In just seven years, 45 year old filmmaker Zack Snyder, has come a long way and he looks to join the ranks of some of Hollywood's most esteemed and visionary filmmakers.
Zack Snyder at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con International.
Currently Snyder is hard at work on the forthcoming The Man of Steel (2012), an anticipated reboot of the Superman franchise, which is being overseen by producer (or rather godfather) Christopher Nolan. Before Snyder was announced as the director of Man of Steel, other potential directors included Darren Aronofsky, Duncan Jones, Matt Reeves and Tony Scott.
Snyder made his feature film debut with a remake of the classic 1978 horror Dawn of the Dead, directed by George A. Romero.
Upon the release of Dawn of the Dead in 2004, something unusual happened, genre films (especially horror remakes), are unabashedly derided by the critics, but Snyder's film received praise from critics and audiences alike.
Two years later Snyder directed 300 (2006) for Warner Bros.
The film was adapted from the Frank Miller graphic novel of the same name. The film divided critics, Roger Ebert stated "300 has one-dimensional caricatures who talk like professional wrestlers plugging their next feud." While Andrew Osmond of Sight and Sound, marvelled at the technical achievements of the feature, stating "If 300 represents an evolution in 'virtual' cinema, then at the same time it tells a story that transports us back to the violent roots of western civilisation."
The imagery and dialogue of 300, have since been regularly parodied and even spawned the spoof feature Meet the Spartans in 2008.
However after the success of 300, Snyder was offered the chance to direct Watchmen. The film was released to moderate reviews from critics, but audiences embraced the feature. Snyder then turned his attention to animation, with Tales of the Black Freighter and last year's Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole, an American/Australian computer generated family feature, which was again released to mixed reviews, but broke even at the Box Office.
Sucker Punch (2011) is the next anticipated feature from the director and unlike Snyder's previous action films, this one has a cast of young female heroines. Described by Snyder as "'Alice in Wonderland' with machine guns," the forthcoming feature stars Emily Browning as Baby Doll, Abbie Cornish as Sweet Pea, Jena Malone as Rocket, Vanessa Hudgens as Blondie, Jamie Chung as Amber, Carla Gugino as Madam Gorski and Jon Hamm as High Roller. Rated PG-13 in the US, and M in Australia, the action film will be simultaneously released in cinema theatres and IMAX theatres in Australia from April 7.
An adult ticket is priced at $24 for a feature film at IMAX and concession holders and seniors are priced at the discounted fee of $19.50. A family ticket (2 adults and 2 children) is available at $72. IMAX tickets sell-out relatively fast, so if you wish to see this feature at IMAX on the first weekend, it is best to purchase your ticket now, either at the box-office or online at the respective IMAX website.