3. Is Zack Snyder The Right Man For The Job?
As a visual director, Zack Snyder is undoubtedly one of the best in the business. All of his movies are shot with a blend of stylistic flourishes and supreme confidence, and he has proven himself to be more than capable of staging an impressive action sequence. However, accusations of his work being all style and no substance have plagued his entire career and with the future of the DC Cinematic Universe hinging on Batman v Superman, will Snyder prove himself as the right man to take charge of Warner Bros. ever-expanding roster of heroes? As the awful Sucker Punch showed, Snyder works best when adapting existing material rather than trying his hand at something more original. While many were worried that Man of Steel would see the director continue his unrelenting penchant for speed-ramping and slow motion, the Superman reboot actually saw him mature as a director, reining in his usual visual excesses for the movie's quieter moments, but still delivering plenty of explosive action. One major problem with Man of Steel was its unnecessary 143 minute running time, and with so much story to cram into Batman v Superman there is a real possibility that the currently-shooting blockbuster could edge its way towards three hours in length. While Dawn of Justice will no doubt be a visually stunning movie, the jury is still out on whether or not Snyder can make the character moments as interesting as the action beats. Pacing, characterization and depth have never been the hallmarks of his work, and with a project as potentially game-changing as Batman v Superman that both provides reinterpretations of popular characters and introduces new ones, Snyder will need to take his game to a whole new level to prevent the movie from being a one-note series of explosions and Justice League Easter Eggs.