The ultimate edition, expanded to 3 hrs. is EPIC

Rating: 9/10 (26 July 2016)

I am no comic book savant. My expectations for this and other similar movies are loosely based on recent movies that are stories from popular comic books (uh, graphic novels) from DC and Marvel. For me a movie is engaging and entertaining or it isn't. How closely it follows the myths of previous work(s) generally isn't important to me. I do like many of the recent Disney property's Marvel's movies. They are often tongue in cheek, humorous and exciting visually. Fun movies. They engage the eye and the mind as spectacle. Most have some sort of plot but that's not normally what the entertainment is about. This movie (at least the DVD based on it which has expanded running time) is an epic story. There are a few cute lines but they are few and far between. It is a visual phantasm. The struggle between the super heroes provides lots of tension. It is very much different from the Marvel movies of late. Dark and heavy but engaging in a different way. I was very much engaged the whole 3 hours. I thought it was well worth seeing and because of so many visual details and plot lines I will see it again in a year or two to see if it holds up. I don't do that with many movies. I can't comment on the theatrical version because I didn't see it but I can heartily recommend the DVD ultimate edition. Great movie.