On Thursday, I had the chance to see Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice on the big screen. And judging by its massive opening weekend, most of us have also. But if you're one of the few who still haven't seen it yet, this review contains spoilers! So wait until you've seen the movie to read it. Yo have been warned!
What can I say about this movie that hasn't been said? Ever since I was a kid, my two favorite super heroes were always Batman and Superman. They were both so similar, both wore a cape and both battled the forces of evil, and yet were so different. Superman was light and optimistic. Batman was dark and brooding. Superman believed in fighting for Truth, Justice, and the American Way. Batman believed in striking fear into the hearts of his enemies. There was just something about them that stayed in my mind for years.
And I'm not the only one. They are pop culture icons that have stayed in American culture the same way Mickey Mouse and Santa Claus have. Both Batman and Superman have managed to stand the test of time in comic books, TV shows, video games, and of course the movies. Superman I & II both remain timeless classics in my opinion, and The Dark Knight is still the comic book movie to beat. Sure, they may have their occasional Batman & Robin. And movies like Man of Steel are very divisive. But when both franchise soar, they really soar! Everyone has their own interpretations and their own beliefs on how these characters should act and be.
And let's face it. We have all asked the question at least once with out friends. Who would win in fight? Batman or Superman? And we have all had our own arguments. Some believe that Superman could crush Batman in five seconds with his own hands, or throw him into the sun if he wanted to. Others argue that Batman can think his way out of any situation, and use his wits to outsmart Superman. (And let's not forget Kryptonite).
There has never really been a definitive answer of the question. The only way to see the outcome is if they both appeared on the big screen together.
Fans have prayed for years to see their favorite heroes on the big screen together. With the historic success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it has been proven that a movie with multiple superheroes together can work if done right. The Batman V Superman movie may have finally been announced at Comic Con back in 2013, but this movie's production history goes way back!
Throughout the 90s up to the mid 2000s, there were several ideas for Batman and Superman movies that were eventually scrapped. Including on that involved Nicolas Cage as Superman!
There was even a fake power for it in Warner Bros. own I Am Legend back in 2007!
After Warner Bros. second attempt at a Superman reboot in 2013, Man of Steel, which did fine at the box office with $600 Million worldwide but was almost as divisive to critics and audiences as Donald Trump, Warner Bros. put aside their planned sequel and decided to go for broke and put Batman, Wonder Woman, Cyborg, Auquaman, Flash, an pretty much any DC character and reference you can think of, in one movie to catch up with the Marvel machine.
This made many people worried. Could it work? Will it be a mess? Will it be a hit? Can this movie measure up to DECADES worth of hype?!?!?
After giving this movie a few days to settle, I can simply say... Yes!... And No.
Whether you love this movie or hate it, we can all agree it's a mess. It's like a Pinkberry Yogurt with too many toppings on it. Some people like their yogurt that way, others feel like it loses its flavor.
Let's start with what I liked.
The action scenes were much better in my opinion than Man of Steel. They felt more flowing and more focused. I love the themes of immigration, war, and conflict. The opening scene of the film, which was the climax of Man of Steel seen from Bruce Wayne's perspective, was really well done, and hit very close to home with 9/11. Bruce Wayne sympathizes with the fear and paranoia many people feel towards terrorism these days. It's always refreshing to see a comic book move genre, which is usually geared towards family audiences, take on adult themes. After all, that is why The Dark Knight is still my favorite comic book movie. I actually found myself really intrigued with a lot of the movie. I didn't feel as bored as some people said they felt. I was actually really invested in what was going to happen to Superman, Batman, Martha Kent, and the world. The whole audience was into it in fact! The best way to see this movie is in a theater packed with DC fans. And the third act where Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman fight Doomsday is the stuff comic book fans dreams are made of!
The moment they announced Ben Affleck as Batman/Ben Affleck, fans were less than thrilled (putting it nicely). I for one had faith in him since Day 1. While most people pointed to Daredevil (2003) as proof that Ben Affleck can not play superheroes, I looked at Argo and saw a talented, smart actor who has clearly grown over the years. He went from a cold actor to an Academy Award winning force to be reckoned with in Hollywood! Plus, I remembered how fans hated the idea of Michael Keaton as Batman, Robert Downy Jr. as Iron Man, and Heath Ledger as the Joker. And we all know how those turned out.
And when I saw the trailer, I knew I was right. Ben Affleck is arguably the best Batman we have seen on the big screen! From the rage, the intensity, the dark, brooding presence. When he's beating up bad guys, it feels like the comic books and Arkham Knight games coming alive! We have never seen Batman this active before. My one complaint is that Batman kills in this movie. And I'm sorry, Batman DOES NOT KILL! That's one of the things I love about him. He tries to think of ways of stopping evil without killing people. He doesn't want to end his enemies, but strike fear in them. That's what makes him stand out from other heroes. I just feel like making him kill takes away something from his character. But other than that, Affleck proves once again that it's best to wait for the movie to judge a casting choice.
Another high point is Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman.
Unlike Ben Affleck, I wasn't totally on board with Gadot as Wonder Woman when it was first announced. But then I saw the poster, and started getting more optimistic. And then I saw the movie, I think she absolutely nailed the part! She's strong, confident, mysterious, and able to hold her own with Affleck and Cavill. When she first appeared on screen, I had not heard an applause that loud since seeing Han Solo and Chewbacca back in Star Wars: The Force Awakens! She may have felt a bit shoe-horned in the film (as were a lot of things as I'll get to later), but at least we can now say we have seen Wonder Woman on the big screen! And I look forward to her own movie in 2017. Seriously, it's about damn time! (sorry for my language)
Henry Cavill is much better as Superman/Clark Kent here. He feels more comfortable and more natural here. Even though Christopher Reeve is still and will always be the definitive Superman/Clark Kent, Henry Cavill is a worthy successor.
Amy Adams does exceptionally well as Lois Lane. I think I enjoyed her character much more here than the last film. I love how she is trying to prove Superman's innocence and stands by her man, even when everyone else is against her.
A lot of the supporting cast was great. Jeremy Irons steals many scenes as Alfred, Diane Lane is very warm and nurturing as Martha Kent.
The weakest link, however, was Jesse Eienberg as Lex Luthor.
Where I had faith in Ben Affleck form day one, and was pleasantly surprised by Gal Gadot, I was skeptical of Jesse Eisenberg from the start. Even though he's a talented actor, and I loved him in The Social Network, I just couldn't see him as the criminal mastermind Lex Luthor. I wanted someone like Bryan Cranston take on the role. In fact, he was practically auditioning for that role in Breaking Bad! But I tried to give Eisenberg a chance. But based on the trailers, and now the movies, I still wish they got Cranston. He just seems so over the top. It's not that he gives a bad performance. In fact, if her were the Riddler, it would be perfect. But it's just not the right performance for Luthor, at least in my opinion. And yes, Gene Hackman was over the top in the original Superman films. But those movies came out in the 70s and 80s, where it was more acceptable. Eisenberg just comes across as awkward. Some people, like my parents, loved him and thought he played a very creepy, insane villain similar to Heath Ledger's Joker. And if you like his performance, I'm happy for you. I didn't hate his performance myself. I just don't feel like it fit with this movie's tone.
That's another problem I have with this movie. The tone. When you think of the words "Batman v Superman", you expect something fun and exciting. But Batman v Superman is very dark and grim. Almost exhausting. It's also incredibly violent. It's not a movie I would recommend for kids. If you're a parent reading this, you're the only one who can judge what is ok for your kids to see. If they're dying to see it, and you think they can handle it, you can go ahead and see it with them. But if it is too violent, then I would recommend taking them to Deadp-- Uh, never mind!
And the plot can be very confusing at times. If you've never read a single comic, or seen any of the previous movies, you would be lost! You might still enjoy all the action and visuals, but will probably be scratching your head.
But the biggest problem I have with this movie is that it's just too much! They take elements from The Dark Knight Returns, The Death of Superman, Court of Owls, etc. and try to make this grand, epic comic book crossover to compete with The Avengers.
Which brings me to this point. Some people complained that The Avengers' plot was too simple and too basic. But in my opinion, it needed to be simple. The idea alone is ambitious! Have four superheroes from four different franchises come together in the same movie? If that movie's plot was as complex as The Dark Knight, it would have been a mess! What gave the film its depth was the back stories shown in the previous films. And Batman V Superman tries so hard to connect all these story threads and character arcs, that it loses focus. Just like Amazing Spiderman 2, it's so focused on setting up for future films that it forgets to focus on itself.
The end of the movie feels a bit... unnecessary. Superman takes the Kryptonite staff and flies to stab Doomsday with it (who looks like a Troll from Lord of the Rings, except with worse CGI), only to have him self stabbed in the chest by Doomsday. Superman dies in Lois Lane's arms, and is given a funeral service. Lois throws a bit of dirt on Superman's coffin, and for a split second you can see the dirt rising. This lets the audience know that Superman may not be dead after all.
(Deep breath)
What is the point of this?!!??!? Why would you introduce Doomsday this early in the first place? Why would you kill Superman off when he has only been in two films so far, and only had one to himself? And if you're not actually killing him, but pulling an Empire Strikes Back on us and are saving him for the next movie, then why would you pretend to kill him off in first place?
Zack Snyder said the reason for this was because it would be more interesting if Bruce Wayne was founding the Justice League on his own with Wonder Woman. And he felt that if Superman was in the Justice League, they would be too unstoppable.
But how could you do the Justice League without Superman?!?! He's one of, if not the most, iconic member! And you're going to exclude him because he's too invincible?!!?!?
The Hulk is pretty invincible. And did you see him excluded from The Avengers?
I'm not totally against killing a main character if it furthers the story or adds weight like The Force Awakens. I am however against killing a major character off too early in the story just for the sake of creating unearned drama.
Now with all my ranting, it sounds like I hate this movie, right? No, not at all. I still had a great time watching it in IMAX with a packed crowd of passionate fans. It was worth it to see Batman and Superman together, and to witness Wonder Woman's on screen debut. Could the movie have been better? Sure. Do I regret seeing it? Absolutely not. I'm definitely glad I saw it, and I may see it again sometime soon. But the DC Cinematic Universe still has a long way to go to catch up with Kevin Feige and co.
See it and judge for yourself!
