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Steve and I both forgot to mention the very, very odd decision of Zack Snyder to convert the film into a… square box presentation, I suppose? Removing the theatrical, widescreen aspect ratio to instead fit the CRT televisions of old. Combined with his initial desire to also convert the film to black-and-white, it is yet another reason I feel that Zack Snyder is too indulgent to be left to his own devices. I think it stands as a testament to how entertaining the Snyder Cut of Justice League ultimately was, but the strange choice of aspect ratio and inclusion of material clearly shot specifically for this cut means we still do not have the “best” form of this movie.

Nonetheless, I was still surprised by the overall quality of the Snyder Cut, and it sort of confirmed to me an issue I had raised so far back as when Steve and I discussed Detective Pikachu: that so many of these modern blockbusters no longer give the film itself room to breathe. While the Snyder Cut is as indulgent in the action scene spectacle as any other, bouncing between absolute thrills and mind-numbing boredom, it also spent a lot of screen time sticking with the characters, letting their arcs play out, and giving us an opportunity to understand their motivations and personalities. This is what brought the comparison to Seven Samurai, but two years ago I recall pondering why Detective Pikachu felt so much more… shallow compared to the 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles motion picture.

I never got around to fully addressing the question I had wanted, which is whether we can expect more studios to take chances with longer films and bring back the days of the film epic? Netflix themselves seems to split some of these things apart, including the extended version of Hateful Eight. The “episodic” nature of television is far more the model they seek to chase, similarly breaking up the anime film Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress: The Battle of Unato into three episodes rather than keeping the movie intact. Zack Snyder’s Justice League may have “chapters” that conveniently divide it up, but it is just as easily viewed in a single – if not butt numbing and bone stiffening – sitting.

Of course, would a film with the spectacle and star power of the Snyder Cut ever be made specifically for a streaming platform? Or, perhaps, will such extended editions be planned ahead of release, exclusive to whichever streaming platform holds its rights? Will lengthy films become a trend again at all? Or would it only tempt studios and filmmakers to include more spectacle and less character? I cannot really say, but I am certainly curious if the Cut will have any impact at all on film-making and streaming trends.

What were your thoughts on the Snyder Cut? Please leave a comment below or send us an e-mail with your opinions.

Opening theme music by Fallen Prophecy.