This is a fascinating watch, it’s such a great insight into filmmaking.
I’d advise anyone to watch this and the theatrical cut back to back, you’ll learn so much about the process, rearranging scenes, editing, etc.
Pros:
- Compared to BvS: the script is much more structured, coherent, and simple. Also, this film doesn’t try to have any political depth or social commentary, which is a plus because that requires a filmmaker with subtlety, and Snyder is no such filmmaker. Finally, it doesn’t make any major mistakes like the Martha scene or Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor.
- Compared to the theatrical cut: it does a much better job at fleshing out the characters. This particularly helps for Cyborg and Steppenwolf. It kinda turns Cyborg into the coolest character of the DCEU. Also, the editing of the action scenes is much better.
- I love that it has a big, epic tone. The storytelling feels like it takes a lot of inspiration from Lord of the Rings.
- Some great character moments, particularly with Alfred (I also liked Flash running back in time, the killing of Steppenwolf and Aquaman’s scene with Vulko ). There are actually quite a few laughs in this, more so than you’d expect from a Snyder film.
- The score is good (ignoring the overplayed WW theme).
Cons:
- It looks kinda hideous. There is an artificial and fake feeling to most of the scenes. The way it’s directed and shot can only be described as cheap and a visual overkill.
- Casting. Some of the main actors aren’t competent enough to star in a film like this. As long as they keep Momoa, Gadot and Miller, these films will always feel like discount Avengers films.
- It kinda drags, there are some scenes that could’ve been cut or shortened in order to improve the pacing. This is one of the things the theatrical cut does way better, even if it’s much more bland as a cut.
- The Flash still runs and acts like a moron. It particularly stands out in this cut because his Looney Tunes-esque antics are cringeworthy and don’t fit here, and his character still feels very barebones.
- Like BvS, the setting up of future films feels very clunky and forced.
- Though nowhere near as bad as in BvS, I once again noticed some painfully overwritten and forced dialogue.
In short:
Is it better than the theatrical cut, or BvS? Yes.
Is it a good movie? Not by any metric.
3.5/10
UPDATE: I saw a movie so beautiful I started crying™
Stop rating movies before you even know they are in production!!!
Probably the first four-hour movie that I watched in one sitting. Not a perfect one, but the first fiction that caused me emotions since "Endgame". The plot is interesting. The characters are developed. The soundtrack is incredible. It could have been a beginning of something, but, you know what happened. Such a pity that a franchise with this potential has been lost.
Directed by Bryan Singer, Rami's performance of Freddie Mercury is not to be overlooked. Grab yourself a good set of speakers, turn up your music and piss off your roommates. Immerse yourself in the life story of Queen and Freddie Mercury. Rami diversifies his traditional role as an actor (best known as being Elliot in Mr. Robot), and pushes himself to his outer limits: making the film stand out in sexuality, music and theme.
In sets of two, the film artfully thrusts the viewer into the love, the joy that Freddie immersed himself in every day he lived. This documentary, marked up by the most inspiring moments in Mercury's career is highly polished.
There is little structure or time periods labeled clearly for the viewer, making it a guessing game as to how many years it has skipped. Nonetheless, this film is inspiring and is a great tribute to Freddie and his Career.
TL;DR: Rami does good performance, get out the old tube amp and watch it for yourself.