HBO Max’s 4-Part Fantasy Epic With 92% Audience Score Is One Of Its Best

One of the best movies on HBO Max is a fantasy epic that boasts a 92% score among viewers on Rotten Tomatoes. Some of the best movies on HBO Max fall under the umbrella of fantasy. The streaming service houses some of the genre’s most famous examples, including all eight Harry Potter movies, the Lord of the Rings movies, and standalone fantasy films like Constantine, The Mummy, and many more.

Even with the other titans of the fantasy genre that HBO Max offers, however, one of the streamer’s absolute best is a bit unexpected: Zack Snyder’s Justice League. After Joss Whedon took over the theatrical release of Justice League, Zack Snyder’s original vision for the film was supposed to be released in four hour-long parts. Instead, it was released on HBO Max as a single four-hour movie, but that movie is still a gem of the fantasy genre.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League Is One Of The Most Fantastical Superhero Movies Ever

While it is a superhero movie, Zack Snyder’s Justice League leans heavily into elements of the fantasy genre, so much so that it may be the most fantastical superhero movie ever. All superhero movies have fantasy elements, but they generally blend them with elements of science fiction, and many viewers consider superhero stories to be in their own genre. Zack Snyder’s Justice League does blend multiple genres, but it goes all-out in its fantastical elements.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League has so many story elements that fit under the fantasy umbrella. Both Wonder Woman’s Amazons and Aquaman’s Atlanteans are mythical warriors who use primarily medieval-era weapons like swords and spears, and their respective kingdoms are as fantastical as it gets. The Mother Boxes, as well, hold an almost magical power and work in much the same way the One Ring does in Lord of the Rings.

The members of the Justice League themselves are also nearly perfect fantasy heroes. Wonder Woman and Aquaman are legendary warriors from mythical lands, Superman and The Flash command immense power that borders on magic, and even Batman and Cyborg, the two most sci-fi heroes of the bunch, feel like righteous knights from Arthurian legend. The very concept of the Justice League itself could even be compared to the idea of the Knights of the Round Table.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League‘s main villain, Steppenwolf, is also a very fantastical figure. He and his army of Parademons are an invading force that pushes the Justice League to band together. They’re essentially Saruman and his orcs, and they even work for a much larger and more sinister figure like Sauron; Darkseid. Even when combined with sci-fi elements like Cyborg, the fantasy elements of Zack Snyder’s Justice League are plain to see.

The way Zack Snyder told the story of the Justice League also made it a fantasy film. Synder treats the various superheroes in this film like they’re mythical figures, and the entire movie feels like it’s trying to establish these characters as modern legends. Zack Snyder’s Justice League hits all the major beats a fantasy movie is expected to. By viewing superpowers as a form of magic, it’s plain as day that this is a fantasy movie.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League Is Also His Most Accessible Superhero Movie

Superman about to start flying in Zack Snyder's Justice League — Superman about to start flying in Zack Snyder’s Justice League

Zack Snyder’s Justice League doesn’t just fall under the banner of fantasy, however, it’s also a prime example of the genre and arguably Snyder’s most accessible superhero movie. As a director, Snyder often opts for edgy and dark moments in films like 300 and Sucker Punch. His superhero movies, including Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and even 2009’s Watchmen, also follow this trend.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League certainly has its dark and edgy moments — the movie is R-rated — but it’s much more audience-friendly than his other superhero movies. There is quite a bit of violence and some explicit language, but it’s far less controversial than his earlier superhero films. Snyder also made fewer decisions that outraged superhero fans in Justice League, like Superman killing Zod in Man of Steel or Lex Luthor’s casting in Batman v Superman.

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Zack Snyder’s Justice League is also an extremely accessible superhero movie. The film does use quite a bit of backstory from the earlier DCEU movies, but it also does a good job of paraphrasing where each hero is at as it gets going. Viewers don’t need prior knowledge of who Darkseid is, why Superman is dead, or even the backstories behind Batman and Wonder Woman, as the movie itself explains all that.

The less controversial and more accessible nature of Zack Snyder’s Justice League also made it a really good movie. The film has 92% approval from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s one of the best DCEU movies ever made, and it’s far superior to the theatrical version of Justice League. It has tons of action, great character moments, stunning visuals, and a gripping story. Whether you like fantasy movies or superhero movies, you’ll like Zack Snyder’s Justice League.