The bedrock of the modern DCEU are the films created by Zack Snyder, starting with Man of Steel. Then came Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, possibly the most controversial entry in the franchise so far. In a recent interview, Debroah Snyder, who produced the movie, weighed in on the sharply divided reactions to Batman v. Superman, and the manner in which a section of the press lambasted the movie for not being what they expected.
“We’ve had our share of unkind press. Some of it, though… It’s interesting because I think… [Batman v Superman] is the perfect example. ‘It’s too dark.’ Too dark compared to what? I think that some of the reactions were ‘It’s not funny enough. It’s not the movie I expected it to be.’ And you’re [saying], ‘Is that the movie’s fault or is that your fault for having a preconceived notion of what it should be?’ It was kind of interesting to read things like that.”
When Batman v. Superman first came out, it was met with a rash of negative reviews. Everything from the casting of Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor, to the plot which saw the Man of Steel going toe-to-toe with the Dark Knight, to the killing off of Superman, was subjected to a great deal of online vitriol.
Possibly the most often-criticized and mocked scene in the entire movie was what has come to be known as the “Martha” moment. That was the scene in which Batman, about to stab Superman with a kryptonite spear, is stopped in his tracks upon learning that Superman has a mother named Martha. Recently, Zack Snyder also waded into the debate surrounding the scene, and the negative manner in which the press reacted to it.
“Clearly I am a fan of, and am very interested in how ‘Martha,’ that concept is central to the film. I mean, it’s 100% the lynchpin that holds the entire movie together. I think it’s indicative of the way that Batman v Superman was received that its central tenant was sort of belittled and made fun of. I personally think it is like this beautiful and incredibly symmetrical idea that it completely finishes it as a concept. It all is 100% with intent and intention to be all the images that you see, as far as their inspiration and stuff like that.”
Hopefully, Snyder’s legacy in the DCEU will be seen in a better light when the “Snyder Cut” of Justice League finally releases on HBO Max. Zack Snyder’s Justice League stars Ben Affleck as Batman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Henry Cavill as Superman, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Jason Momoa as Aquaman, Ezra Miller as The Flash, Ray Fisher as Cyborg, Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth, Diane Lane as Martha Kent, Ray Porter as Darkseid, Ciar&án Hinds as Steppenwolf, Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor and J.K. Simmons as Commissioner Gordon. The film arrives on HBO Max on March 18.