Share:

In 2017, in an attempt to catch up to the Marvel powerhouse, DC Studios released “Justice League.” Zack Snyder, the original director of the film, had to leave the project due to the tragic death of his daughter Autumn. Joss Whedon took over as director, and many changes to the film were made as a result. Following the film’s poor reception, fans demanded the release of Snyder’s version of the movie. To the joy of many comic book fans, Warner Bros. Pictures decided to release it on March 18, 2021, under the name “Zack Snyder’s Justice League.”

Unfortunately, the film’s new additions, along with poor acting and uninteresting characters bring down its quality. 

The story follows Batman trying to form a team of superheroes to protect the earth from an evil alien race known as the Parademons, who are hellbent on destroying the world. This film adds lots of new features and scenes that ultimately fall short. An example is a new backstory to the Flash, played by Ezra Miller. His entire arc is based around “making your own future,” a trope that has been seen far too often in the genre. 

Other examples include a new villain called Darkseid, portrayed by Ray Porter. The character bears an odd similarity to Marvel’s Thanos but with grey skin. But while Thanos is given a fleshed-out personality and motive for his actions, Darkseid is given almost no personality other than “he’s evil.” The backstory for this character consists of one battle scene with almost no character development. The exposition leading up to the battle comes across as impersonal. Another new aspect of the film is Cyborg’s detailed backstory. Unfortunately, Ray Fisher delivers a lackluster performance, diluting what is essentially the meat and potatoes of the film.

Speaking of acting, boy is it dull all around. All the characters speak in a terrible monotone voice. The only character exempt from this is the Flash, who serves as a bad joke machine. This results in characters expressing almost no emotions, even during scenes that need them, such as when Cyborg saves his kidnapped dad. What could have been a moving moment is wasted by just a few lines of expressionless dialogue before Cyborg leaves. The dull atmosphere of this film is in great contrast with Marvel movies, which have charismatic actors like Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Pratt. 

4 out of 10-“Zack Snyder’s Justice League” is a film that adds a whole lot of new details, but is held back by uninteresting characters and uninspired acting. The film is available to stream on HBO Max.

Follow: