Zack Snyder: Visionary Or Hack?

When you think of polarizing figures in Hollywood, you'd be hard pressed to think of someone more divisive than Zack Snyder. As a writer, director and producer, Snyder's name has become synonymous with comic book movies. However, there are many who wish to put him on a rocket ship and send him to another planet far, far away. Like every creative, he has his noticeable strengths and weaknesses, but Snyder gets a whole other level of flack because of his major role in the DCEU's bumpy ride so far. Is the criticism merited though, or is the comic book fandom just being its regular Comic Book Guy self? Visuals Even the most ardent detractors can agree that Snyder makes visually splendid films. From the battlefields of 300 to the titanic clash between Batman and Superman, the Snyderverse delivers eye candy like no other. His heavily stylized action sequences are a dream for comic book lovers, and he's not averse to providing fan service with iconic shots, either. Nonetheless, it's Snyder's almost masturbatory love for visuals that sometimes hamper his films. Too often he'll try to recreate panel-for-panel adaptations of the source material, i.e. Watchmen, which severely affect the pacing of films. Also, he's fast moving into the danger zone with his action zoom technique as it's becoming a lot like bullet time: overused and tired. His style's terrific, but he could also tone it down a bit in favor of the story. Storytelling There's often a good story within a Snyder film; it's just sometimes difficult to find. As a director who adores extended metaphors and hidden themes, his movies can get lost in translation because there's too much happening all at once. When you actually break down all of the motifs and (numerous) subplots of Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, for example, you realize it's a much deeper movie than you initially thought. The problem is, it's not all that obvious the first time round. For the average cinema goer, this approach might be too much of a deviation from the simple three-act structure. A majority of the people in the theater have probably never read Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns or even know there was another Robin besides Dick Grayson. While it's easy to dismiss it as the audience's lack of education, it's a filmmaker's responsibility to tell a story that anyone can watch and understand. Tone It's clear that Snyder's a fan of the grey crayons. His projects tend to be dark and gritty affairs with little room for humor – bar 2004's Dawn of the Dead. According to reports, though, Justice League is set to be a major departure as hope, optimism and lighter colors take center stage. The question is, how will he handle this new direction? Much like Christopher Nolan, Snyder thrives in dark cinematic worlds. While he has shouldered most of the blame for the DCEU's grim tone, it's actually the studio's fault for hiring him in the first place. It's not like they didn't know what he was famed for before they handed him the keys to the kingdom. It's the equivalent of hiring Kevin James to star in a World War II drama, and then wondering where it all went wrong. Risk-Taking From Superman snapping Zod's neck to Batman's killing spree, Snyder invites controversy. After the storm surrounding Man of Steel's ending, he could've easily taken the safe road and delivered a more true-to-the-comic adaptation, but he didn't. He takes big risks, and this pisses off a lot of people due to the treatment of the source material and characters. Frankly, I think his risk-taking should be applauded as it shows guts to try to make a character your own. Much like a cover version of a song, we don't want to hear the exact same song played exactly the same way by someone else - we want something fresh and new. Sure, his choices have been hit and miss at times, but isn't all good art supposed to be divisive? Conclusion A year ago, the Internet slammed Snyder for Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, only to apologize to him a few months later after seeing the director's cut. Even so, there are many who will still not forgive. His cause isn't helped much by his controversial remarks about his own films, but it would be absolutely ludicrous to label him a hack. The man's talented and moves to the beat of his own drum, while everyone else tends to play in a safe zone. At the same time, he hasn't done enough to join the pantheon of cinema greats just yet. However, with fans including the likes of James Cameron in his corner, he's well on his way. Hopefully, Justice League will be the film that finally silences his critics. Tell us, what are your thoughts on Zack Snyder? Are you a fan, or are you just about done with him? Let us know in the comments section below.