ZACK SNYDER’S JUSTICE LEAGUE

US, 2021, 242 minutes, Colour.

Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Gal Gadot, Ray Fisher, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Willem Dafoe, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeremy Irons, Diane Lane, Connie Neilson, JK Simmons, Jared Leto, Amber Heard, Joe Morton, Michael Mc Elhatton, Robin Wright, Billy Crudup, Job Manganiello, Carla Gugiino.

Voices of: Ciaran Hinds, Kevin Costner, Russell Crowe,

Directed by Zack Snyder.

For the background about the difficulties in production of this DC comics extravaganza, it is probably best to do some Googling, starting with the Wikipedia entry about the making of the film, initial failure, the departure of the director, fans insisting on a reconstruction, the work done, re-editing, some new shooting, the choice of releasing as a television or streaming series and then the decision to release the new four hour version.

For the fans of DC comics, this is a must. For those who are not fans of DC comics, it may be far too much of a good thing.

In 2012, the Zack Snyder released Man of Steel, a Superman film featuring Henry Cavill with Kevin Costner and Diane Lane as the Kents, Amy Adams as Lois Lane. In 2016, he set up the confrontation then collaboration between Superman and Batman, Batman versus Superman, Dawn of Justice. He then moved to a film of origins (something equivalent to the Marvel Universe with the Avengers series), Justice League.

Snyder’s daughter, Autumn (to whom the new film is dedicated), died during production, Joss Wheedon taking over, shooting new material, changing the tone of Snyder’s film, bringing the finished film in under two hours.

The new version takes on the multi-ramifications of the DC Universe, the dark history of the past with creatures of evil, the Darkside, and mysterious boxes which can unleash superpowers.

The first part of the film introduces the major superpowers, giving them extensive back stories and exploits. The film presupposes audience knowledge of Bruce Wayne and Batman, along with Alfred (Jeremy Irons), valet and scientific assistant. Bruce Wayne decides to gather the heroes together to combat the Darkside.

There are extensive sequences for introducing Diana Prince, Gal Gadot, Wonder Woman, going back to her Amazon past and battles, including Connie Neilson as her Amazon mother and an uncredited Robin Wright, as well has a contemporary terrorist threat she thwarts in London, material which was to be amplified quite extensively in the subsequent Wonder Woman films. Bruce Wayne also visits the village where Arthur operates, alienated from Atlantis and his undersea kingdom. Jason Momoa takes on the role of Aquaman and was later to have his own films amplifying his story – with something of a trailer and Willem Dafoe appearing as his advisor, Amber Heard as a collaborator.

Extended time is given to Barry Allen, Ezra Miller, the eccentric young man with superpowers, visiting his father in jail (Billy Crudup) and being incorporated into the team. There is also the story of Victor Stone, Ray Fisher, son of the scientist, Simon Stone (Joe Morton), arch-scientist with knowledge of the mysterious boxes, transforming his son from death into cyborg life and so his becoming one of the superheroes.

The final hero is, of course, Superman who has died in the previous film, the group trying to work out if they can revive him and, so, some elaborate sequences, the resuscitated Superman hostile, recognising Lois Lane, gradually getting back his memory, reunited with his mother, encouraged by voices of his crypt on father jewel-L (Russell Crowe) and Jonathan Kent (Kevin Costner).

The film builds up to a long (sometimes seemingly very long) and complex confrontation with the powers of evil, this world of superhero battles.

There is an epilogue involving Jared Leto as Joker, nightmare threats to Bruce Wayne – and his waking to find this is a nightmare. And, eventually, some glimpses of the hostility of Lex Luther, Jesse Eisenberg bald, instigating further hostilities.

There is a certain darkness about the DC Universe, not in the bright colours of the Marvel Universe, some rather blue-grey tones, which indicate not only the darkness but a certain melancholy as well.