Zack Snyder, the visionary filmmaker behind Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, has spoken out about the negative reviews the film received upon its release in 2016. The sequel to 2013’s Man of Steel received a 29% approval rating from critics and a 63% approval rating from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes.
During a Q&A at his Full Circle charity event, Snyder acknowledged that the layers in his storytelling were the main reason why the film was so polarizing. He felt that many people went into the movie expecting a typical superhero romp and were not prepared for the heavily layered, experiential modern mythological superhero movie that he delivered. Snyder said that viewers really needed to pay attention to his film and admitted that it was not cool for the audience.
“And we gave them this sort of hardcore deconstructivist, heavily layered, experiential modern mythological superhero movie that needs…that you really need to pay attention to. That was not cool [for them]. That’s not something anyone wanted to do. They were like, ‘What? No! That’s exhausting. How about, why do they fight at night?’ I hate that.”
He went on to explain that he felt his kindness, openness, and enthusiasm created an environment for critics to undervalue his work. He believed that because he did not fit the mold of an auteur, critics unfairly viewed his films negatively. Former Warner Bros. executive Greg Silverman expressed a similar sentiment on Twitter, stating that Snyder’s decent and approachable nature may have contributed to the lack of acclaim for his DC films.
“I couldn’t agree more. My suspicion always was that Zack’s kindness openness and enthusiasm created an environment for critics to undervalue his work. Because he is a decent approachable humble human, he didn’t fit the mold of an auteur. Shitty. Should be the opposite.”
Despite the negative reviews, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice managed to gross $873.6 million at the worldwide box office. The film featured an all-star cast, including Ben Affleck as Batman, Henry Cavill as Superman, and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman. Jesse Eisenberg played the role of Lex Luthor, a casting choice that received criticism from fans and critics alike.
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DC Fanboy! Superman is the greatest comic book character of all time. Favorite movies are Man of Steel, Goonies, Back To the Future
