Snyder Throws a Sucker Punch

[Mr. Credible]

Wow...

like, seriously... wow.

 

[xwolverine2]

if Snyder is only as good as his last then he is at a great spot since watchmen was my favorite movie of 2009 he developed the characters very well other than ozy imo and he was'nt very developed in the book that much either

Snyder's film have alot of substance imo people just see his stylized style and just rag on him.You can only have substance if it is a realistic crime thriller style of film making apprently.

His films dont have the best characters or development...they are just there to move the story along (with great visuals)... every one of his films has ended in a tragedy, so i could see why some would think theres something more than just visuals, but its really just sending the characters to their doom for a taste of emotional impact.

 

[Project862006]

yeah but they are not devoid of it either i never watched his films and think this has no soul or heart or man these characters are 1 dimensional

 

[Doctor Jones]

I always liked Snyder. Watchmen's Mars sequence was excellent. Also when Rorscach takes off his mask and shouts, "Do it." The Comedian's funeral was very well done, Patrick Wilson as Dan was more likeable in the movie too. Plus the opening scene.

 

[Octoberist]

I think Zach is probably one of the best visualists in mainstream Hollywood

 

[Punisher_MAX]

WHAT. THE. ****.

this looks so damn awesome. does anyone else feel like this should be an Anime?

 

[dark_b]

I think Zach is probably one of the best visualists in mainstream Hollywood

any examples where he is the best?

you mean fantasy shots or camera work and editing?

 

[Crook]

Composition and eye-candy. There's really no one like him in mainstream.

 

[War Party]

I'm really digging with what I saw in that trailer. This is just a visual treat and sometimes that's just what I want to see. Can't ask for more than seeing sexy ladies kicking ass in a visually rich world. Like I said, sometimes that's just enough with a movie like this. Not all movies have to be like a Paul Thomas Anderson movie. Snyder has his style and he's very damn good at it.

 

[Maximus One]

WOW!! WTF WAS THAT?!?! Seriously?!?! That trailer looked ****ing EPIC! But confusing as hell at the same time. Which is a great combo in my eyes. I'm officially and thoroughly excited for this now

 

[Kane52630]

I think Zach is probably one of the best visualists in mainstream Hollywood

any examples where he is the best?

you mean fantasy shots or camera work and editing?

Composition and eye-candy. There's really no one like him in mainstream.

exactly, say what you want about his stories but visually? my god there is no one like him. Even in Dawn of the Dead the visually, camera work was amazing.

 

[Brother Jack]

This looks like a Zach Snyder movie, as in all style and no substance. But then again conceptually it thankfully is closer to the all-action 300 than the character story heavy Watchmen, which he was not suited for in any way.

 

[Majik1387]

Ugh god, more Snyder "substance" *****ing. It's a teaser trailer. If you weren't able to get the basic plot from it, you guys seriously have to jump off your high horse.

This is going to be a spectacular spectacle.

 

[Brother Jack]

Ugh god, more Snyder "substance" *****ing. It's a teaser trailer. If you weren't able to get the basic plot from it, you guys seriously have to jump off your high horse.

This is going to be a spectacular spectacle.

I know what the basic plot is, and the trailer shows what the look and gist of it is. Going by your logic, calling it a spectacular spectacle after only seeing the teaser is just as baseless.

 

[Majik1387]

Action movies and musicals are often called spectacles. This movie has both, the trailer itself looked spectacular considering the story. Name one good live-action movie where it's managed to combine action, musical numbers, sci-fi mechas, fantasy settings complete with a fire breathing dragon into a 1950's period piece.

To not consider any of those spectacles is denial.

 

[Brother Jack]

Spectacle it may be, but spectacular is in the eye of the beholder.

 

[DACrowe]

I actually like Zack Snyder. I think he has an original style that is unique in Hollywood and makes visually addictive movies, every time.

However, I think his best film to date was the Dawn of the Dead remake. Because beyond the concept (Zombieocalypse and survivors trapped with zombies in mall), the screenplay by James Gunn was its own original thing and married with Snyder's style beautifully--creating a very fun and surprisingly fresh horror movie in a tired genre.

Watchmen is a very flawed film. He lives in the visuals, but that doesn't mean he can't do a film with substantive characters. I thought the characters in DOTD were endearing (or intentionally repulsive) and compelling. In Watchmen he understood how to develop them and create a nhilistic atmosphere to suffocate them in with more mid-20th century (boomers) pop culture references than you could shake a stick at.

But it just was, "too much." He could not get a handle o nt the enormous, confusing and ultimately, somewhat muddled narrative from the book as envisioned by Alan Moore. While it is easy to get away with on the page, on screen the flaws come out and at the end of the day, it is structured like a multilayered piece of literature (though some would argue whether it merits being considered true literature). Snyder either couldn't figure out how to condense this sea of information into a cohesive film or didn't want to for fear of the fans (and given how much they overreacted over a ****ing octopus, maybe he was right).

But Watchmen's best things beyond Haley's performance, as well as Crudup's, were Snyder's artistic flourishes. Like the entire opening credits montage that marries superheroes with American history from the 1930s to 1980s via Bob Dylan. His use of Nat King Cole's "Unforgettable" during a completely inserted and brilliant death scene for the Comedian (also not in the book), how he visualized Dr. Manhattan's birth, the addition of Dan for Rorschach's death, etc.

His style can be suffocating in a 3+ hour movie, but he did add things for the better...and he get rid of that stupid octopus...if only the cat-thing got ditched too.....




With all that said. This movie looks very meh to me. It looks like he is going where he needs to go to rebrandish his label or name with success in Hollywood. Watchmen was too dense for GA and was pretty much ignored the moment they realize a blue dick was in it. This movie looks big, dumb and most likely numbing. Just like his most successful film to date, 300. While I appreciate he is fetishizing girls now as opposed to barley-clothed men and that the near-fascist and racist undertones inherent in Millar's conceptualization of the story will be absent...I think it will be just like 300, ultimately (again without racism and homoerotica). By that I mean 20 minutes of awesome, followed by me being bored for the next 100 minutes.

But it will probably be his biggest hit or up there with 300, which his career needs. So, I understand.

 

[Doctor Jones]

I still stand by what Snyder did on Watchmen. No matter what the man did, he would be damned for it.

 

[Heretic]

Every now and then there should be a movie that is made just for teenage guys...this looks to be that movie. It has all the things that guys think are cool in a violent movie...and hot chicks in fetish wear (which is their favorite thing in anything).

It already appears to be a masterpiece for what it sets out to be.

 

[Figs]

I still stand by what Snyder did on Watchmen. No matter what the man did, he would be damned for it.

I honestly believe he did better than most others could have done...especially reading and hearing about previous scripts.

 

[Brother Jack]

I still stand by what Snyder did on Watchmen. No matter what the man did, he would be damned for it.

He probably did the best he could. The problem was that just wasn't good enough.

 

[Project862006]

^ many disagree i stand by my claim i prefer it to TDK

i dont think anyone could of done it better every script past to present never had it in the 1980's till snyder made sure of it

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I still stand by what Snyder did on Watchmen. No matter what the man did, he would be damned for it.

The film is devoid of the characters and their motivates. People talk of a faithful adaptation. You can argue whether it looked right, but you can't say that he got the story Watchmen, its characters, or its feel.

Visual styling is one thing. If it is all hallow though, what is the point.

^ many disagree i stand by my claim i prefer it to TDK

i dont think anyone could of done it better every script past to present never had it in the 1980's till snyder made sure of it

The Joker's speech to Harvey has more character and purpose then Snyder's 300 and Watchmen combined.

 

[Project862006]

opinions i thought Watchmen had a lot of character development and emotion

and top notch performances

 

[TheComicbookKid]

Well, considering what Snyder is symbolically linking Baby Doll's lobotomy to, I hope he has his understanding of character/narrative development down.