Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice
A Beautiful Mess
Three years ago, director Zack Snyder had a vision. A vision to create a dark, realistic portrayal of one of the most notorious and beloved superheroes of all time; Superman. And what he delivered was a film that has since divided the world of critics and fan-boys alike. He created a Superman story that for the first half of the film, gave Superman a truly authentic and realistic feel, but its entire second act crumbled into a CGI extravaganza that left thousands of citizens from Metropolis dead. To many, even the audiences that loved Man of Steel, this gave the world a Superman who came off as careless and selfish and insulting to the lore and morals of the hero. This very issue is the main focal point in the first of the two and a half hour epic Batman V Superman film, painting Superman as a political figure rather than a hero. This take on the character and the realities and turmoil he faces around him, is a brilliant move by writers Chris Terrio, an Oscar-winning screenwriter of Argo and familiar comic-book film screenwriter David. S Goyer. The move itself shows this God-like alien as a controversial figure as it probably would in the real world. In the middle of this one of the many other subplots of the film, Bruce Wayne, the Caped Crusader himself, was one of the many citizens affected from the Battle of Metropolis that day, as his company and his business family, was part of the massive collateral damage. This leads to an already bitter, aging Batman to become motivated to stop Superman from even the slightest chance of causing any further damage again, even if it means killing a power that can save billions. And for the most part, this idea and setup worked to an extent. Whereas the potential for a great film is interrupted by a few messy bumps here and there, but with some beautifully done pieces as well. Let’s start by pointing out the positives and negatives of the film.
Positives:
Opening Scene – This starts the film off and sets the tone for what we are about to witness. It was intense, sad, and looked amazing.
Ben Affleck as Batman and any scene with Batman (almost every scene) – Ben Affleck gives audiences a version of the Dark Knight we haven’t seen before. A beat-up, broken, and merciless figure who brands criminals and isn’t afraid to even gun them down or break their necks from time to time. This is a Bruce Wayne and Batman who let the world in all of its evil and crime-ridden atmosphere change who he once was; a hero with morals who eventually admitted that he’s just “a criminal and always has been.” Adding further that “nothing’s changed.” It’s a refreshing spin on the character I personally loved and Affleck owns every scene he’s in. Not to mention whenever Batman takes on thugs in this film, you can feel and hear every punch and broken bone he lays out on his enemies. It’s badass.
Supporting Performances – Particularly Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor, a portrayal that is creepy, snarky, and downright weird. But every time he’s on the screen I couldn’t help but feel entertained. Also solid performances from Laurence Fishburne and Amy Adams as Perry White and Lois Lane, respectively.
Granny’s Peach Tea: What does Granny’s Peach Tea have to with that senate courtroom scene? You’ll have to watch and see. Perfectly acted and directed to create a funny, yet intense reveal in an otherwise somewhat perfect scene.
The Fight Scene – This scene alone was worth the price of admission. Experience it in IMAX.
The Different Worlds of Batman and Superman – One man changed from a world he swore to deliver justice to, and the other being antagonized for trying to be a symbol of hope and peace to mankind. This is perhaps the most overlooked aspect of the film, but after two viewings, I found this meaning through subtle scenes of silence.
Cinematography – The color and look of this film is fantastic, almost as if a comic book was literally put to life before us.
Wonder Woman – She has maybe 15 lines of dialogue in this movie, but Gal Gadot makes her a smart, sexy, and badass character in every scene she’s in.
The Score – Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL create a fantastic, epic score that is certainly memorable, especially Lex Luthor’s theme.
Negatives:
The Pacing – At moments, this film can certainly drag, especially in the first half.
Choppy editing – There are certain scenes that just aren’t put together well and it almost cuts from scene to the next without any narrative parallel, which can be confusing and frustrating to many viewers.
Unnecessary Subplots – The moments in this film that do drag on are the other plots that we don’t care about. Lois Lane trying to discover an origin of a bullet, one particular scene with Superman and a focus on a particular victim of the Metropolis destruction dragged this film out. Easily could have cut 15 minutes of this film.
Forced Easter Eggs – At times this film felt like a 2 hour ad for the Justice League and some intros to future characters were lazy and uninspired.
Doomsday- This character was shoehorned in and looked like a Ninja turtle on steroids. No bueno.
Superman – This movie really pushed him aside and at times made him come off as kind of an uncaring being with no real purpose to give hope to humanity and Superman came off as selfish and undeveloped. Also, it seems as if Henry Cavill only has a small range of emotions for Superman. It was like watching a wall try to act at some moments.
Overall, Batman V Superman can be messy, imperfect, but also brilliant and epic in other moments. This film will certainly be one of the most polarizing Superhero films of all time for sure.
Final Grade: B-