Zack Snyder: Good or Bad Filmmaker?
I’ve been thinking a lot about Zack Snyder recently. The Flash releases in cinemas this week, ushering a new era for the DC universe and officially closing off everything that’s happened thus far. The Flash is a multiverse film, which touches on projects from the Snyder-era, seemingly to pay respect as the curtain closes. For fans who are crying out for Snyder to once again take the reins, this is the end (for now at least). In theory, the debate should be over. However, this is the internet. There’s a possibility this could inspire a new wave of polarising Snyder devotion. Joy.
Snyder was already a controversial filmmaker, but public opinions splintered further during his short time with DC. He started a shared cinematic universe for some of the most celebrated heroes of all time, like Superman and Wonder Woman. Given the popularity of comic book media and DC characters, establishing the DCEU seemed relatively easy and came with a ready-made audience. However, schisms formed immediately and grew with each new film. Snyder brought a murky and grey colour palette, a gritty and often cynical tone, and a focus on style rather than substance. The DCEU was rushed, so a Justice League team-up could happen sooner, and so DC could keep up with Marvel. Some loved Snyder’s approach, others hated it, and the internet has been a battlefield ever since.
It’s difficult to talk about Snyder without addressing the elephant in the room: his fans. I’d never paint all Snyder fans with the same brush because that’d be unfair. Many are nice people who are passionate about films and comic books. Unfortunately, there’s an incredibly vocal and radical portion of the fanbase who cast a dark shadow. People who throw insults too easily, deal in anger more than passion, and send horrific threats to film critics and fellow film watchers. This makes it hard to have rational conversations about Snyder’s work. When people stop discussing films and start sending threats of violence, rape and death, the discourse is totally tainted. It’s a very dark side of the DC fandom, which has ultimately contaminated wider perceptions of DC films, and caused irreparable damage. Discussions about Snyder’s work should never have reached this point, and it’s important for everyone else to speak up and challenge this toxic behaviour.
I’ve wanted to discuss my thoughts for a while, but talking about Snyder online is like taking a baseball bat to a beehive. And believe me, I expect far more beestings than honey. Nonetheless, I’m ready to talk about it. The best way to unpack my thoughts is to examine both sides of the coin. So, I’ve compiled a list of positives and negatives, which provide insight into how Snyder’s work resonates with me.
Positives
- Visual storytelling - Snyder sometimes has a good eye for exciting set pieces, trippy dream sequences and bold action. Some Snyder work feels like a comic book reimagined in live action, which is pretty cool.
- Batman - While Snyder wasn’t great at handling all of DC’s characters, his vision for Batman was solid. The warehouse sequence in Batman v Superman is particularly awesome. The combat is fluid yet brutal, it’s creative and focused, and it feels like an Arkham video game.
- DC lore - Regardless of how his vision was ultimately executed, Snyder understands the basic essence of DC. He attempted to build a rich mythology with titan-like figures. Comic book writers have approached the Justice League as parallels to the Greek gods, and Snyder seemed to be on the same wavelength.
- Justice League extended cut - This will seem like false praise, because the theatrical cut of Justice League was terrible, but the Snyder Cut is better. The plot makes more sense, the characters are fleshed out, and it has some cool visuals. It’s still not great, but it’s a more complete vision.
- Signature voice - With superhero blockbusters, it’s easy for directors to lose their voice. Look no further than the MCU, where multiple projects lack a distinct voice and could’ve been made by anyone. For better or worse, Snyder manages to retain his voice, so you can always tell when you’re watching a Snyder film. Whether you like his style or not, it’s admirable that he doesn’t get lost in the Hollywood machine.
Negatives
- Poor storytelling - Snyder is really good at moments. If you need a dream sequence or a visual thing, then he’s your guy. What he struggles with is coherent plot. He can’t guide the audience from A to B, and can’t track stories or character arcs. It’s why his films often feel unfocused and erratic, with undercooked characters. He offers long, meandering narratives, which linger in the wrong place for too long and rush past meaningful moments. Consider how Man of Steel opens. Superman’s origin is remarkably simple. Grant Morrison retold this origin in just four comic book panels. So why do we waste almost 20 minutes on Krypton before the actual film starts?
- Stupid narrative choices - The extended cuts of Snyder’s films are, for want of a better phrase, “an improvement.” For example, the ‘ultimate edition’ of Batman v Superman includes information which helps the plot makes sense, and justifies the central conflict. This begs the question: why were those details not in the theatrical cut? He has time to waste on pointless dream sequences, but he can’t include scenes which help the narrative make sense. His decisions are frustrating. Batman v Superman is ill-disciplined, and feels like several different films squished together, yet none of those films make sense.
- Misguided passion - It’s clear Snyder is a fan of comic books, but not in the way his loyal fans seem to think. He has a passion for costumes, capes and “stuff”, but not characters. His films feel hollow because he spends so long on costumes, visuals and explosions, but doesn’t give us any reason to invest in the characters. His passion for comic books is exclusively surface level, which only carries a film so far.
- Self-importance - Snyder’s films can be arrogant and pretentious. He draws inspiration from massive comic book stories like ‘The Dark Knight Returns’ and ‘The Death of Superman’, but that doesn’t automatically guarantee gravitas. Snyder discusses his films with reference to depth and meaning, yet there’s no substance. His films are grand in scale and draw from iconic comic books, but are paper thin. He can misuse the term “deconstructionist” a hundred times, it doesn’t make his films more important or meaningful.
- Tone - This is personal preference, but I dislike the original DCEU’s cynical tone. Every character is downbeat and mind-numbingly ponderous, and there’s no joy. Granted, it’s tough to stay chipper when you’re dealing with world-ending threats, but that’s the whole point of superheroes. They wear bright coloured leotards and fly headfirst into the apocalypse with a twinkle in their eye. Superman especially is a great example because he’s literally a beacon of hope. Snyder’s films feature multiple references to the ‘S’ symbol on Superman’s chest meaning “hope”, yet his Superman isn’t a hopeful character in any way.
- Excess - Adapting comic books comes with a degree of immaturity and ill-discipline, but Snyder goes too far. His fondness of slow motion often serves no purpose, he’s too focused on making things look “cool”, and his use of violence is too extreme. Whether it’s ludicrous gore in Watchmen or the destruction of Metropolis in Man of Steel, Snyder overwhelms the audience without making us think.
- Superman - I’m just going to rip the plaster off: he messed up Superman. This is the original superhero, one whose values and ideals transcend geographical borders and the passage of time, and yet the film was divisive. It’s a depiction of Superman which falls flat. Watching Man of Steel, I don’t know who Superman is, what his values are, what he wants, what he cares about, he’s just…there. If Snyder understood Superman, Man of Steel would’ve been a homerun.
- Watchmen - A totally misguided film, which exemplifies something fundamental about Snyder. He’s spoken about being a fan of the Watchmen comic, and it’s not for us to say otherwise, but he then assumes he’s the best person to adapt it. He took one of the best comic books ever written, which has deep themes and a rich political backdrop, he stripped away anything meaningful and instead focused on the costumes and violence. It’s a loud mess, and a clumsy misinterpretation of the source material.
- Beyond comic books - Moving away from Snyder’s comic book adaptations, his other films are seriously questionable. His signature style divides viewers, and he consistently runs into the same issues. Many of his films feel like an extended advert or music video, where “stuff” is happening but it’s not connected in a cohesive story. Prime example: Sucker Punch is possibly one of the worst films I’ve ever seen.
Weighing up the positives and negatives brought me to a huge realisation. Any debate which looks to definitively prove Snyder is “good” or “bad” is a flawed endeavour. My conclusion is as follows:
Zack Snyder isn’t definitively one thing or another. He’s neither good nor bad. The best way to describe Zack Snyder, and the same can be said for any filmmaker, is that he’s good at what he does. The discussion therefore is specifically about whether you like and/or appreciate what he does, and whether his work and style resonate with you. Our experiences of his work are subjective. What resonates with one person might not resonate with another. What one person finds entertaining might be boring to someone else. For me, I can’t deny Snyder is good at what he does. However, I don’t find what he does engaging, meaningful, or enjoyable. But that doesn’t mean I’m right. It’s just my opinion.
The whole Snyder saga is a pertinent reminder of why we should be more considerate in our online interactions. I’m not suggesting debate isn’t a good idea, because I love debating films. But two strangers (or more) yelling opinions at each other from a distance isn’t a debate. Especially when those arguments so often consist of everyone screaming “I’m right, you’re wrong.” It’s not healthy, it doesn’t achieve anything, and it makes everyone lower their standards of decency and rational thinking. We should always lead with kindness, respect and an open mind, and we should look to understand someone rather than attack them.
It’s important to move past the pettiness of arguments. People get caught up with trying to prove something is “good” or “bad”, rather than talking about how it made them feel and if they enjoyed it. If something isn’t your cup of tea, walk away and leave it. You won’t change anyone’s opinion by shouting at them, and nor should you try. It’s vitally important to remember someone having a different opinion doesn’t take anything away from you. All of our opinions are valid and legitimate, we’re all allowed to express our opinions, and nobody is more right or wrong than anyone else.
To close, I’ll leave you with a comic book quote from Wonder Woman, written by Gail Simone:
“Don’t kill if you can wound, don’t wound if you can subdue, don’t subdue if you can pacify, and don’t raise your hand at all until you’ve first extended it.”
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