The Dark Knight may be a better Batman movie, and Superman: The Movie may be a better Superman movie, but when it comes to the best DC movie, it’s Zack Snyder’s Justice League, hands down. The DC Extended Universe, or “Snyderverse” as it’s more commonly known, is destined to go down in cinema history as a bit of a failed experiment. But while the franchise as a whole didn’t reach the same heights as its main competitor in the MCU, it went out with one hell of a bang. To date, Zack Snyder’s Justice League is the only film to truly capture the grandeur of the DC Universe.
It’s hard to pick just a handful of scenes to show how ZSJL captures the sprawling majesty of the DC Universe, but somehow we managed. After digging in and sifting through over four hours of epic superhero action, we finally narrowed our list down to seven moments that make Zack Snyder’s Justice League the best DC movie.
1) Aquaman’s Icelandic Groupies
If you saw a man walk out of the ocean during blizzard season bearing fish for your starving village just when they needed it most, chances are you would revere this man like some kind of messiah. That’s exactly what happens when a group of Icelandic villagers gather to watch Aquaman (Jason Mamoa) return to the sea. As Aquaman’s disciples watch their guardian angel fish disappear beneath the inky waves, they begin singing a song that could easily be mistaken for a religious hymn. Through their awe, we as viewers get a chance to see how the average mortal regards metahumans in this universe.
2) Wonder Woman Is Faster Than a Speeding Bullet
Zack Snyder’s Justice League introduces Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) via a spectacular action scene where she rescues a group of young hostages from a terrorist group. The entire sequence is breathtaking, but the highlight is easily the sequence where Wonder Woman blocks machine gun fire with her gauntlets. As the last remaining terrorist opens fire on his prisoners, Wonder Woman runs the length of the hostages, deflecting bullets as she goes.
She may not be as fast as the Flash, or even Superman, for that matter, but in that scene, Wonder Woman proves she’s quicker than every normal human on the planet.
3) Gods vs. Monsters
One sequence that only appears in the Snyder Cut of Justice League is a flashback showing how Darkseid first came to Earth thousands of years ago. The sequence shows a young Darkseid — then known as Uxas — doing battle with Earth’s defenders: the Alanteans, the Amazons, a green lantern, and several Greek gods. It’s an epic battle that perfectly captures the wonder of the DC Universe.
There’s no attempt to explain away Ares or Zeus as “aliens” who simply appear godlike, ala Thor and Loki — in this universe, Gods just exist. All of the fantastical elements of the DC Universe are taken at face value in a way they never could be at Marvel.
4) Barry Allen Saves Iris West
Another scene that only appears in Zack Snyder’s version of Justice League is a meet-cute between Barry Allen, the Flash (Ezra Miller), and his intended love interest, Iris West. Using the tactic employed by Brian Singer in X-Men: Days of Future Past, Snyder depicts Allen’s superspeed by slowing down everyone else. The result is a beautiful sequence where Barry saves Iris from a would-be fatal car crash while pocketing a flying hot dog.
5) Cyborg Plays Robinhood
Any costumed vigilante can “fight crime” by punching bad guys, but how many of them actually improve people’s lives? Zack Snyder’s Justice League features one of the rare superhero scenes where a character helps someone without physically saving them. Hacking into the net, Cyborg (Ray Fisher) watches footage of a desperate single mother struggling to raise two kids and keep a roof over her head on a server’s wages. Knowing that he has the power to turn her life around, Cyborg doesn’t hesitate to hack into her bank account and inflate it by $100,000.
With that one act, Snyder shows us that it’s possible for a superhero to positively impact society without ever making a fist. And just in case anyone says, “But he stole that money, that’s illegal!” we would kindly remind you that almost all superheroes are unsanctioned vigilantes who break the law all the time in the name of “justice.”
6) Superman Solos the Justice League
One of the coolest scenes in ZSJL involves a recently resurrected Superman holding his own against the combined might of Cyborg, Flash, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Batman. The ease with which Superman (Henry Cavill) mops the floor with his fellow heroes makes the concept of a superteam seem moot. Who needs any of those other guys when you have Superman?
It’s a great fight scene that illustrates just how powerful Superman really is. The moment Flash realizes that Superman is fast enough to see him when he’s running at top speed is a particular highlight. Barry’s unmistakable “Oh sh*t,” face as Superman’s eyes follow him is the perfect reaction to the Man of Steel’s awesome might.
7) Clark Is Not Impressed
While it’s not talked about nearly as much, Zack Snyder’s Justice League has its own “Cap picking up Thor’s hammer,” moment. A split second before Steppenwolf hits Cyborg with a blow strong enough to cleave him in two, Superman gets in between the two, letting Steppenwolf’s axe thud harmlessly against his shoulder. With complete and utter calm, Superman says two words to his attacker: “Not impressed.”
It’s a powerful moment made even better by Kal-El’s use of his oft-forgotten freeze breath to shatter Steppenwolf’s mighty weapon as if it were made of glass. There’s a reason why Superman is considered the best of the best when it comes to comic book gladiators, something Snyder does his best to communicate visually throughout Justice League.
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