19 June 2013

Zack Snyder Is Still A Hack

About two years ago, I wrote about the inability of Zack Synder to make a decent movie.  This post was originally going to be a review of Man of Steel.  Since my last post about Hack Snyder sort of promised a review of Sucker Punch, I will continue the tear down this hack as he has with the Superman franchise.

First, Sucker Punch.  This is what I wrote two years ago:
I have not seen Sucker Punch, but I doubt that even hot chicks in skimpy clothing can even save this.  It just seems like more of the same Snyder-vision with slo-mo action scenes, bad CG, lack of plot movement, etc.  I have to admit, when it comes available to stream, I want to watch this train wreck...just so I can bitch about it.  Maybe even write an in depth review on it.
Guess what, hot chicks in skimpy outfits did not and could not save this movie. What the hell was going on in this movie?  This was way too high of a concept for such a crappy movie. Snyder-vision is all over the place, and the whole movie is in sepia tone.  It is just one long overly produced music video.  Everyone pretty much agrees that Sucker Punch sucks.

Again, Synder's stuff is good to look at...but only for the first few minutes.  There is a lot of the same effects and camera tricks.  Once you have seen five minutes of a Snyder film...you have pretty much seen everything in his bag of tricks.

Man of Steel, more like Meh of Steel.  Face it, there are high expectations for this movie.  You have an all star cast and crew.  Then why did it not meet expectations?  Two reasons...Zack Snyder.

One of my major issues (and I have a subscription) with this movie, other than the director, is the camera movement.  There is not a segment, other than the end credits, where the frame is still for more than two seconds.  Damn it, hold the camera still.  You really do not see this amateur camera work in the trailer because of the fast cuts.  But oh...in the movie, you see it.  Two people sitting still having a dialogue, nothing going on around them...and the frame is jiggling like Jell-O, trying to maintain focus and hold the shot.  Hey, it is a big budget movie, invest in a tripod.  This movie can also be seen in 3D...oh great, that must be a joy ride.

I should talk about the positive thing about this movie.  Okay, the performances from most of the actors is above average.  And, I kinda like the structure of how the story was told with flashbacks.  And, the production design is pretty good.  But despite all that, it is ruined by the excessive camera movements.

I was hoping that as a producer, Christopher Nolan would restrain Synder from using Syder-vision.  Well, Krypton is in sepia tone, ugh.  Just cannot help it, can you?  In addition to the shaky cam, the whole movie has that fake film grain filter.  I know this was shot on digital, because...well, it is a Snyder movie and there is over use of CGI, why add the crappy film grain filter?

Wait, I really have to talk about this one scene.  When Zod and gang get sent to Phantom Zone, they are bind and encased in some sort of retraining 'case'.  In the Donner versions, this was beautifully done by retraining the trio in a mirror...awesome!  In Snyder's version, they are encased in dildos.  Yeah, COCKS!  If you know what I am talking about, think back.  It was a swarm of dildos shooting up towards that orifice in space. 

While some of the effects were good, a lot of it was used to overcompensate for the lack of content.  Again, I have to go back to camera movement and framing.  The framing is often too close to the action to follow action.  The battle sequences are too long, there is not enough time in between for the audience to rest and gather themselves for the next epic battle and total destruction.

Speaking of destruction, there is a lot of that, too.  I would say more than any other movie.  There are billions of dollars worth of damage to the city...billions, perhaps even a trillion or two.  Deaths, there are thousands, perhaps a million deaths.  While Superman is try to protect the 10-15 people within a 50 foot radius of him, he is causing severe property damage and death to thousands all around.

Synder does evolve a bit.  Instead of his typical slo-motion action scenes, he made them fast motion...you know, because Kryptonians are faster on Earth.  Whatever.

One more thing I have to point out before I end this.  This movie is ridiculously loud.  Unnecessarily loud.  I can almost guarantee that Man of Steel will be nominated and most likely win the Oscar for "Best Sound Design".  Because we all know that "sound design" means "the loudest".  I found myself plugging my ears during the battle scenes.  Maybe I have sensitive ears, I do frequently carry ear plugs.

Snyder's overuse of camera movement, digital effects, and sound, is used to mask the mediocre movie that Man of Steel is.  Too bad, hard to believe that Superman III and IV, while very cheezy, it in some ways, is better than Man of Steel.  Bryan Singer's Superman Returns is better than Snyder's...of course none of these are anywhere near as good as Richard Donner's vision of Superman.

Zack Snyder is still a hack.  All he does is make multi-million dollar, two hour plus demo reels. Please stop giving this guy big budget films to make.  Let him make music videos and 'fan trailers'...things that are under five minutes...uh, better make it under three minutes.