You will likely not find a harsher critic of what Zack Snyder did to DC mainstays, Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman than me. Dubbed "the Snyderverse" by fans, he took the Justice League, and made them all dark and broody, which was the polar opposite of the MCU’s often bright and colorful approach. For this reason (and probably because it was way less profitable than the MCU) DC bosses had to get "honest" about the Snyderverse, and basically scrapped the whole thing, starting anew with James Gunn.
And, you know what my first thought was when I heard this news? Good! I was happy that Wonder Woman 3 and Man of Steel 2 were canceled. Who needed any more of that claptrap? I certainly didn't. But then, I kept seeing #firejamesgunn hashtags on Twitter and just wondered, why? Like, WHY are some people so passionate about the Snyderverse (passionate enough that our very own Sean O'Connell actually wrote a whole book about it).
That's when I started to think back, and actually remembered the few instances where I genuinely thought the Snyderverse was kind of cool. Yes, these instances were few and far between, and no, I'm not sad that the Snyderverse is probably done for good, but, here are five good things that I can actually say about it.
Batfleck Is My All-Time Favorite Live-Action Version Of Batman
When it comes to ranking the live-action Batman movies, I think most people will comfortably agree that the Christopher Nolan trilogy, and the two Tim Burton flicks, are definitely at the top of the heap. And, with them, I feel like most people will agree that Christian Bale and Michael Keaton are the two best live-action Batman actors. No disrespect to Robert Pattinson, but I think his performance is still too fresh in people’s minds to put in contention as the greatest of all time.
So, why then, pray tell, do I feel that my favorite live-action Batman is none other than Batfleck himself, Ben Affleck? Honestly, I think it may be because he's the only live-action Batman who NEVER got his own movie. It kind of gives him more of an air of mystery. A mystique, if you will.
His Batman was the oldest of the bunch, and the most hardened. He wasn't a Batman just learning the ropes, or dealing with moral quandaries of should he/shouldn’t he run over The Joker with his batpod. Instead, this was a Batman who would literally mow people down with his Batmobile, and not have a second thought about it.
Some may have decried, “Batman doesn't kill!” And okay, I know Batman hasn't killed through most of his timeline, but that’s not true of all of his history. I mean, Batman used to pack heat, for crying out loud. But, yes, this was the first onscreen version we’d seen of a more brutal Batman, and I loved it. Batfleck was a whole different breed of Bat, and he’s the only character in the Snyderverse that I think the director actually got right. That's why I'm glad that Batfleck didn't get his own movie. It was probably for the best.
I Think The First Half Of Batman V Superman Is Really Good
Also, I really enjoyed the first half of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which is still one of the most expensive movies ever made. While a lot of my distaste for the film involves Doomsday, and that meme-able "Save Martha" moment, I think the first half, where Batman is building his grudge against Superman, and Supes almost seems godlike is actually really good.
In fact, it's so good, that it makes that unbearable second half even more egregious. There was a lot of goodwill built up in that first half, and even though Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor just never worked for me, I still think that the first half of the film is pretty incredible, even to this day.
The No Man's Land Scene In Wonder Woman Is Still Incredible
I know a lot of people love the first Wonder Woman movie, and that’s fine. It was a touchstone moment in movie history to have a female superhero dominate the box office, and despite what I consider a pretty lackluster final battle, I think the rest of the film was…okay. But, just okay.
Well, actually, I’m lying, since I think one scene in particular is still jaw dropping, and that’s of course the famous No Man’s Land scene where Wonder Woman decimates the enemy (with a little help from her friends, of course). You could tell the very moment she stepped out of the trench that it was going to be a scene for the ages. And, whenever I think back to how much I disliked Wonder Woman 1984 (which, my God, was awful), I always think back to that No Man’s Land scene in the first movie and think, but THAT was awesome.
I Didn't Like Zack Snyder's Justice League, But I Love The Fan Dedication That Got It Made
Honestly, Zack Snyder’s Justice League was pretty bad, and I think a lot of people thought it was “good” because it was much better than Joss Whedon’s version, which isn’t saying much. The movie was long, I’ll give it that. But, as somebody who would much rather watch a bad 120 minute movie than a so-so 240 minute movie, I think I may have actually preferred The “Josstice” League since it was at least a lot shorter.
But, while I don’t much like it, I do love the fan passion that got it made. People were literally saying “RELEASE THE SNYDER CUT” for YEARS! And, just like how Sonic fans basically pushed Paramount Pictures to redesign the blue blur, I think the same could be said for the persistent fanbase that got HBO to give Zack Snyder money to see his vision through.
Sure, the higher-ups at HBO may not have been happy with the end results (If they were, then the Snyderverse would likely still be going on), but at least the fans got what they wanted. And, I guess that’s worth applauding.
It Was As Different From The MCU As Humanly Possible
Lastly, I do like that the Snyderverse was very different from the MCU. Like, night and day. A lot of people complain of superhero fatigue these days, but honestly, I think it’s more “Marvel fatigue” for me, as I’ve recently gotten off the Marvel hype train. That said, I think I would have gotten MCU fatigue a lot earlier if the DC films were tonally similar to the Marvel films, but thankfully, they weren’t.
In fact, even though I still think Shazam! is the best post-Nolan DC movie, I think it’s likely because it almost feels like an MCU film, which was fine back in 2019 when I was fully on board with the MCU.
But, now that I look back, I think the contrast of what the Snyderverse was bringing to the table with movies like Man of Steel, Wonder Woman, Batman v Superman, and Suicide Squad was a nice juxtaposition to the MCU. And, if not for that contrast, I probably would have given up on superhero movies altogether before now, so, I can at least thank the Snyderverse for prolonging the inevitable.
But, what do you think? Can you name SEVERAL more things that you liked about the Snyderverse? For more news on all things DC, make sure to swing by here often.
