Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice
Starring: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, and Gal Gadot
Directed by: Zack Snyder
Rated: PG-13
Batman v. Superman is a hot-mess. It's a prime example of ideas over execution. The film is grossly overstuffed with side characters, B-plots, and senseless explosive violence. Aren't these heroes meant to protect the world? Well, you'd think, but they're too busy destroying it instead. I'm going to assume a lot of incoherence in the film is due to director Zack Snyder. I know, I can't blame everything on a director, but have you ever watched a Zack Snyder film? 300, Man of Steeland....the atrocity that was Sucker Punch are prime examples of Snyder's explosive style over substance technique that's on full display in Batman v. Superman. After looking at his previous work, it amazes me that Warner Brothers trusted him to direct this massive film for DC comics that essentially sets up the Justice League.
My biggest issue with Batman v. Superman is its lack of narrative cohesion.
The first act tries to be a very serious superhero drama. It attempts to show the audience the tension between Batman and Superman. At times this is actually interesting. It makes sense that Bruce Wayne doesn't like Superman because so many innocent people died in the battle from Man of Steel. I felt the same way when I saw Man of Steel. I was ticked off that a superhero brought so much useless violence to innocent civilians. And at what cost? A bad movie? What a waste.
Even though the first-act introduces way too many characters and subplots, I appreciate that it did have character development and storyline. All of that goes out the window when the second and third act arrive. Once we hit a certain point, character development is gone and storyline is almost non-existent. The last 2 acts of this movie are explosions, shooting, punching, stabbing, etc. Remember all of the building collisions in Man of Steel? Don't worry, there's plenty more of that here! This is a 2 and a half hour movie that could easily be 2 hours.
I don't have complaints with the acting in this movie. Everyone plays their parts well. As soon as Ben Affleck was cast, many questioned the choice and felt the film could be doomed to fail. Ben Affleck should not be blamed for Batman v. Superman's shortcomings. This movie suffers because of script and direction. Affleck does a really good job with the iconic character. Imagine what he could have done with a good script!
The second biggest question mark of the film was Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor. Quite honestly, I thought he did well with the character. His portrayal has created a divisive response among audiences and understandably so. However, for every over-the-top minute he was on screen, I was entertained. He brought an eccentric, menacing energy to a very dreary movie.
Henry Cavill is good as Superman/Clark Kent. He fits the character very well. However, this feels like more of a Batman movie than a Superman movie. Although Superman is a frequent topic of discussion, he doesn't seem to have as much screen time as Batman.
Amy Adams is fine as Lois Lane. I have no problems with her acting, but I have problems with the character. Lois Lane exists as a stereotypical damsel in distress in this version of the story. She almost dies about 3 times to have Superman save her at the last possible minute. I'm a big Amy Adams fan, but Lois' characterization is so painfully dull.
After the movie, it dawned on me that 5 of the 6 actresses I remember seeing in the film are kidnapped, murdered, or on the verge of death. That's kind of bothersome. The only one who escapes this fate is
WONDER WOMAN
Without question, the highlight of Batman v. Superman is Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman. She completely steals the film. Her intro is epic and her theme song is great. Her scene was welcomed with cheers throughout the theater. It's too bad she couldn't be in more of movie. Wonder Woman's main scene is so awesome that I almost forgot she was fighting an energy feeding rock monster. Yeah, this is not a good movie.
As someone who loves superhero movies, I gave Batman v. Superman a shot. I found good actors and impressive cinematography stuck in an overly long, dreary and incoherent mess.
My Rating: 4/10
Warning: If you are photosensitive, epileptic, or suffer from migraines: Batman v. Superman contains many scenes with intense flashing lights