Forbes Article: "Zack Snyder Loves Superman, And 'Batman V Superman' Proves It"

[Cicada 5]

Mark Hughes of Forbes, writes an article on Snyder's interpretation of Superman in BvS. I think it's a strong article with very well argued points and encourage everyone (fans and non-fans of BvS alike) to give it a read.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/markhughes/2016/03/29/zack-snyder-loves-superman-and-batman-v-superman-proves-it/#2efc3bc4258e

 

[mduncan50]

I call BS on that article, starting with the very premise of it. I have literally not heard a single person say that Snyder hates Superman. Doesn't understand him? Oh absolutely. But not hate him. The main complaints by far are that the story is a disjointed and boring mess, and that the characters are bland caricatures whom lack any depth or personality and have spotty motivations. And the argument that Superman is feared and hated by so many people because the movie is telling us they are wrong to do so? Where the heck did he get that from? There are people that fear and hate him because he has unstoppable power and people have seen the destruction he could wreak when he hasn't even tried to, and he is answerable to nobody. He then goes on in this movie to try to impose his will when he sees fit to do so. If Zach was so very loving of the character then we could have seen Superman in these movies rather than Batman 2.0 (now with powers and a different colored suit).
This guys review of the film couldn't find a single fault, so...yeah, I'm going to have to put this down as fanboyism. Even the biggest fans of Batman and Superman (whom I consider myself among) can't ignore the truly terrible parts of this movie.

 

[Stewie Plisken]

I liked BvS quite a lot and I appreciate the article, but his reading of the film is entirely different to my own. I *have* heard people say that Snyder hates Superman, though I would argue the problem comes from the top (i.e. WB). Snyder clearly doesn't hate Superman, but he does approach the character from an angle that's not always fruitful.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

I didn't bother anymore after the first few paragraphs.

As others have said, even if there are people who say Snyder hates Superman, they are an extreme minority and are possibly just confused.

Snyder either doesn't have confidence in the character, that a comic book Superman can still be a success today, or he just doesn't understand him.

The article smacks of a person trying too hard to keep his view of his obsession free from being tarnished. At one point the author implies that the GCPD are fine with Batman because he operates only in poor areas and therefore don't care about the underprivileged community. Despite, of course, the obvious appreciation and respect the older members of the GCPD have for Batman. But no, it's because cops are dicks who don't care about poor people. Even reading his review, you get the impression that the author likes the movie more because of what he made up about the story rather than what it actually is.

This Mark Hughes fellow evidently loved the balls out of the movie, and I have no problem with that. But there's a difference between liking something and denying that there is a foul smell coming of it.

 

[mduncan50]

This Mark Hughes fellow evidently loved the balls out of the movie, and I have no problem with that. But there's a difference between liking something and denying that there is a foul smell coming of it.

Nothing wrong with being a fanboy and loving the balls out of a movie, but when you review movies for a living you can at least pretend to have some level of objectivity.

 

[Stewie Plisken]

This Mark Hughes fellow evidently loved the balls out of the movie, and I have no problem with that. But there's a difference between liking something and denying that there is a foul smell coming of it.

Nothing wrong with being a fanboy and loving the balls out of a movie, but when you review movies for a living you can at least pretend to have some level of objectivity.

In his defence, that piece wasn't a review, it was an analysis/op-ed.

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

For those who don't want to read the article, let me sum it up for you:

Spoiler: AHEM

YOU'RE JUST NOT SMART ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND!

That's basically it. The first four paragraphs are Mark Hughes praising Synder and himself for being smart enough to understand how great BvS is, and how amazed he is at how stupid and massively miss-interpreting the movie all the other reviewers are. And then he meanders around for the rest of the piece pointing out each and every flaw in the movie, and then saying "NOPE! NOT A FLAW! ITS GENIUS!"

Its the editorial equivalent of a 5 year old sticking his fingers in his ears and saying "lalalalala" over and over while tears of absolute defeat and misery fall down his reddening face as he desperately tries to will his classmates, his pants and Reality itself into ignoring the fact he just shit himself in PE class.

 

[mduncan50]

Nothing wrong with being a fanboy and loving the balls out of a movie, but when you review movies for a living you can at least pretend to have some level of objectivity.

In his defence, that piece wasn't a review, it was an analysis/op-ed.

No, I know that. His review was linked in the first paragraph though, so I checked it out to see just how delusional the guy is. I'll save you the read: He is very delusional.

 

[DefunctTheory]

This is the third Forbes article I've read on BvS, and it seems likely that all three were written by the same individual, because the tone is the same across the board - the writer (Or writers, if I'm wrong) had his mind, socks, and genitals all blown completely off by this movie, or so he says. It's almost comical how much praise they can heap on it.

I've made my complete disgust about this movie fairly vocal, but this sort of praise is just bizarre. Forbes isn't the only place defending the movie, of course, but its the only one thats doing so in such an unapologetic manner. You'd think Snyder was literally the second coming of Christ going off these articles.

I don't think I've ever liked a movie quite as much as these guys like BvS.

 

[IOwnTheSpire]

For those who say that Snyder 'doesn't understand' the character of Superman, I'm just curious... how? How does he not understand? Given that these characters have been around for decades and numerous writers have given their takes on the character, I don't see how people consider this version so blasphemous, especially when many of the traits this version has have been done before.

 

[Yan007]

For those who say that Snyder 'doesn't understand' the character of Superman, I'm just curious... how? How does he not understand? Given that these characters have been around for decades and numerous writers have given their takes on the character, I don't see how people consider this version so blasphemous, especially when many of the traits this version has have been done before.

Superman is basically a boyscout and a symbol of hope, except in this movie.

 

[Something Amyss]

You ever see someone and sort of make up a story about them before you ever meet them? A bunch of assumptions about their personal lives, little inferences?

I think that's what Snyder did. He fell in love with his own fiction. So I guess technically he loves Superman?

 

[mduncan50]

For those who say that Snyder 'doesn't understand' the character of Superman, I'm just curious... how? How does he not understand? Given that these characters have been around for decades and numerous writers have given their takes on the character, I don't see how people consider this version so blasphemous, especially when many of the traits this version has have been done before.

Superman does not doubt whether or not he should bother to help society. Superman does not kill people unless there is no other option, and even then he finds another way. Superman does not attack Batman for being a vigilante, he will only fight as a last resort, and would choose to talk.

 

[Gordon_4_v1legacy]

Yeah, he loves him so much he decided to emulate one of the worst shock event comics in the character's history, ironically in the same film meant to launch the Justice League. Honestly the end of BvS feels like its from another movie, three entries down the track.