Director Zack Snyder has finally released his cut of the DC Comics superhero film "Justice League" to much fanfare.

This follows the 2017 theatrical release, helmed by Joss Whedon after Snyder's departure, which left fans with a sour taste in their mouths and their metaphorical capes in a twist.

Joss Whedon, who previously directed "The Avengers" and "Avengers: Age of Ultron", had taken over the project after Warner Bros was reportedly unsatisfied with Snyder's cut. Snyder subsequently stepped down completely following the death of his daughter to suicide.

Fans love it

The Snyder Cut, as fans have taken to calling it, is an unwieldy four hours and two minutes long.

While the run time beats out even the "Lord of the Rings", one of the longest-running Hollywood movies, boy, is the movie a thrilling whirlwind of a ride.

Don't let its length deter you, for the Snyder Cut is vastly different from Whedon's version.

While reviews have ranged from the scathing to the laudable, it seems that the general consensus among viewers is that Snyder's version is a huge improvement.

Here are the critics' and audience's ratings on Rotten Tomatoes.

Versus those of the theatrical version.

If you're still on the fence about whether to devote four hours of your life to a movie that at its core is fundamentally the same, here's a summary of the main differences between the two movies so you know whether you're missing out.

*Warning: Major Spoilers ahead*

4:3 aspect ratio

The first striking difference viewers will notice is the 4:3 aspect ratio, as compared to the conventional 16:9 aspect ratio.

This means that the movie will appear in a more squarish format as compared to the usual long and vertically-narrow visual.

It was Snyder's intention to make the movie better optimised for IMAX, with HBO Max stating that the aspect ratio was maintained even on TV to "preserve the integrity of Zack Snyder's creative vision".

Quite a few people griped about the black bars on either side, stating it was akin to watching it on older devices.

If you thought the idea of the 4 hr Snyder cut of Justice League was indulgent, wait until you hear that it is edited into a square aspect ratio and you have to watch this thing with fucking huge black bars on the sides of your TV

— Dan Gentile (@Dannosphere) March 16, 2021

Was aboit to watch Zack Snyder's Justice League on my 4:3 CRT monitor, since the movie's presented at that aspect ratio. But then I was disappointed when I saw that it was pillarboxed like this. Looks like I'm gonna watch it on my 4K TV then. pic.twitter.com/i7jR4N0SD8

— Dark Spoi (@DarkSparkish) March 20, 2021

While the square format can be jarring initially, it allows more space at the top and bottom for the characters to move about.

As a Collider review described:

"In fact, since the film can’t go wide, it instead goes very tall, giving its superheroes the mythical status of being looked up to both literally and emotionally."

An upgraded villain

One of the major downfalls of Whedon's cut was the astoundingly bland big baddie, Steppenwolf.

Steppenwolf's main goals during the theatrical cut were reduced to buzzwords of "destroy" and "conquer".

Aside from his weird obsession with the Mother Boxes — the highly-sought-after sources of infinite power that men, Atlanteans and Amazons on Earth strive to protect — he ends up a forgettable villain.

Additionally, many bemoaned Steppenwolf's terrible CGI.

The new Steppenwolf however, sports a brand new and much-improved design.

Not only does he look more alien-like and menacing, his expressions appear to have been rendered better. The villain also dons a super cool suit of shiny, insect-like armour that bristles and chitters in tandem with his emotions.

Here's a comparison.

What a glow up.

Not only does he look different, Steppenwolf's motivations and drive to find the Mother Boxes are revealed to be that of a disgraced commando seeking redemption from his master.

His desperation is clear from the number of times he summons his superior, DeSaad, to provide him with updates about his mission on Earth.

Steppenwolf's quest for redemption and his desire to return to his home planet ends on a tragic note when he is ultimately slain (*cough* decapitated) by the movie's eponymous heroes.

If "🥺" had a face#Steppenwolf pic.twitter.com/WEILRQCc62

— Cap (@SteveRogersWWII) March 21, 2021

Fleshed-out characters

The four-hour run time was certainly put to good use — Snyder managed to expand each character's backstory and provide much more depth.

The characters which truly shone in the Snyder Cut were Ray Fisher's Cyborg and Ezra Miller's Flash — compared to the 2017 version where Cyborg was a leaden, angsty character with little to no screen time and the Flash was simply utilised as comic relief fodder with misplaced one-liners and quips.

In this movie, Cyborg and his relationship with his father, as well as his heartbreaking origins and the extent of his powers were explored in much greater detail, with Snyder describing the character as the heart and soul of the movie.

To properly cement Cyborg's and the Flash's potential for heroism, glimpses of their empathy and compassion are shown before they are recruited by Ben Affleck's Batman into the Justice League.

A particularly touching scene was when Cyborg, who had just begun experimenting with his powers, noticed the plight of a poor single mother struggling to make ends meet for her family, and spontaneously decided to increase the amount of cash in her bank account through his hacking abilities.

It's the WAY Ray says this line. Jesus he nailed tf outta playing this character. #Cyborg #VictorStone pic.twitter.com/YQplkICg2x

— PiScEs27 AKA: Gandalf's Apprentice (@Josh2Gud4U) March 21, 2021

The Flash also plays a much more pivotal role in the movie — he basically saves the entire world by running so fast he enters the Speed Force, subsequently reversing time after the three Mother Boxes unite and destroy the planet.

This compared to the random family that Flash saved in the theatrical release, which, while heartwarming and all, served nothing to propel the plot.

Scenes of the Flash's father and his love interest Iris West, which didn't make it past Whedon, were also included in the Snyder cut.

R-rated

In line with Snyder's usual grim tone, his cut is also a tad more violent than Whedon's PG-13 family-friendly version.

Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman's first appearance shows her making quick work of a group of terrorists that have taken over a bank, and the blood spatters during the fight have more impact.

Steppenwolf's slaughtering of the Amazons, which depicted the female warriors dropping dead like puppets with their strings cut, was a much truer testament to his power.

More superhero movies are heading into R-rated territory, with "Deadpool", "Logan" and "Birds of Prey" making inroads at the box office, and fans might find this grittier version of the Justice League a treat.

*Warning: Super spoilers!*

If you think that's enough to get you to give the Snyder Cut a try, then head on over to the couch and get comfy. But if you're still undecided, the movie has some exclusive material completely excluded in the theatrical release.

Be warned, these are major spoilers.

Sneak peek of new characters

If you've watched the trailer, you'll know that the greatest supervillain in the DCEU, archenemy of Superman and the Justice League's nemesis, Darkseid, appears several times in the movie.

The character fills the room with a sinister aura every time he appears on screen, which is complemented by his absolutely monstrous appearance.

It sets the Justice League up for potential sequels and sends a message that the movie doesn't end on a happily-ever-after note with the death of Steppenwolf — an even more catastrophic war and a villain beyond evil is looming on the horizon.

Other cameos include the Martian Manhunter (surprise, surprise), the Joker, and brief shots of two Green Lanterns, Yalan Gur and Kilowog.

jared leto as the joker in #SnyderCut (2021) dir. zack snyder pic.twitter.com/cnuWx53cJ4

— best of jared leto (@badpostsjleto) March 19, 2021

While "Zack Snyder's Justice League" definitely isn't a perfect movie — the CGI is still wonky at times and the plot and pacing slightly shaky in the middle — it's worth a shot for comic book fans disappointed by the theatrical release and hungering for that heart-pumping, action movie-induced adrenaline we've gone without during the pandemic.

After all, what's there to lose? The time is now.

Top photo from Twitter