Summary
Certain directors have a signature tone or style that makes the movies and TV shows they make easily recognizable, andZack Snyderhas one of the most popular and bombastic styles in the business. Some people like his work, others do not, but it’s made a profound impression on modern film making either way, and his talents don’t stop at live action.
Twilight of the Godsis one of Snyder’s most recent projects. It’s an epic and daring animated series currently showing on Netflix. In keeping with the current trend of bringing modern interpretations of the ancient world to the silver screen,Twilight of the Godsis a story of Norse gods. and is loosely based on Norse legends andthe prophecies of Ragnarök. This is the legend of the Norse Apocalypse, but in this case, it’s the gods who are destined for an end, not humanity. Here’s all the ways Zack Snyder’s latest work bears his stylistic signature.
6Badass Female Lead
Warrioress Sigrid Takes No Prisoners
The lead character ofTwilight of the GodsisSigrid, who appears on the battlefield next to a young King Lief from seemingly nowhere. The story eventually reveals that she’s a half-giant from an isolated island, and although she doesn’t have the height of a giant, sheexhibits the strength of one.
Sigrid’s role as a fierce and savage fighter, and her revenge quest that drives the plot, are similar to other characters in Snyder’s work. Even when Snyder’s movies don’t have a female lead, there’s usually a villain or supporting character that fills this role instead. Queen Gorgo from300is one famous example.
5Lots Of Gore
As Is Tradition
Another trend that started withDawn of the Dead, which is widely considered to be Snyder’s breakthrough as a director, is the liberal and even joyful use of as much blood and gore as possible. It’s not completely a populist move, as Snyder has been inspired by anime and comic books with a similar tone.300, for example, was adapted from a graphic novel.
Norse mythology is also known for its unapologetic nature, with tales of body horror, fierce battles, and prophecies written in reindeer viscera.Twilight of the Godstakes full advantage of every opportunity for gore, and this naturally bleeds into another one of Snyder’s notorious features: Epic battle scenes that involve whole fields of bloody corpses.
4An Unhinged Villain
Thor Practically Twirls His Moustache
Thor goes through a few different incarnations depending on what the show in question, but be warned: This isn’t the friendly and loveable god from the Marvel universe. This Thor seems to have an unhealthy obsession with certain laws and rules regarding the conduct of both gods and humans, and frequently takes it upon himselfto cast judgment upon both.
This isn’t the first time that Zack Snyder has used an emotionally unstable authoritarian as tahe villain. It’s fun in the sense that Thor shows up and destroys whole valleys and mountain chains with his lightning, even if we’re not always sure what he’s so mad about. Impressive and large-scale destruction is what makes Zack Snyder movies great anyway.
3A Suave, Likable Villain
Nobody Says No To Loki
The bad guy in a Snyder movie can have two faces, one outwardly crazy and another being friendly and intelligent. InTwilight of the Gods, Thor fills in the crazy while another god, Loki, takes the role of a seductive, quiet planner.
Legends that feature the trickster god Loki usually portray him as the very mindful, very demure type, seducing his partners or victims with promises he doesn’t intend to keep. Sigrid will do anything for revenge, so she’s an easy mark for Loki’s schemes, but whether he’ll ultimately take her side or not is yet to be seen.
2Explicit Sex
If It’s Rated R Anyway…
Often movies that focus on fighting and gore shy away from any depictions of sex, but Snyder doesn’t care about that trend and serves upgenerous amounts of both. Not all of his work has explicit and often creative sex scenes, but Director’s Cut versions and smaller projects where he has more autonomy, such as with this Netflix special, have plenty of steamy scenes for thirsty fans.
Since the story takes place in an ancient Norse environment, there aren’t the same social taboos on psychedelic substances, paganism, or polyamory, and the sex scenes reflect these same attitudes about sexual relationships. The gods themselves are often slaves to their passions, which ignites drama both in Asgard and on Earth.
1A Campfire Scene
Characters Bond With Personal Stories
There’s often a gathering of a motley crew of adventurers, fighters, explorers, or whomever it may be in a Zack Snyder movie, and there comes a time when they all haveto get to know each other. It’s one way of giving the audience exposition on each of the characters, and considering that most Snyder movies have an ensemble cast it’s easy to see how this evolved.
To be fair, this doesn’t have to include an actual campfire, but there’s always some kind of gathering that takes place, often around a meal or some kind of rest time. InTwilight of the Gods, each character tells their own personal backstory in the form of a song or poem, introducing themselves with their name and a title that summarizes their tale.
