And here’s the ranking that is likely going to get me attack/cancelled from hardcore stans of this director!
Zack Snyder might be the most controversial big name director working today. While he is certainly a man with a vision and always has big ambition with everything that he makes, he has been inconsistent to translate that perfect vision he always has in his head properly in front of the camera. The action and visuals is always guarantee to talk the talk but the story and character development can never always walk the walk. Because of that, his films always tend to be divisive and even sometimes outright panned.
However, Snyder is no doubt an interesting filmmaker to talk about and do a ranking on. Despite everything I’m about to say with all 11 of his films, I can’t say the man has ever made a film that had me shrugging my shoulders. That certainly has to amount to something, especially in this day and age. I don’t know if I can call myself a fan of Zack Snyder as a whole but there definitely are films of his that I admire and appreciate. Just a shame that is an opinion that is hard to talk about on the internet without being dogpiled along with the so-called cult of Zack Snyder who view him a cinema Jesus!
Nevertheless, Rebel Moon Part Two: The Scargiver has just arrived on Netflix (or at least some version of it that may or may not be Zack Snyder’s true film) and it’s time for my long awaited ranking of all 11 films in this man’s directorial filmography!
And fyi, I am NOT including the director’s cut of Justice League (A.K.A. JOSStice League)! I don’t care if he’s still the credited director for that crap, we all know for a fact that was NOT his movie whatsoever! Which is why only his four-hour long cut will be included on this list!
11.) Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
I’m still in awe how you take a crossover like Batman and Superman and make it so dull and joyless. Dawn of Justice is a film that wants to comes across as the most grand and ambitious movie every made, but when you look deep into it, this movie actually doesn’t have much to say on anything it’s talking about. Other than trying to cram two to three movies worth of material into one film, there’s nothing really risky or daring here and it’s so-called themes have been done much better in plenty of other superhero films. The plot is a convoluted mess no matter which version you watch and the conflict between Batman and Superman is so incredibly ridiculous that it could have been avoided if they would just simply talk to each other.
Ben Affleck is fine as Batman and there’s a few standout moments here (The warehouse fight scene and Wonder Woman’s first appearance are all-timers) but that’s nowhere near enough to save this turd of a film. Even the ultimate edition which many claim “saves” the movie really just has more of the same things that were wrong in the first place, aside from being pacing. If there is a clear difference between ambition and aimlessness, then Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice certainly strikes the finest line yet between those two definitions with results that fit more of the latter than the former.
This is a movie so bad that it not only arguably killed the DC Extended Universe before it even got a chance to get going but also caused big damage to Zack Snyder’s reputation as a filmmaker! I know tomatoes are going to be thrown at me for putting this at the very bottom but I’m sorry! Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (Both the theatrical and ulimate edition!) is an epic failure on every level!
10.) Rebel Moon Part Two: The Scargiver
Part Two of Zack Snyder and Netflix’s answer to Star Wars and Seven Samurai could not have been more anti-climatic if it tried. While Part One was far from perfect, it did at least set some solid groundwork for Part Two to continue in good graces. Unfortunately, Rebel Moon Part Two: The Scargiver fails to capitalize on that promise in just about every way.
The visuals are still nice and Sofia Boutella still makes for a compelling action lead but nearly every flaw from Part One is carried over and made even worse. You have a universe that still feels undeveloped, characters that still feel one-note, exposition dumps that are still tedious, slow-mo that is still nauseating, and inspirations that still feel way too on the nose. Not even the action and set pieces work this time! Despite Zack Snyder clearly wanting to make an original franchise of his own, he still has clearly not been able to find a voice that matches his own and those he is inspired by.
Speaking as someone who went easy on Part One, Rebel Moon Part Two: The Scargiver crushes any hope for this IP to ever take flight. It pains me to say that because there is always room for more sci-fi that’s not just Star Wars and Star Trek and we should applaud for more creative voices. However, Part Two is a reminder that sometimes filmmakers need restraint and need to be surrounding by more than just “Yes” men! Refuse to do that and you get the Rebel Moon series as a result!
9.) Sucker Punch
Sucker Punch is the most bizarre and ill-conceived movie that Zack Snyder has ever made. On the surface (and considering it’s time), it just seems like Snyder just wants an excuse to hang out with some talented women that he has worked with it and make a movie where they all kick ass together. When looking deep beyond the surface, it also wants to be a commentary on Hollywood treating women like sex objects and violence against female companions is wrong. It’s the perfect example of a film trying to have it’s cake and eat it too but not at the end results it actually wants.
The action is dynamic, the cinematography is well done, and the main female cast all do fine work and bounce off each other very well. Unfortunately, it’s letdown by a script that couldn’t give two craps about the paper-thin plot, underdeveloped characters, and constantly contradicting it’s themes and messages. On one end, the film can be seen as a mildly entertaining action flick. On the other end, the film falls into the same trappings it’s aiming to avoid because it clearly wants to be more than that.
Sucker Punch is a film that can be enjoyable but not for the reasons that Zack Snyder has intended. It’s basically the exact kind of movie that it’s claiming to be critiquing. Yes, women deserve to be more than eye candy and male gaze but that’s literally all they are in this movie. The fact that Zack didn’t realize that before cameras even rolled here basically made Sucker Punch doomed from the start.
8.) Rebel Moon Part One: A Child of Fire
Rebel Moon was a film that started off as a Star Wars pitch to Lucasfilm shortly after Disney bought them in 2012. It was a pitched as an R-rated Star Wars film made strictly for adults and would take itself more “seriously” than any other Star Wars film. What should be a shocker to absolutely NO ONE but Snyder himself, that pitch got denied and many years later, has now been made into it’s own “original” film.
There is plenty of interesting concepts and exciting moments throughout Rebel Moon. The visuals are as good as they can be for a Snyder film, the worldbuilding while familiar is intriguing, the action is pretty damn solid throughout, and Sofia Boutella is awesome as Kora, the most compelling character in the whole film. It’s just a shame that it can’t escape the trappings of most theater cuts from Zack Snyder where a good chunk of it is left on the cutting room floor. Because of that, you got side characters that are painfully undeveloped, an internal conflict that’s not as clear or fleshed out as it should be, and references to other sci-fi pictures such as Star Wars, Dune, and Battlefield Earth that is as obvious as clear daylight.
Even so, I still couldn’t help but be intrigued by Rebel Moon- Part One: A Child of Fire despite it’s major flaws. It lives rent free in it’s own sandbox and throws so many different ideas on the screen that it’s near impossible to be bored by it. That being said, Snyder seriously needs to learn how to make proper cuts of his movie that are able to work for mainstream audiences and not just for himself and his hardcore fanbase. Even though Part Two was unable to deliver on this films promises, it was at least fascinating to see what it was leading to beforehand!
7.) Army of the Dead
Snyder’s first Netflix exclusive is an aggressive mixed bag. On paper, this seems like the film that Zack Snyder has always been destined to make and act as the perfect successor to his film debut of Dawn of the Dead. A zombie heist movie with with a hard-R rating sounds like it would fit right in the man’s alley. While there are certainly elements here that do work, Army of the Dead never quite reaches it’s full potential.
The cast, action, and practical effects (especially for the zombies) are all there and do lift the film quite a bit. However, it’s bogged down by poor dialogue, characters that constantly make dumb decisions, and not going all the way with it’s bizarre premise. And don’t get me started with the bloated 150 minute long runtime and the ending which has the film completely trip and fall over the finish line.
The elements are there for Army of the Dead to be an instance Zack Snyder classic and a great zombie flick all around but it never quite comes together. If Rebel Moon is proof that Snyder desperately needs someone to handle the scripts for his movies, then Army of the Dead is proof that he desperately needs someone to handle the editing for this movies as well.
6.) Man of Steel
The DC Extended Universe kicked off in 2013 with one of the most polarizing superhero movies of all time in Man of Steel. Looking back on it nearly a full decade later, I can’t help but have INCREDIBLY mixed emotions when it comes to this film. In terms of casting, tone, action scale, scope, and score, this is everything that a modern Superman movie should consist off, with nearly single technical and sound aspect works absolute wonders. However, when it comes to the overall story, script, and structure, that is where the confliction comes in.
Most of the characters come off as plot devices and motivation for Superman than actual characters, the dialogue strikes a fine line between being poetic/inspiring and just plain pretentious, and it’s overall themes feel not so much explored but just told directly to the audiences. Even so, the action is dynamic, the cast do great with what they have to work with, and the scope and Han Zimmer’s soundtrack are off the charts that it’s almost good enough to convince you that you are watching a much better film than you actually are! The elements that work are absolutely great while the elements that don’t work really bring down the whole picture.
When looking at it’s own thing and the seeds it plants for the future, Man of Steel could have been considered a solid re-introduction to the character of Superman and one that could successfully redefined Superman to a new generation. However, due to it’s shortcomings and the movies which came after tripling down on the things that don’t work rather than what does, you can’t help but see wasted potential. As it’s own thing, Man of Steel is functional on a surface level but not on a depth level. Henry Cavill deserved a much better standalone film than this!
5.) Watchmen
Snyder’s first official DC film is able to perfectly capture the style and feel of what the source material of Watchmen has always been known for. The looks, aesthetics, and effects are all completely on point and help make the film’s fascinating world come to life near perfectly in front of the camera. If only the pacing and structure was able to match the quality of it’s outstanding visuals.
Aside from the pretty colors, Watchmen has also many other great things going for it such as the talented cast, brutal action, inspired song choices, and even having one of the most underrated villains in any superhero movie with Matthew Goode’s Ozymandias. That being said, the pacing is constantly grinding to a screeching halt just for the sake of Snyder showing off his wide angle shots and constant slow-motion sequences. Also, this film easily has one of the most laughable sex scenes of all time! Just saying!
Still, there is a lot to like about Watchmen than there is to dislike. Had it benefited from a tighter runtime and cut down on the needless slow scenes, this might have been Zack Snyder’s own masterpiece. Thankfully, the HBO Max series is able to expand upon the quality of Watchmen even further and make that a worthy adaption alongside this film.
4.) Dawn of the Dead
Snyder’s official directorial debut happens to be no other than a remake of 1978’s Dawn of the Dead with James Gunn as the main writer. With all the discourse surrounding Zack’s reputation as a filmmaker, you would think this would be the most divisive film in this man’s career. However, that is not the case whatsoever. It’s basically just a very faithful and well done remake and that’s about it.
It’s got a very likable cast, the action is non-stop, the humor is quick and witty, and it manages to be consistent with it’s tone the whole way through. The Zombie Celebrity is still to this day the main highlight of the movie and the opening credits themselves is an all-timer! I don’t know if it has to do with James Gunn’s involvement as a writer but Zack Snyder is able to get the right script that perfectly matches his skills and capabilities as a director with Dawn of the Dead.
Even if a lot that has come after have been polarizing at best, at least Zack Snyder was able to start his career with a solid hit with this surprisingly solid remake in Dawn of the Dead. If you want a zombie movie from Zack Snyder that is done right, look no further than with this movie.
3.) Zack Snyder’s Justice League
Because we live in some dark and twisted form of an alternate universe, Zack Snyder’s Justice League is a real thing now. Truth be told, even if you remove yourself from the toxicity that is the Zack Snyder fanbase (I won’t blame you if you can’t!), it’s actually pretty good with a lot more to like than there is to hate. This is probably the one movie in the DC Extended Universe with Zack Snyder that doesn’t feel overly pretentious but more of just the man wanting to make the most epic Justice League movie he can possibly make. For the most part, he succeeds even if some of the faults from his other films are carried over here.
The first half is way too stretched out for it’s own good, feeling like Snyder is trying to get every single little frame of work that he desires in there regardless if it actually serves a purpose. There’s also the final fifteen minutes that feels more like a collection of post credit scenes rather than an actual epilogue. But everything in between that is pretty solid. There’s good action set pieces, a nice, riveting score, memorable gorgeous visuals, and some good character interactions between all of the Justice League members, with Wonder Woman and Cyborg being the main standouts. And this also feels like the first time in Snyder’s films that the superheroes on screen actually act and feel like superheroes instead of just being all sad and mopey all the time. What a time to be alive!
While there’s still faults from the theatrical cut that are carried over here (*cough* Steppenwolf and Flash *cough*), this is certainly an improvement over the theatrical cut and should most certainly be considered the actual definite version of Justice League. I might not call myself a fan of Snyder’s input on the DC Extended Universe but I’m at least glad he got the chance to finish what he started after having to originally step down due to the tragic death of his daughter. Warts and all, this is easily the best DC superhero film that Zack Snyder has ever made!
2.) 300
Considered Snyder’s best by many, 300 feels right at home with what the man has to offer. It’s able to put the action, visuals, and cinematography front and center while leaving the story and characters arcs to the wayside. In most films, that would be a set up for failure but thankfully, Snyder is able to make the very best of it by not going too far on either end of those spectrums.
The action sequences are absolutely great, the cinematography is a treat for the eyes, the performances all work here, there’s a handful of standout lines that are memorable, and this might just have the most impressive visuals in this man’s filmography. Even, the required slow-motion bits actually work here! Sure, as I mention before, the story telling and character development are nothing to write home about and the historical inaccuracies will certainly be infuriating to some but for those looking for a rock solid action flick will likely be more than satisfied with 300.
For years, I’ve argued that 300 is the kind of film that Zack Snyder should always inspire to make. A film that’s able to build greatly on his strengths as a filmmaker and not doubled down on all his weaknesses. If you are able to deliver solid action and visuals with a brain in its head that isn’t bogged down by tiresome exposition and mind numbing flashback scenes, then just stick to that and you will be seen as a reliable filmmaker that knows what they are doing. However, there is at least one more film that I would argue does in fact show that Snyder can be great with telling stories with his visual flare to back up perfectly.
1.) Legend of the Guardians: The Owl of Ga’Hoole
That’s right! My favorite Zack Snyder film is the animated one about owls! Go, figure! In all seriousness, Legend of the Guardians: The Owl of Ga’Hoole is one of the most criminally underrated animated films in recent memory! It’s able to match that sense of awe and wonder in scale that Snyder always aims for in this film while also able to tell a shockingly heartful and cohesive story with these birds despite taking inspiration by multiple different books. Not to mention, even nearly 15 years later, the animation holds up WONDEFULLY!
As much as I can give praise to the animation, visuals, action, and voice work, I think the thing for me that stands out the most about Legend of the Guardians is it’s able to capture that right amount of earnest feels that most of Snyder’s films lack. It doesn’t feel it’s trying to hard to break new ground nor talking down on it’s audience that dare question it’s director, it’s just trying to be an engaging tale about the endangers of owls and the importance of having your friends and family alongside each other. All the pros of most Zack Snyder films are still here but very rarely are his cons present.
Legend of the Guardians: The Owl of Ga’Hoole is to date my favorite Zack Snyder film because it’s one that I can 100% get behind EVERYTHING that the man is trying to do here that I don’t need an extended cut or DLC in order to do so. That’s not to say this film is totally flawless (certain characters get painfully sidelined) but it has that perfect heart and wit to do it that it’s able to fully meet it’s grand ambition. Legend of the Guardians is not just Snyder as his best but also animation as it’s very best! Check this one out if you haven’t already!
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