Where do Zack Snyder’s movies for DC rank from worst to best? Snyder often polarizes audiences and critics alike, but there is no doubt that his boundless passion and distinctive style sets him apart from his peers. Snyder has a deep love of comics and has dedicated a large portion of his career to bringing his childhood heroes to the big screen. His detractors say that he inherently misunderstands what makes these characters special. His fans argue that there is no other filmmaker that is able to present these modern-day gods with such cinematic flair.
Snyder made his first foray into the DCEU with 2009's Watchmen. Although not part of the same shared cinematic universe as his later projects, the film nonetheless represents his earliest work within the genre. Following this, Snyder has gone on to direct three feature DC superhero films, in the form of Man of Steel, Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, and a troubled version of Justice League. Although he has never lost his signature style, it's clear that Snyder's movies have also divided the crowd.
Known for his use of slow motion and speed ramping as well as his visceral and often brutal action scenes, there is no mistaking a Zack Snyder movie. Below are his four DC movies ranked from worst to best. For clarification, 2017’s Justice League is not included, as while it has footage shot by Snyder, it is not “his film”, having been completed by Joss Whedon.
2016's Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice is a visual delight; every frame is a piece of art. The film also took the criticism of Man of Steel’s third act destruction and turned it into believable motivation for the Dark Knight to want Superman taken out. Less believable however is Clark Kent’s rationale for stopping Batman. Superman is presented as angst-ridden and brooding, and the film’s dour tone makes for a somber experience. The film struggles to execute the infamous “Martha” scene into a satisfying resolution for the conflict. Introducing Doomsday into the movie (and thus Superman’s sacrifice) this early in the DCEU was a mistake, though does result in arguably some of the best action Snyder’s ever created.
Snyder’s grounded approach to Superman in Man of Steel followed in the footsteps of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, the influence of which is all over Snyder’s film. Henry Cavill gives Clark Kent real empathy in an introspective performance, and while the lack of humor and overly dark tone threatens to weigh the film down in places, Hans Zimmer’s score is an instant classic that makes the picture soar. Snyder’s camera dynamically follows Henry Cavill’s Superman through the skies in a way that just wasn’t possible when Christopher Reeve donned the cape, and his brawls with Zod and his minions are the first time Superman’s powers had been realistically portrayed on the silver screen.
With almost complete creative control, Zack Snyder's Justice League is, for better or worse, everything Snyder wanted it to be. With that freedom comes richer, fuller character arcs for every member of the League, with particular validation for Cyborg, whose role was butchered in the theatrical cut. Inevitably the film's epic length also means that the pacing suffers in places. Notwithstanding this, the action scenes are exciting and numerous and the excellent score from Tom Holkenborg retrieves the sound of the DCEU established by Hans Zimmer. The Snyder Cut’s villains are suitably menacing and worthy of the formation of the Justice League, and overall almost every change made is an improvement over the theatrical cut.
2009's Watchmen ranks as Snyder's most accomplished and assured work for DC. The story’s subversion of superhero tropes gives the director a rich canvas on which to present a gritty and visually stunning movie, stylish and uniquely different from every other superhero film. It delivers on the action quota expected of the genre but infuses it with complex themes and ideas to which there aren’t straightforward answers. Aside from him changing Watchmen’s comic book ending for the movie (which while divisive, was arguably the correct decision), Snyder otherwise stays largely faithful to the text throughout. He pulls excellent performances from his ensemble cast, who are presented in varying shades of moral grey. Similar to his future output, an “Ultimate Cut” adds even more richness to the world. With the release of more and more standard superhero movies each year, the virtues of Zack Snyder’s Watchmen are only becoming more apparent.
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