My Top Twelve DCEU Moments
The DCEU has had quite a tumultuous journey ever since it kicked off with 2013’s controversial Superman origin film, Man of Steel. Many people were and still are unhappy with the tone and approach that director Zack Snyder took in his interpretation of the world’s most famous superheroes. The animosity around Snyder became so absurdly toxic and hateful that Warner Bros. stupidly decided to not only sabotage Snyder’s first Justice League film but also completely scrap his epic Justice League trilogy in favor of delivering 2017’s Josstice League, a steaming pile of garbage overflowing with forced and cringe worthy jokes, painfully sloppy and abrupt editing, watered down action sequences, a laughably cardboard villain and terrible CGI, most notably Superman’s much mocked phantom mustache.
Luckily, Snyder fans such as myself got the last laugh of sorts when Zack Snyder’s epic 4 hour original Justice League was finally released on HBO Max. Not only does the film do justice to each team member’s arcs, it also beautifully ties together all the themes and elements that Snyder planted in his previous two entries, Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Now that we have the Justice League film we dreamt of and fought for, I thought it was time to compile a list of my top twelve (top ten was too restrictive) favorite moments from the DCEU films which led up to Snyder’s Justice League. For this reason, I won’t be including any films released after Snyder’s Justice League was originally planned to come out. I hope you enjoy the list.
12. Batman/Superman Battle (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice)
This scene culminates in the infamous Martha scene which to this day is still mocked by people who don’t understand what was really happening in that moment. Nevertheless, the fight between Batman and Superman which preceded that moment was something that fans like myself waited years to see and the result, although somewhat brief, made for one of my favorite moments in the DCEU. The entire film was leading up to this confrontation as Lex Luthor secretly manipulated these two titans into fighting. Batman, dressed in his iconic mech suit ripped almost exactly from the Dark Knight Returns, sets up all sorts of traps to anger Superman and get him right where he wants him. Superman, initially attempting to tell Bruce that Lex is behind everything, including kidnapping Martha Kent to make this fight happen, quickly realizes that Bruce is beyond reason and throws him around a while to show that he’s firmly in control. That is, until Bruce hits Clark with a kryptonite gas grenade and Bruce unleashes almost two years of rage on the Kryptonian visitor. Watching them duke it out is thrilling, even if it’s tough watching Superman being pummeled by an out of control Batman. This of course is the point, designed to show that Bruce has lost his way and is in danger of becoming the very evil he swore to destroy, the same evil that took his parents from him. It’s only when Lois Lane shows up pleading for the life of this alien and explaining that Superman’s own mother is facing death, that Bruce realizes the error of his ways and agrees to help. The rest as they say, is cinematic history.
11. Superman Thrashes Steppenwolf (Zack Snyder’s Justice League)
In any other list, this scene would’ve been much higher, but given the sheer number of even more epic moments sprinkled throughout Snyder’s Justice League, this scene falls into the number 11 spot. After the League got their asses kicked resurrecting Superman, the team goes off to face Steppenwolf in one final epic battle, unsure as to whether Superman will join them. Just as all hope of victory seems lost with Steppenwolf gearing up to deliver a killing blow to Cyborg that will ensure the destruction of Earth, Superman zooms down between Steppenwolf and Cyborg, effortlessly blocking Steppenwolf’s electro-axe with his shoulder and nonchalantly saying “Not impressed” before he freezes and shatters the axe, much to Steppenwolf’s disbelief. What follows is one of the film’s most satisfying scenes as Superman (wearing his awesome Black and silver suit) delivers an epic beatdown to Steppenwolf, blasting him with heat vision and using him like a punching bag as Hans Zimmer’s epic Superman score from Man of Steel blares triumphantly in the background. For Superman fans such as myself, seeing Superman unchained and confident in his abilities was a dream come true, one that showcases just how powerful the Man of Steel really is.
10. Superman Dons the Black Suit (Zack Snyder’s Justice League)
Not surprisingly, many of my favorite scenes feature Superman, not only because he’s my favorite Superhero but also because the three Snyder DCEU films are largely about his journey to become Earth’s greatest hero. After he’s resurrected by the League and reunited with Lois and Martha Kent, Clark returns to the Kryptonian Scout Ship with the intention of joining the League in battle. As he walks down the corridor and looks at the different Kryptonian suits on display, the voices of his Kryptonian father Jor-El and Earth father Jonathan Kent beautifully intermingle, both echoing their shared love and pride in their son and his destiny. Clark finally emerges from the ship in a beautiful call back to the scene of his first flight in Man of Steel, only this time he’s wearing the black and silver suit, one closer to those worn by most people on Krypton as opposed to the more formal red and blue. This shows that Clark is done trying to ignore his Kryptonian side and is instead embracing the totality of who he is, a child of both Krypton and Earth. It also shows how he’s come full circle from a young man unsure of himself to the confident, self assured hero that we know and love. With the encouraging words of his fathers echoing in his ears, he takes flight once more, soaring off into space and basking in the sunshine with arms outstretched, ready to embrace his role as a beacon of hope for the world.
9. Justice League standing in the Sun (Zack Snyder’s Justice League)
Everything about this scene is epic, from the rousing, triumphant score, to Snyder’s trademark use of slow motion and the way the camera pans to give each hero their own moment before showing them standing together victoriously in the sun, fulfilling Jor-El’s promise in Man of Steel that in time humanity would join Kal-El in the sun. The scene is a beautifully satisfying full circle moment made to feel all the more special and earned by the struggles and darkness which plagued the characters in the events leading up to this triumphant moment. They each overcame their own demons and doubts and rose to their unique roles as heroes united to protect mankind from the most dire threat imaginable. This is the Justice League fans such as myself waited most of their lives to see and thanks to Zack Snyder, we finally got it.
8. Superman vs. The League (Zack Snyder’s Justice League)
At 4 hours long, Zack Snyder’s Justice League is bursting with one epic scene after another, hence why this list is largely composed of scenes from this mammoth film. Among them is this scene where the League resurrects Superman using the Kryptonian ship, a Motherbox and a electric boost from The Flash. The entire resurrection scene is absolutely brilliant from Cyborg’s hellish vision of the Knightmare timeline with the evil Superman to Flash’s light speed run where time starts to reverse slightly. On the heels of this brilliance is the scene where Clark meets the League for the first time. After Cyborg’s defense system fires on him, Superman, confused from the resurrection process, unleashes his full powers on the league, all of whom are helpless to stop him, even with the combined strength of Wonder Woman, Aquaman and Cyborg. The highlight is watching Flash’s attempt to super speed around Superman and catch him off guard only to have Superman’s eyes following him the whole time, much to Flash’s surprised horror. Watching Superman dismantle the entire team (especially going toe to toe with Wonder Woman) is like watching the panels of a comic book come to life. The visual effects are stunning and the action is unrelenting and tense, especially when Batman shows up and pleads with Superman to help them even as he’s fighting off blasts from Superman’s heat vision. The scene’s a perfect demonstration of how dangerous Superman would be without his moral compass and demonstrates how in many ways his greatest power is keeping all that power in check.
7. Smallville Battle (Man of Steel)
Honestly, it’s a toss up between this battle and the final battle between Superman and Zod in Man of Steel. Both have stunning visuals and edge of your seat action sequences, but the Smallville battle wins out because it’s the first time we see Superman let loose in battle against several trained Kryptonian soldiers. Not only is this hands down the greatest live action Superman fight scene of all time, it’s arguably one of the all time greatest fight scenes in the history of comic book films. Never before have Kryptonians been as fast as strong or as brutal in combat as in this scene and seeing Superman finally get to cut loose with his powers was what fans like myself waited all our lives to witness. The scene never lets up and keeps you glued to the screen every second. In addition to ramping up the action, this scene also demonstrates Superman’s inherent concern for humanity as he stops several times during the battle to save people even when doing so leaves him vulnerable to attack from the Kryptonians. We see him save a soldier who falls from a helicopter as well as save Colonel Hardy from being killed by Faora. All in all, this entire sequence contains all the elements that make Superman the most iconic superhero of all time.
6. Wonder Woman crosses No Man’s Land (Wonder Woman)
Not only did Zack Snyder reinvigorate and modernize the world’s two most famous heroes, Superman and Batman, he also gave us the silver screen’s first flesh and blood Wonder Woman in his casting of Gal Gadot. Additionally, he conceived of the story which eventually led to 2017’s Wonder Woman in which Diana leaves her island paradise of Themyscira for the world of men during the First World War. Naïve about the moral complexities and horrors of the world, Diana races headfirst into battle to defend the weak and innocent. The film has many memorable scenes and epic action sequences, but perhaps none is more iconic than her defiant crossing of no man’s land which allows the allies to finally leave their trenches and follow her. Everything about the scene is iconic, from the triumphant score to Diana using her bulletproof bracelets and skills to deflect everything the men on the other side send her way. Her fearlessness and resilience in the face of horror and evil illustrate beautifully why she’s such an enduring icon for equality and justice in the world.
5. Batman Saves Martha Kent (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice)
Even those who hated BvS, as opposed to those like myself who think it’s a masterpiece, have to admit that the scene is which Batman saves Martha Kent is the single greatest live action demonstration of Batman’s fighting prowess and skill we’ve ever seen. Batman is more badass and menacing in those four minutes than he ever was in the two Keaton films or all three Bale films. Not only is it a great demonstration of his sheer brutal strength and unparalleled combat ability against a warehouse full of trained killers, it also showcases his cunning and skills with various weapons, from batarangs to grappling guns and everything in between. Snyder always said his Batman was a battle hardened, world weary veteran who’s been at it for twenty years and has seen the worst humanity has to offer and that’s on full display here. Even if you’re one of those folks who has a problem with Batman killing (something he does in both the Burton and Nolan films) you have to admit Affleck’s Batman gets shit done quickly and effectively in a sublimely choreographed and absolutely thrilling, high octane sequence that demonstrates why Batman is a menacing creature of the night who strikes terror into the hearts of criminals.
4. The Trinity Unites (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice)
Once again, say what you will about BvS (and chances are I’ll have a good retort prepared), but in addition to giving us the most badass live action Batman we’ve ever seen and the silver screen introduction of Wonder Woman, the film also gave us the big screen’s first appearance of the famous Superhero Trinity, Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. The scene starts with the true introduction of Wonder Woman as she drops in and uses her bracelets to save Batman from being obliterated by Doomsday’s heat vision, but the magic reaches it’s peak when Superman flies back down to Earth and the three heroes finally stand together to face Doomsday. Following Batman and Superman’s humorous exchange regarding Wonder Woman’s sudden appearance, fans finally got to see the world’s most famous Superheroes standing together for the first time on the big screen and it doesn’t disappoint. Aided by Wonder Woman’s scathing and primal electric cello driven theme, this image is forever burned into our minds like a comic book page brought to life. What follows is one of the most visually stunning comic book battle sequences in cinema history as the trinity works together to stop Doomsday with Wonder Woman charging into battle like the warrior she is and Superman making the ultimate sacrifice to bring the behemoth down.
3. Superman destroys the World Engine (Man of Steel)
These last three scenes are interchangeable in my eyes; they’re all incredible. That includes this scene where Superman attempts to destroy the world engine, even though being around it weakens and can potentially kill him. As buildings topple in Metropolis and people are buried under rubble, Clark struggles to destroy the machine and put an end to the destruction and loss of life. He ends up being caught in the machine’s gravity beam and pulled straight down as it mimics Krypton’s much stronger gravity while back in Metropolis, Perry White struggles to free another Daily Planet staffer from the rubble as the path of destruction inches closer to killing them all. Just as all seems lost, Clark raises his fist in the air, overcoming the incredible gravity. He gradually manages to stand against the beam and, in a beautifully iconic shot where he looks exactly like Christopher Reeve, he uses all his willpower to propel himself upwards against the force of gravity and with a final effort, launches himself through the machine and destroys it, saving Perry White and everyone else on Earth in the process. Add in Hans Zimmer’s incredibly stirring and awe-inspiring score which slowly ascends from nothing to a rousing and triumphant climax that gives me goosebumps and still makes me tear up even to this day, this scene contains everything that makes Superman the most inspiring beacon of hope and goodness that we have.
2. Flash (and Cyborg) save the world (Zack Snyder’s Justice League)
Much like the injustice done to Cyborg, Josstice League also gave us a wimpy Flash who was an annoying coward whose only real job seemed to be dispensing cringe worthy jokes at the speed of light. Luckily, Zack Snyder’s Justice League gave us a Flash who still provided most of the comic relief, (without being unbearable) while also rising to the rank of a true hero by saving the League along with the entire planet by running so fast that he actually reversed time and brought the world back from destruction. This scene was brilliantly teased earlier in the film when time reversed slightly just before Superman was resurrected, but in this scene we see the full effect of Flash’s unleashed powers as he taps into the speed force and drags the world (and the League) back into existence after the three Motherboxes synchronize and destroy Earth. Even Superman is helpless to stop the Unity and all hope looks lost until Flash begins to run. Everything about this scene is note perfect, from the eye melting visuals as the world literally reassembles around Barry, to the slowly building, triumphant and emotionally stirring score by Junkie XL, to the fact that Barry’s literally doing what his father said earlier in the film when he told Barry to make his own future. Once he brings the League back, Barry’s able to help Cyborg get inside the Motherboxes and, in a sequence that gives Cyborg his own world saving moment, Victor severs the connection, overcoming the boxes tempting yet illusory offer to restore his old life, including the return of his deceased parents by declaring “I’m not broken and I’m not alone.” This is both a beautiful way to cap off Flash and Cyborg’s teamwork and the perfect way to complete Cyborg’s amazing character arc. Even in an amazing film teeming with countless scenes of sheer brilliance, this one stands out as perhaps the crowning achievement of Snyder’s tremendous work in the DCEU and it’s a crime that WB removed this scene for their 2017 disaster. Luckily we got to this scene and all the other amazing moments from Zack Snyder’s Justice League.
Before I unveil my number 1 favorite DCEU moment, here are a few honorable mentions that just missed out on a spot in the top twelve.
History Lesson (Zack Snyder’s Justice League)
Nowhere else did Snyder’s Justice League match the mythic quality of The Lord of Rings films than in this scene where we see Darkseid (known as Uxas at this early point in his history) invade Earth 5000 years ago only to be repelled by a united League of heroes made up of Amazons, the Greek Gods (including Zeus, Ares and Artemis), Atlanteans, the tribes of men and even visitors from the stars, most notably a Green Lantern who’s murdered by Darkseid (who to be fair, wasn’t yet as powerful as he’d become). The scene is epic beyond belief, like an ancient battle ripped right from the pages of LOTR and it does a fantastic job of setting up the dire stakes that make it necessary for Earth’s modern heroes to unite to once more repel the threat of Darkseid.
Batmobile chase (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice)
Not only does this scene feature one of the best Batmobile action scenes of all time, it’s also the scene where Superman and Batman first meet after Superman sends the Batmobile skittering into a row of gas pumps. Seeing these two titans standing face to face makes this one of my favorite scenes from the DCEU.
Cyborg tests his powers (Zack Snyder’s Justice League)
Of all the injustices committed in the atrocity that was Josstice League, none were worse than those commited against Cyborg with most of his arc and character development scraped because according to hack Joss Whedon, his original story arc made no sense. This is a shame because anyone with a few working brain cells can easily see that not only does Cyborg’s arc make perfect sense but it also forms the emotional heart of the film, showing him going from justifiably bitter and angry man to a hero who finds renewed purpose and hope in his unique abilities. Nowhere is this demonstrated more clearly than in the scene where he tests out his new powers, among them the ability to control the world’s monetary systems, but instead of helping himself to immense wealth and power, he chooses to help a struggling single mother by moving around money into her account. Seeing Cyborg smile at the mother’s joy shows that underneath his anger is a hero with a good heart.
1. Superman’s First Flight (Man of Steel)
As absolutely brilliant as the Flash scene is, at the end of the day , this scene still ranks as my personal favorite DCEU moment of all time not only because it kind of kicked off the whole DCEU, it also perfectly captures the thrilling magic and awe inspiring hope which makes the world’s very first superhero such an enduring icon to all of humanity. This seems to be a result of the passion that Snyder and company brought to the herculean task of bringing Superman into a modern world and making him more relatable than ever before. Rather than being a flawless golden god on a hilltop, Man of Steel (as well as the two follow up films) focuses on the man behind the icon, the down to earth farm boy with godlike powers who’s just trying to do the right thing and help as many people as he can, all the while grappling with real self doubt in an uncertain and fearful world. Clark’s down to earth quality is no better expressed than here when he discovers why he was sent to Earth, puts on his iconic suit and takes flight for the first time. Everything about this scene is note perfect and still gives me chills when I watch it, even nearly a decade later. After Jor-El tells his son that he was sent to Earth to inspire the goodness of humanity, Clark emerges from the Kryptonian ship in the red and blue suit, his velvety red cape billowing behind him in the artic wind. With Hans Zimmer’s stirring score building up strength behind him, we see Clark testing his limits, taking a few big leaps before soaring into the sky, bursting out in joyous laughter as he does so, just a Kansas farm boy discovering he can fly. Not surprisingly, he soon crashes back to Earth, but picks himself up and dusts himself off as we hear Jor-El deliver the now legendary and beautifully foreshadowing lines about humanity joining him in the sun. With that, Clark takes off again, this time blasting off into the sky and soaring all around the globe before flying over the Earth and booming back through the atmosphere. This beautifully shot sequence so perfectly captures the thrilling magic that made us fall in love with the character in our youth, heightened by Zimmer’s rousing and soaring score building to it’s hair raising climax. This scene alone will make you believe a man can fly all over again.