We've gotten to know him by now: love him or hate him, Zack Snyder continues to be a director determined to pursue his own path, ignoring the unwelcome criticism of critics or the controversies of a segment of the online community. After gaining fame with blockbusters like "300" and "Watchmen," it was his arrival in the DC Universe that cemented, with each new release, a highly distinctive stylistic and narrative path.
Aiming to stand out from the competition of Marvel titles, the comic book films "Man of Steel," "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," and "Zack Snyder's Justice League" have highlighted their director's penchant for a mythological vision of the superhero, a highly authorial aesthetic, and the development of philosophically grounded themes. These same elements, however, have led critics to point out a cold and dehumanized interpretation of the characters, an overly complacent and self-referential form of staging, and, last but not least, a development of arguments that, despite their inherent potential, present glaring inconsistencies in the script.
Regarding the new cycle of adventures in the DC Universe, which, in place of Snyder, now sees James Gunn and Peter Safran at the forefront, the director shared some thoughts in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter. Asked to present his new film, "The Last Photograph," he admitted, during the Q&A, that he hadn't yet seen Gunn's "Superman." He stated bluntly: "I haven't seen it yet. I haven't had the chance yet."
A response strangely contradictory to what he said during an episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast, where he claimed he thought the film was fantastic and couldn't wait to see its sequel. These words, at this point, seem to call into question the supposed esteem between the two colleagues. Clearly, online comments were also quick to pour in, with some reading between the lines as Snyder's desire to distance himself from his successor and others simply seeing it as a desire to avoid discussing the topic. Moreover, Snyder himself had previously stated that he didn't want to conform to the industry's usual approach to making comic book movies. On a previous occasion, he stated: "I don't think that way. I can't. I prefer to talk about their mythology. And maybe that's not as fun."
Once again, after the negative reviews for the two "Rebel Moon" films, Snyder has been hit with criticism for his latest film, "The Last Photograph," which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and has even been labeled "fascist" and "homophobic" by some. Determined not to let such accusations slide, the director simply commented, "Obviously, I'm not a fascist." He added that too often, online discussion precedes the film's release, with some users already expressing biased opinions. He also emphasized that it's easier to garner attention by writing, "I hate Zack Snyder, he's a fascist," than by attempting to formulate a concrete opinion on the film.
Returning to the "300" interview, the director recalled an earlier incident in Berlin, when he was accused of fascism. When asked whether he was pro-gay or pro-NRA, he replied, in an openly provocative tone: "I'm a bit of both." He then clarified immediately: "Of course I'm pro-gay. I made the gayest movie ever made!" Referring to the marble-like, statuesque aesthetic of the male bodies in the film, he continued: "300 is one of the gayest movies ever made. I always say there are few movies where people come in straight and come out gay, and 300 is one of them."
Still on the Greek-inspired franchise, Snyder provided some updates on the work on the "300" prequel series. In his latest interview on The Preston & Steve Show, he called the project "fantastic" and has incredible potential, so much so that it could continue well into the future. Maintaining utmost secrecy, he clarified, however, that he could not provide further information, hinting only that its narrative scope could correspond to "a 300 version of Game of Thrones." So, all we can do is wait and see for ourselves if this new effort will win over, at least this time, even the most skeptical.
Giovanni Scanu
