The level to which Justice League was compromised by Warner Bros. is best indicated by the fact that the theatrical edition runs for exactly 120 minutes, because the studio instructed Joss Whedon to ensure that it was no longer than two hours. As a result, it turned out to be a Frankenstein’s Monster of a movie, making frequent wild and jarring tonal jumps from Zack Snyder’s established aesthetic to Whedon’s quip-happy style, often in the same scene.
There are very few redeeming qualities about the version of Justice League that landed in theaters with a thud back in November 2017, but there are no guarantees that the Snyder Cut is going to be the all-time classic that many fans are expecting it to be. After all, the director’s filmography has tended to be pretty divisive among audiences, with many praising him for his contributions to the DCEU, while others have blasted him for having a fundamental misunderstanding of Batman and Superman as characters.
Having been given complete creative freedom and a big pile of money to get his preferred vision over the finish line, the idea of Justice League being reborn as a four-hour epic is a massively exciting prospect for some and a terrifying thought for others, as you can see from the reactions below.
4 hours of uncompromised Zack Snyder Justice League content. #ZackSnydersJusticeLeague pic.twitter.com/LE72Pgc9V2
— Fran 🇪🇸 (@Dailter_Fran) January 17, 2021
“4 hours of Justice League is way too long wtf” – twitter user: darren saw endgame x117
— -/George- (@kryptonscodex) January 17, 2021
https://twitter.com/lorebuffay/status/1350845662699655168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1350845662699655168%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fepicstream.com%2Fnews%2FBriConstantino%2FFans-Share-Mixed-Reactions-Over-Zack-Snyders-Justice-League-Being-4-Hours-Long
If y'all went through 3 hours of endgame, even multiple times, you are fine with 4 hours of Justice League. pic.twitter.com/3zvCnTsmg0
— Fran 🇪🇸 (@Dailter_Fran) January 17, 2021
The best 4 hours of my life are gonna be Zack Snyder's Justice League.
So excited!
— Z (@AMagicWriter) January 17, 2021
Zack Snyder cut of Justice League is 4 hours long?
Me in the theater pic.twitter.com/wCgvlq85Ep
— RiB | SENSEI (@blakk_sensei) January 18, 2021
Justice league Snyder Cut confirmed to be 4 hours and I'm confirmed to still not watch it.
— Luke (@LukePerez17) January 18, 2021
Justice league may be 4 hours long, but considering its a Zack Snyder movie, ittl feel like 40
— Lumpy (@NolanRoberts17) January 18, 2021
This film honestly feels so self indulgent. There is no need for the Justice League film to be 4 hours long, just coz it might be better doesn’t mean it will be good
— Zach McElroy (@ZachMcElroy1) January 17, 2021
4 hour miniseries? Maybe
4 hour movie sounds fucking unbearable https://t.co/d0ZPnhRDJA— Paul Dee-Pay-Oh-La (@PaulDePaola) January 17, 2021
Do any of us really think this movie's going to be that much better than the original Justice League? I mean it'll be more consistent, sure, but… really? I don't know that 4-hours is going to be worth it (but I'll probably still watch it.)
— Love is in the Airing it Out (@mattilladahun) January 17, 2021
Honestly Zack Snyder getting a 4 hour R rated version of justice league out is the funniest thing and I welcome the sheer chaotic energy it brings
— Timothy Classic Horror Movies (@TchaglerTimothy) January 18, 2021
Avengers: Endgame was a three-hour film and very much felt like it, so viewers will have to show some serious dedication to remain 100% engaged and invested in something that’s going to run for at least 60 minutes longer. It’s also worth mentioning that Snyder has always struggled to rein in his penchant for visual excess and narrative self-indulgence in the past, and being handed carte blanche to release a four-hour edit of Justice League is more than capable of bringing out either his best or worst tendencies.
