One of the most stylistically recognizable directors in the business, Zack Snyder’s films vibrantly illustrate his unique vision. Though many are strikingly different from one another (Dawn of the Dead might be the furthest comparison to Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole), the vast majority of his filmography demonstrates his signature flair: dramatic special effects, a notable adoration of slow motion, and grandiose explorations into the lives of heroic figures.

His historically-inspired action epic 300 brought the mythic figure of King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) to the silver screen with memorable and bombastic action sequences, while his work on the DCEU brought the legendary Justice League to live-action after decades of defining the superhero genre. Though these films and franchises are thoroughly distinct, they all serve as exceptional examples of Snyder’s directorial vision.

But though he’s best remembered for these major blockbusters, Snyder had already been crafting his iconic style from the moment he first sat in the director’s chair. Even the most ardent fan might not be aware, but Snyder’s first outing as a director was for a short film documentary about another mythic figure who, like The Man of Steel all those years later, enthralled people by proving that a man could fly: His Airness himself, the greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan.

‘Michael Jordan’s Playground’ Was Zack Snyder’s First Film as Director

A direct-to-video short film that is equal parts sports doc and motivational story, Playground (also referred to as Michael Jordan’s Playground) was an unconventional, yet thoroughly entertaining, start to Snyder’s directorial career. Though essentially a Michael Jordan documentary, the film was framed against the story of a high school basketball player named Walt (Tyrin Turner) who was cut from his varsity team. But despite his arduous preparation in the year after this rejection, Walt finds himself doubting his own abilities, unsure of whether he even stands a chance of making the team in his next tryout. But it’s in this pessimistic moment that something incredible happens: Michael Jordan inexplicably arrives on the court, like a basketball genie, to share some powerful motivation and advice for the young athlete, and viewers everywhere.

‘Playground’ Highlights Jordan’s Competitive Mindset and Successful Career

While Playground is technically about Walt’s high school team tryouts, the overarching framework of the short film is ultimately centered around Michael Jordan and his early NBA career. Though basketball fans today look back on Michael Jordan’s career with awe and reverence, considering him to be the greatest of all time, this short film is no The Last Dance. It doesn’t look back at MJ’s illustrious career with the benefit of hindsight, but instead looks at Jordan as he was still somewhat of an underdog, yet to fully prove himself. Playground was released in 1990, a full year before MJ won his first championship ring, and though his career thus far was highly successful, Jordan’s inability to reach that pinnacle of NBA success was an overwhelming weight on his shoulders. MJ had a bursting athletic resume thus far in his career, boasting an MVP, multiple scoring titles, and a Defensive Player of the Year award, but without that championship ring, it was impossible to truly consider him among the upper echelon of players in NBA history, no matter how great of an individual athlete he was.

But though Jordan was lacking the championship hardware that would be the focus of his post-career docuseries, The Last Dance, Playground is arguably more impressive because of how it expresses such belief in the Bulls player and his inescapable desire to win at the highest level.As Polygon aptly describes it, Playground was a “called-shot,” a confident declaration of success prior to seeing the bucket fall through the net. Or, in this case, before Jordan brought the Larry O’Brien trophy back to Chicago, and before he established himself as arguably the greatest of all time. Jordan tells Walt about his own mindset when it comes to competition, talking about how he worked tirelessly to improve his game and become a better player because of his singular desire to win. It’s that unrelenting competitiveness and dedication that Jordan tries to instill in the young player, and it’s these traits that would be validated by the tremendous success that he would soon attain in his own playing career.

‘Michael Jordan’s Playground’ Is Full ’90s Nostalgia

Playground may not have the longest runtime, but the film is oozing with classic ’90s nostalgia and the burgeoning beginnings of Snyder’s favored directorial habits, making it an exciting watch for basketball and movie fans alike. While the motivational story is fundamentally paint-by-the-numbers, the featured basketball highlights and commentary from other NBA players make it a wholly unique viewing experience. Jordan’s advice to Walt is paired with dynamic clips of his greatest highlights, divided into different aspects of his playing career, such as his ruthless ability to win close games and his ardent desire to prove his defensive prowess when naysayers doubted his ability.

It’s hard to encapsulate all that Michael Jordan’s Playground is because there’s nothing else quite like it. Intercut with Jordan’s own narration are interview moments from other notable NBA players that competed with him, such as Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, and Clyde Drexler. While they all heap plenty of well-deserved praise on MJ, it’s interesting in hindsight to look back at a time when Jordan hadn’t yet been crowned the GOAT. The players talk of Jordan’s bouts against Dominique Wilkins, a more comparable rival at the time, though a difference of six rings has since transformed the narrative. And back in 1990, Jordan’s underdog journey to the top was still bulwarked by the Detroit Pistons, an infamous team so notorious for their defense that they were dubbed the “Bad Boys” (and would later receive a 30 for 30 documentary of their own). If Playground didn’t feel quintessentially ’90s enough, the film was punctuated with a fully choreographed dance sequence by Full Force All-Stars and Jordan himself for some final bits of jovial entertainment.

And while Snyder had yet to fully define his distinct creative style, Playground exhibited some of the traits that would come to define Snyder’s taste. Though Jordan’s play on the court was certainly not subject to Snyder’s directing, his highlight reel speaks volumes on its own, as MJ was one of the most dynamic and exciting players to ever touch a basketball. From his acrobatic layups, fiendish defense, and jaw-dropping dunks, Michael Jordan truly looked like a man who could fly, with the inexplicable ability to hang in the air longer than all his competitors. ​​​​​​But this is where Snyder’s eye for action is on display here, as his directing of the playground sequences and organization of the basketball highlights all serve to maximize the excitement and action of Jordan’s talents, complete with slow motion even in his simple one-on-one game with Walt.

Zack Snyder and Michael Jordan Went on To Define Eras in Pop Culture

While Snyder’s career took some more time before truly hitting its upper zenith (he wouldn’t direct his first full-length feature film until 2004), Michael Jordan’s ascension to Everest happened swiftly after Playground’s release. His Airness would win the Chicago Bulls six championships, with two impressive three-peats from 1991-1993 and 1996-1998. And in between these championship runs, Jordan returned to Hollywood to film one of the best sports films of all time: Space Jam. No athlete before or since dominated the pop culture sphere as much as Michael Jordan in the 1990s, an era that was defined by him both on the court and off.

Though athlete rankings in sports are ultimately subjective, the ranking of film directors is arguably even more undefined. However, while Zack Snyder can’t point to championship trophies, he too would be a defining player in the entertainment industry with his extensive work in the superhero genre. From Watchmen in 2009 through his work on the DCEU, Snyder may be a divisive director, but few could argue that he wasn’t memorable and integral to making superhero films as ubiquitous as they are today. As Jordan rests on the laurels of his storied career and Snyder continues his creative endeavors with the recent release of Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver, it’s inspiring to think that in the years before their career-defining successes, the two were working tirelessly and calling their shots on a playground basketball hoop.