How Hollywood Should Use Zack Snyder

Zack Snyder has made good films in the past, but has been failing to please critics lately. So how should Hollywood use Zack Snyder to optimize his skill set?

Dawn of the Dead (2004) is "certified fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes with 75%. Since then, Snyder's movies have been in a steady decline. Snyder bottomed out with Sucker Punch (2010) with a abysmal 24% and his latest movie, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) has 29%. The average of the 7 movies he has directed gives his movies a 51%. That is a very respectable score. Especially for a Director that has only been at it for 12 years. Unfortunately, at this rate his bad movies will soon outweigh his good.

My biggest problem with Zack Snyder is that he doesn't have the ability to take a script and depict it on the screen in a way that makes sense and is interesting. However, he does have a lot of talent in other areas. He has an uncanny ability to frame fabulous shots, cast characters perfectly and choreograph quick action scenes that are not only entertaining to watch, but also are easy to follow. These talents are vital for a successful action movie.

These skills still give Zack Snyder a place behind the camera, but he does need a way to hone his storytelling skills. I think that can be accomplished by co-directing. Projects from Phil Lord and Chris Miller, for example, or the Russo Brothers, do very well being co-directed. This allows the load to be split and each other's skills to be utilized. In a co-directing situation Snyder could handle action scenes while the co-director would oversee the script and story details.

I have thought about what type of director Zack Snyder would be a perfect pair with, and I have decided that Zack Snyder co-directing with Joss Whedon could be magical. Now... hear me out. I love Joss Whedon and would hate to tarnish his near perfect career. He has an uncanny ability to build characters and put together great scripts. He has a good eye for action, but nothing compared to Zack Snyder. So imagine Joss Whedon's quick, witty characters with Zack Snyder's hard, fast action. I think it could truly be a match made in heaven.

I'm not saying that Zack Snyder doesn't have the ability to direct a movie by himself someday, but I believe he needs someone to help structure the story while he handles the action. Just a little more oversight on the process could really help shape Zack Snyder into the director that he deserves to be.