"The greatest gladiator match in the history of the world"- Lex Luthor.
After a long absence, I'm back writing reviews again. What better way to return than by looking at one of the biggest (if not THE biggest) blockbusters of the year. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is the latest instalment in the DC Extended Universe, and marks the first ever live-action encounter between two of the most iconic comic book characters ever created. Naturally, the film has been released on the back of an enormous amount of hype, so how does it fair as not only a follow up to 2013's Man of Steel, but as the catalyst for further encounters between other DC characters?
The film opens with the climatic battle from Man of Steel, where we meet Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) as he witnesses Superman (Henry Cavill) inadvertently causing city-wide destruction. With many casualties as a result of this carnage, Bruce grows a strong hatred for Superman. Superman's actions have also caused controversy with the public, with some viewing him as a hero and others a threat to humanity's existence. The events of Man of Steel have also caught the attention of businessman Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg), who seeks to create his own weapons from recently discovered kryptonite. Bruce comes into contact with Luthor and the mysterious Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) and plans to use Luthor's kryptonite to destroy Superman. Through coaxing by Luthor, Batman and Superman finally meet in a battle for the ages.
Story-wise, the film is a mess. For something which is selling itself on the grounds of two superheroes fighting, it tries to establish too much before hand. There are too many scenes that eat up screen time and don't really go anywhere, such as a dream-like sequence where Bruce imagines being in conflict with Superman's henchmen, only to be woken up by another vision warning him of future events. Whilst director Zack Snyder is obviously trying to set up future films with scenes like this, they hinder the film's pacing badly. In trying to set up so much, the film achieves very little and so the central conflict between Batman and Superman meanders through all the other sub-plots, diminishing the epic tone the film is trying to achieve.
In terms of the characters, the film gets things right on Batman's side of things. Much was made of the casting of Ben Affleck as the Dark Knight, especially after a less than well received portrayal of Marvel superhero Daredevil back in 2003. Affleck, like Michael Keaton before him, has proved doubters wrong with his portrayal. More aggressive than previous depictions of the character, this is a Batman consumed with rage, and his hatred for Superman is what drives the conflict. Superman, however, has little to no development from Man of Steel. In Man of Steel there was an obvious progression of his character, but any development in this film comes from the public's opinion of him. There isn't a personal connection established between him and Batman, and so he only fights him after Lex Luthor threatens to kill his foster mother, Martha (Diane Lane). Martha has less of a part to play here, only being used as a way for Lex to control Superman and to contribute to perhaps the dumbest reason Batman and Superman stop fighting. I won't spoil exactly what happens, but trust me, it's a cheap way to for Batman to forgive and team up with Superman. Jesse Eisenberg's performance as Lex Luthor has been branded irritating by some critics, with him being hard to take seriously and therefore not much of a threat. While I didn't think much of his portrayal, I thought it at least provided some light relief in a film that takes itself so seriously. With Batman being a tormented soul and Superman a figure of controversy, having a more zany character didn't do much harm for me.
As far as the action goes, Batman v Superman does what it says on the tin. However, the conclusion drags on into a showdown with a huge creature (one of the many sub-plots squeezed into the film), in which Batman and Superman team-up with Wonder Woman. I felt the film should have stuck with having more confrontations between Batman and Superman throughout the film, rather than one fight at the end that leads to them teaming up. The creature they fight, Doomsday, is very un-spectacular, as he is an exact copy of Abomination from 2008's The Incredible Hulk. Wonder Woman only seems to show up purely for fan satisfaction, and really should have had her own film before this one so that she doesn't feel so tacked on. While the fight between Batman and Superman may greatly satisfy some, the longevity of the climatic fight involving Doomsday makes for a draining conclusion.
Despite a talented cast and some good ideas for Batman, the positives are squashed by a confused plot that tries to establish too much. The idea of Batman and Superman in conflict is enough to hold a film together, so the addition of introducing Wonder Woman and focusing too much on setting up sequels makes the film a drag. This is a two and a half hour film that could easily have been condensed into and two hours at most. I should have left the cinema having been wowed by a film that includes Batman and Superman together, but instead I felt exhausted by the plot, long conclusion, and perhaps the most predictable ending shot ever. After enjoying Man of Steel for the most part, this is a clear step backwards for DC. Here's hoping Marvel can get the superhero vs. superhero concept right in Captain America: Civil War.
Story-wise, the film is a mess. For something which is selling itself on the grounds of two superheroes fighting, it tries to establish too much before hand. There are too many scenes that eat up screen time and don't really go anywhere, such as a dream-like sequence where Bruce imagines being in conflict with Superman's henchmen, only to be woken up by another vision warning him of future events. Whilst director Zack Snyder is obviously trying to set up future films with scenes like this, they hinder the film's pacing badly. In trying to set up so much, the film achieves very little and so the central conflict between Batman and Superman meanders through all the other sub-plots, diminishing the epic tone the film is trying to achieve.
In terms of the characters, the film gets things right on Batman's side of things. Much was made of the casting of Ben Affleck as the Dark Knight, especially after a less than well received portrayal of Marvel superhero Daredevil back in 2003. Affleck, like Michael Keaton before him, has proved doubters wrong with his portrayal. More aggressive than previous depictions of the character, this is a Batman consumed with rage, and his hatred for Superman is what drives the conflict. Superman, however, has little to no development from Man of Steel. In Man of Steel there was an obvious progression of his character, but any development in this film comes from the public's opinion of him. There isn't a personal connection established between him and Batman, and so he only fights him after Lex Luthor threatens to kill his foster mother, Martha (Diane Lane). Martha has less of a part to play here, only being used as a way for Lex to control Superman and to contribute to perhaps the dumbest reason Batman and Superman stop fighting. I won't spoil exactly what happens, but trust me, it's a cheap way to for Batman to forgive and team up with Superman. Jesse Eisenberg's performance as Lex Luthor has been branded irritating by some critics, with him being hard to take seriously and therefore not much of a threat. While I didn't think much of his portrayal, I thought it at least provided some light relief in a film that takes itself so seriously. With Batman being a tormented soul and Superman a figure of controversy, having a more zany character didn't do much harm for me.
As far as the action goes, Batman v Superman does what it says on the tin. However, the conclusion drags on into a showdown with a huge creature (one of the many sub-plots squeezed into the film), in which Batman and Superman team-up with Wonder Woman. I felt the film should have stuck with having more confrontations between Batman and Superman throughout the film, rather than one fight at the end that leads to them teaming up. The creature they fight, Doomsday, is very un-spectacular, as he is an exact copy of Abomination from 2008's The Incredible Hulk. Wonder Woman only seems to show up purely for fan satisfaction, and really should have had her own film before this one so that she doesn't feel so tacked on. While the fight between Batman and Superman may greatly satisfy some, the longevity of the climatic fight involving Doomsday makes for a draining conclusion.
Despite a talented cast and some good ideas for Batman, the positives are squashed by a confused plot that tries to establish too much. The idea of Batman and Superman in conflict is enough to hold a film together, so the addition of introducing Wonder Woman and focusing too much on setting up sequels makes the film a drag. This is a two and a half hour film that could easily have been condensed into and two hours at most. I should have left the cinema having been wowed by a film that includes Batman and Superman together, but instead I felt exhausted by the plot, long conclusion, and perhaps the most predictable ending shot ever. After enjoying Man of Steel for the most part, this is a clear step backwards for DC. Here's hoping Marvel can get the superhero vs. superhero concept right in Captain America: Civil War.
