Zach Snyder’s Justice League and the Debate Over Fan Service in Movies
With the recent release of the infamous Zack Snyder’s Justice League, more commonly referred to just as the Snyder Cut, this past Thursday, I’ve seen a lot of talk online once more about “fan service”. Some hate it and see it as nothing more than a director pandering to their audience, while others, when it’s done well, welcome fan service moments.
Both sides, however, would agree that Zack Snyder’s Justice League has a ton of fan service. Before we get into that, however, let’s talk generally about fan service, what it is, and how it’s used.
What is fan service?
While it’s hard to find a unanimously agreed upon definition, I think it’s fair to say that fan service, at least as it pertains to film, is when a writer/ director adds something into the film purely for the enjoyment of the fans of the source material upon which the film is based, or upon a story element that has taken on additional meaning outside of the universe of the film in question.
It’s a “wink,” if you will, where the director says: “Yes, I read the source material this movie is based on and here’s that cool moment that was on page twelve”.
An example of a well-known fan service moment comes in 2012’s The Avengers, when, in the final, climactic battle, Captain America says: “Avengers Assemble!”– as he does in the comics — and there’s that cool camera shot showing all the heroes finally working together as one after spending the whole film disagreeing with each other. It’s a great moment that is called back to in 2019’s Avengers: End Game to perhaps even greater effect.
While fan service is often associated with comic book movies, it can appear in non-comic-book movies as well. The recent Star Wars and Star Trek movies are full of fan service. Even the newer Terminator movies have blatant fan service moments. The line, “I’ll be back,” must now be forced into every Terminator movie because it became a part of popular culture and took on additional meaning after the first film released in 1984.
Is fan service good or bad?
The simple answer is: it depends. I don’t think fan service itself is inherently good or bad but the ways it’s used vary wildly. If a moment of fan service is woven into the story the film is trying to tell and is connected to the character development and themes at work in the film then I say go for it!
“Good” fan service…
When Captain America said “Avengers Assemble” in Endgame, I cheered just like the rest of the people in my theater because, even though I secretly knew the filmmakers were manipulating me, the moment felt earned.
Skyfall is great non-comic-book movie that features a good deal of fan service done right. The filmmakers know that we know that Bond has a history of using fancy gadgets and subverts this by having Q give Bond nothing but a gun and radio. Q even quips: “Were you expected an exploding pen? We don’t really go in for that kind of thing anymore.” It’s a callback to the 1995 film GoldenEye when bond did in fact get an exploding pen from Q.
Moments like that one, or when Bond unveils his 1965 Aston Martin DB5 and M makes a joke about his ejector seats work because they are ingrained into the themes of the movie. Skyfall is about an older James Bond who is struggling with whether or not he is still relevant in the technologically-driven world of today. Everywhere he turns, the “old ways” are being replaced by the new ways, which provides the perfect opportunity to make callbacks to previous Bond films.
“Bad” fan service…
Bad fan service feels cheap. It’s a lazy way to create an emotion that otherwise wouldn’t exist in a story. It sticks out like a sore thumb and takes you out whatever movie you’re watching. If something is only in a movie to wink at the fans but serves no purpose for the plot, characters, or themes, it’s bad fan service.
I think the J.J. Abrams Star Wars movies, The Force Awakens and The Rise of Skywalker, have major fan service problems. There are many moments in each of those films (far too many to list here) that have been shoehorned in as if to say: “look how much of a fan I am of the original Star Wars movies!” After all, the entire plot of The Force Awakens is essentially retreading the plot of A New Hope! Nostalgia should never take the place of telling a new and interesting story.
So, where does Zack Snyder’s Justice League fit into this?
Let me start by saying that I have not seen 2017’s Justice League so I was coming in fresh when I booted up the Snyder Cut. Contrary to what I was expecting, I thought it was actually pretty good!
In terms of fan service, it would be fair to say that, essentially, this whole movie is fan service. The only reason it even exists is because fans demanded it. There’s definitely a conversation to be had regarding the newfound power that fans seem to be wielding regarding creative decisions in movies these days and whether that’s a good or bad thing, but that’s a topic for another time.
While I did enjoy the movie, there were moments of obvious fan service that, upon looking back, did stick out to me. Sequences like Barry Allen’s saving of Iris West, the prolonged battle that Wonder Woman narrates, the introduction of Martian Manhunter, the Knightmare sequence, and a handful of other scenes could all have been eliminated or at least drastically cut down. But, you know what? I’m happy they weren’t.
Did we really need that many gratuitous slow-mo shots? Did we need a full minute of Aquaman standing at the end of a pier and having waves cascade down upon him? Did we need that much lore and backstory if it’s not really necessary for us to understand what’s happening in the story?
No, we didn’t need any of those things, but it is so damn satisfying to watch a film from someone who is clearly incredibly passionate about the source material he’s drawing from and who has an eye for crafting incredible shots. Snyder had complete creative control over this version of the film and it shows. There’s a great amount of world-building and depth given to the characters and the action sequences (of which there are many) are always entertaining and visually impressive.
I guess, what it comes down to, is that I know this movie is filled to the brim with fan service moments that could very easily have been eliminated entirely, but I was absorbed enough in the story that I didn’t care. And again, this is coming from someone who’s not at all familiar with the source material for any of these characters.
Recognizing good or bad fan service is more a gut feeling than anything. I felt like I was in good hands with Zack Snyder’s Justice League and was invested enough in the characters and the plot that I didn’t mind the unnecessary bits included for the hardcore fans. I can totally see, however, how others might find entire sequences of the film wholly unnecessary.
Should we eliminate fan service in movies?
There are some that will say that all fan service is bad, no matter how well it is executed or how well it fits into the story. I would disagree and simply say that fan service is fine unless it is used create connections and manufacture emotions in an audience that would not otherwise exist (like how it was used in The Force Awakens and The Rise of Skywalker, for example).
Deciding whether fan service is good or bad will also be a very subjective experience to each viewer. What is a well-executed fan-pleasing moment to some might be an intrusive, immersion shattering moment to others, and that’s never going to change as long as movie franchises exist.
What should be true to everyone though, is that fan service should never be used in place of any of the elements that comprise a compelling narrative and will never be successful in saving a film that is lacking in plot, characters, or theme.
As proven in Zach Snyder’s Justice League, the ultimate fan service film, a movie can tell a complete and satisfying story while pleasing both new fans like myself and diehard fans of the comics and lore that inspired it.
What did you think of Zach Snyder’s Justice League?
