After the release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, the plan that Zack Snyder had for the DCEU has only become clearer to audiences. While Man of Steel was a somewhat confusing introduction to this universe, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice made it more obvious what direction Zack Snyder was intending to go in.
Joss Whedon’s theatrical release of Justice League was a major fumble and a course change, but the Snyder Cut of the film course-corrected and got the whole production back on track. While the Snyder Cut did improve on Batman v Superman in many ways, its predecessor still remained triumphant in several categories by the end of both films.
10 Better Than Batman V Superman: The Snyder Cut Offers A Better Understanding Of Batman As A Person
Because Batman has already been introduced on screen multiple times recently, Zack Snyder wanted to take a different approach when introducing Bruce Wayne to the DCEU. His introduction basically relied on audiences already having an understanding of Batman as a character coming in.
As such, Batman wasn’t well-developed in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice — or, at least, not as well-developed as he could have been. The Snyder Cut showed that Snyder had plans and an understanding for the character, but Batman v Superman didn’t quite make that clear.
9 Isn’t Better: Batman V Superman Has A Better Focus On Its Subjects
Just by the nature of a movie like Zack Snyder’s Justice League and its massive cast, the characters in the film did not get particularly long or in-depth stories. Characters like Cyborg and The Flash were given a bit of extra introductory space.
Unfortunately, though, even in four hours, with so many main characters, it’s impossible for everyone to get the space they deserve. Batman v Superman did a better job of focusing on its few subjects, though it still was doing quite a bit for an early DCEU movie.
8 Better Than Batman V Superman: The Relationship Between Batman & Superman Makes More Sense In The Snyder Cut
It was relatively shocking to most audiences that the first time Batman and Superman would meet in the DCEU would end up in a fight. However, Zack Snyder gave viewers the only sensible world where this fight could happen.
If Bruce had even a small understanding of who Clark was as a person, Batman v Superman just simply couldn’t happen. However, their relationship makes a lot more sense in the Snyder Cut. The characters are more familiar to fans now, as is their dynamic.
7 Isn’t Better: The Snyder Cut Has Too Many Characters To Serve Any Of Them Well
When Justice League was first coming out, a lot of the marketing revolved around the phrase “Unite The Seven.” This was apparently referring to the original seven founding members of the Justice League, but Justice League did not end up having even seven members.
Zack Snyder’s Justice League did no such marketing, but Batman does mention at one point that they are six, not five, and that they need Superman. Including Martian Manhunter gives them seven main Justice League members — and there’s simply not enough space for so many people.
6 Better Than Batman V Superman: Wonder Woman Is Used Better In The Snyder Cut
Wonder Woman wasn’t even introduced in the DCEU before she was brought in to join the fight between Superman and Batman in Batman v Superman. Wonder Woman would be the fourth movie in the DCEU, two movies after her first appearance.
It was that film that finally fully introduced Diana as a character. As such, Batman v Superman doesn’t really handle Diana particularly well. On the contrary, the Snyder Cut uses her better than any movie in the DCEU that wasn’t made by Patty Jenkins.
5 Isn’t Better: Lex Luthor Is A Far Better Villain Than Steppenwolf
As far as villains go, Steppenwolf is, shockingly, one of the weaker examples in the DCEU. While he is physically powerful and a threatening presence, from a narrative perspective, he is just not as compelling a villain as others in the DCEU. Figures like General Zod and Max Lord are already better, and Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor is simply on another level.
While most audiences weren’t quite sure what to make of his casting, Eisenberg proved that he got Lex Luthor’s basic motivations and the point that Snyder was going for. Luthor is ultimately a better villain, giving Batman v Superman an edge over the Snyder Cut.
4 Better Than Batman V Superman: The Characterizations Make More Sense In The Snyder Cut
Zack Snyder definitely has bigger plans for the DCEU. Whether or not he will ultimately be allowed to see those plans through to their ends remains to be seen. However, what did not make a ton of sense characterization-wise in Batman v Superman seems to start clicking by the time viewers get to the Snyder Cut.
Superman and Batman are admittedly darker, but the Snyderverse is also more clear about why the characters are the way they are. As time goes on, Snyder gets better and better at portraying these characters.
3 Isn’t Better: Getting To See Batman In Action In Gotham Is Always Amazing
Because Zack Snyder’s Justice League is such a huge movie, with so many characters and even more moving parts at play, there is not a ton of time left over to see Batman fighting in Gotham. While viewers do love to see Batman on his home turf, that’s not really what the Snyder Cut was about.
However, in Batman v Superman, fans saw some of Batman’s best on-screen fights to date. The stunts in Batman v Superman were phenomenal, and the fights that Batman got in in Gotham were beyond impressive, both in the film and in a meta sense, as choreographed pieces.
2 Better Than Batman V Superman: The Snyder Cut Is A Clearer Example Of Zack Snyder’s Vision
Similar to how the characterizations in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice were not quite fully-formed yet, the entirety of the film is an example of how Zack Snyder had not fully brought his ideas into the DCEU.
It still seemed that the DCEU was trying to do what the MCU was doing — that is, that they were recreating the same exact team from the comics on the silver screen. The Snyder Cut made it much more obvious that this is not that, but in fact, a subversion of that concept, where the Justice League is dismantled before they can be rebuilt.
1 Isn’t Better: Supporting Characters Were Utilized Better In Batman V Superman
With already so many main characters in the primary cast, the secondary cast of the Snyder Cut did not receive a lot of time or attention. Important characters like Lois Lane received very little space in Zack Snyder’s Justice League compared to their presence in Batman v Superman.
While there are many great supporting characters in the Snyder Cut, none of them got any real time to shine. In Batman v Superman, the supporting characters who needed more time, like Perry White, got real space as a character. More so, anyway, than they did in the Snyder Cut, ultimately.
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