While he is no stranger to criticism, his most recent movie, BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE, has been panned by critics currently sitting at 29-percent on RottenTomatoes. Fans have been kinder than the critics, but most agree while the film had its moments it definitely could have been better. The movie has some great visuals and awesome looking scenes but really lacked a coherent plot or any truly fleshed out characterization of the iconic heroes.
All issues aside, the movie had a fantastic opening weekend at the box office and proved negative reviews couldn’t stop on of the most anticipated movies of all-time.
Does a weak plot, fantastic visuals and a ton of box office success sound familiar? This is the tried and true Michael Bay formula, and it begs the question: Is Zack Snyder falling into a path similar to the Michael Bay and his Transformers franchise?
Both directors have had a history with telling an incoherent story while mixing in tons of special effects and action sequences. This has led many to compare the two as preferring style over substance. Sadly, style seems to win out with both as their films, especially Bay's, generate tons of box office cash due to all that style.
BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: 5 Successes and 5 Failures
For the sake the DC Extended Universe, fans should hope this is not the direction Snyder and his team are heading. This shared DC movie universe is too important and means too much to DC fans to simply become all style and little substance.
Bay's films can be very entertaining (Transformers, The Rock, Bad Boys, Armageddon), but they are hardly considered great films and are usually lacking in many areas even if they do have the some ability to tug at the heart strings/ (Is there a soul alive who didn’t tear up during Armageddon?)
While most Bay films are critic-proof and make money no matter what, Snyder cannot afford to think this way (at least not creatively). Between the great DC Comics source material, a fantastic cast and seemingly unlimited budget, Snyder has all the components and skills to make the DCEU something truly special. There is a great film here somewhere but we just have not seen it yet. (Fingers crossed it's JUSTICE LEAGUE.)
It’s possible the first step in a new direction (read: not dark, plotless and dreary) is already on its way with this summer’s highly anticipated SUICIDE SQUAD directed by David Ayer and produced by Snyder. This will be DC’s first film with Snyder out of the director’s chair and it could not come at a better time. It is a telling sign when a movie about a group of unhinged villains with the word “suicide” in its name looks to have more joy than BATMAN V. SUPERMAN.
It has already been stated that JUSTICE LEAGUE will have a much lighter tone than any DC movie so far. So we can only hope a better story and more in-depth characterization comes with this new tone; in future solo and team-up movies alike.
At his core I really believe Snyder understands most of these characters, Wonder Woman and Batman showed flashes of greatness, and he definitely has the ability to accurately bring them to life. He has to right this ship and he will need to focus on these characters at a more personal level and dial down the spectacle part. The fate of Superman and the rest of the Justice League depend on it.
Written by Tim Miller, DC Films Correspondent
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