For HBO Max subscribers, every day is now Martha’s Day. In proper preparation for Zack Snyder’s cut of Justice League arriving on the service next year, the director’s cut of its predecessor comes flying in. Like the various longer cuts of Watchmen, the lengthier Batman v Superman features a more coherent plot. It won’t likely change the minds of anyone who greatly disliked the movie. However, for viewers on the fence, it can tilt into the positive camp. Snyder announced the arrival via Twitter this morning.
Excited that Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Ultimate Edition is now streaming exclusively on @HBOMax. pic.twitter.com/9t6L7UBXIH
— Zack Snyder (@ZackSnyder) July 4, 2020
In the ultimate edition, Lex Luthor’s manipulations behind the scenes become much clearer. He has criminals in prison killed in order to frame Batman, and the flamethrower henchman becomes a much bigger player. Batman’s Dark Knight Returns-inspired killing of him may still feel a tad excessive for Batman, but it’s much more motivated. Jimmy Olsen gets a bot more time to breathe before he stops doing so altogether. And when Superman says “Save Martha,” it has a longer beat, so it sounds like he’s trying to say “Save Martha Kent,” which makes more sense. Most significantly for the upcoming Snyder Cut of Justice League, the final moments of the film show Steppenwolf in his original, more monstrous design.
RELATED: First Justice League Snyder Cut Teaser Features Darkseid
Though the extended cut came out on Blu-ray and 4K a while ago, the HBO Max arrival makes it more accessible for those who didn’t want to commit to buying it. And make any marathons in preparation for the Snyder Cut that much more on-point.
If you’ve seen the ultimate edition, do you think it makes a difference to the movie overall? Let us know in comments below.
Recommended Purchase: NECA Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Batman Action Figure (1/4 Scale)
