vision, and whilst Warner would never have given Snyder a four-hour final cut for the original cinema release, what is undeniable is that this version is so much more interesting and displays much better storytelling than the Whedon/theatrical version. The basic structure is still there, but this is a very different version and viewer experience, and the splitting into clear 'chapters' works well over its long running time. A main criticism that Justice League 2017 rushed the introduction of characters before they were introduced in solo movies (that worked so well for the MCU) is eased by more carefully-delivered and organic backstories here, and the previously-underwhelming main antagonist Steppenwolf is made a far more credible threat here when allied with the reinstated Darkseid sub-plot. The film inevitably still does not match the heft of the final Avengers double-bill, but with strong main players and systematically effective narrative development, Snyder restores a lacklustre theatrical cut into something much more entertaining, enjoyable and effective.
No comments:
Post a Comment