Year: 2016
Director: Zack Snyder
Starring: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeremy Irons, Diane Lane, Holly Hunter, and Gal Gadot
Synopsis: Bruce Wayne distrusts Superman's unchecked power. Clark Kent disapproves of the Batman's vigilante ways. The two inevitably clash as the world at large discusses what sort of hero it really needs.
Synopsis: Bruce Wayne distrusts Superman's unchecked power. Clark Kent disapproves of the Batman's vigilante ways. The two inevitably clash as the world at large discusses what sort of hero it really needs.
Review
I've been leery of this film since the day the title was announced. I wanted it to be good. I wanted to like it. I grew up with Batman and Superman. They (and audiences) deserve better than the bloated mess that is Batman v. Superman.
Perhaps the worst part of the film is that there are nuggets of potential. I didn't completely hate the film. There are parts that work. There are things I liked. But they are strung together by a poor story, grim storytelling, and a muddy vision of what makes Batman and Superman such enduring characters.
With what he had to work with, I thought Ben Affleck did a good job as Batman/Bruce Wayne. He brings a tortured, jaded maturity to the role. The setup he is given for his beef with Superman is believable and even understandable. It's hinted that there have been dark goings on in Gotham that have left him even more emotionally scarred, beyond witnessing his parents' deaths (one scene that was actually handled well). What we didn't see was the Bruce Wayne persona. That would have been good.
What I dislike is that this Batman, by the end, is using guns and killing the bad guys "as necessary." I prefer the Batman from the comics, the animated series, and the Nolan trilogy, the Batman who refuses to kill. Batman is a dark, troubled character. But there is a line and he shouldn't cross it. Also, while Bruce's nightmares serve a purpose within the story -- and in establishing his inner demons -- the main one drags out far too long. We get it. He fears Superman becoming a dictator. Move on.
Jeremy Irons' Alfred suits this version of Batman. He is tired, worn out, and a bit snarky. He's also shown as a hands-on helper: fixing suits and flying the Batwing remotely. It's nice to have Alfred do more than serve as Bruce's moral compass.
I liked the conflicted Superman/Clark Kent from Man of Steel. That struggle carries over into Batman v. Superman as Clark tries to decide what Superman's place in the world is. Conceptually it works. In execution, it feels a bit muddled and like Clark is mostly reacting and being acted upon more than anything else. I was also frustrated at his very poor communications skills when it came to interacting with Batman. He had the high ground (literally ... but without the ground part). Arguing, threatening, punching, and tearing up the Batmobile are not a great way to win someone over to your "I'm a good guy and you don't need to fear me" cause.
Where Batman has Alfred, Superman has Lois Lane and his mother. In the limited scenes she has, Diane Lane does a good job as Martha Kent. I also like Amy Adams' Lois Lane. She has intelligence and gumption and is useful rather than helpless throughout the film.
Perhaps the best surprise of Batman v. Superman is actually Wonder Woman. Gal Gadot does an excellent job as the enigmatic Diana Prince. She's intriguing, clever, stunning, and fierce. Her interactions with Bruce Wayne are some of the best moments in the film. And when she enters the final fray, it is with more panache than her male allies. That she is left largely a mystery at this point was also a wise choice.
All of the above casting choices are spot on. And most of the rest of the cast is fine too. But Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luther? I cringed and groaned every moment he was on screen. He's whiney, annoying, and manic. I always expect Lex to be cunning and shrewd: a cool and collected man of business. This Lex is not even close. His Machiavellian plot is solely to kill Superman. He doesn't seem to be motivated by revenge. It's not implied that Superman is somehow in the way of Lex's "master" plan. His only plan is to kill Superman. And I really can't figure out why. Nor did his final "warning" make any sense. As villains go he was bland and boring.
The awesome musical theme from Man of Steel is back for Superman. Wonder Woman gets an equally awesome theme. Aside from those occasional snippets, the music in Batman v. Superman is terrible. Truly terrible. It is as overblown as the film itself. I actively disliked most of the soundtrack.
Overall, Batman v. Superman is a bloated mess riddled with plot holes. It's dark and grim with a few mentions of hope but very little to actually offer of it. There are a few flashes of (much-appreciated) humor (see the Quotes section below). But mostly it is grim and serious on top of more grim and serious. I get that they are trying to distance themselves from the Marvel universe. But lighten up a little. There's a lot of talk about power in Batman v. Superman. I wish it had instead shifted its focus to justice, mercy, redemption, and what it means to be a hero. There is some talk of those things. They are ripe themes for the picking. But it is only ever talk. What religious symbolism there is is devoid of understanding or heart.
If you are a fan of Batman and/or Superman, you'll likely see this film regardless of what I or the critics say. And I'm not sorry I saw it. There were a few good nuggets. I'm sorry those nuggets were squandered, along with any potential this movie possessed.
*** Spoiler Section ***
If you're going to include Doomsday, then yeah, it's not too unexpected that you're going to include what Doomsday is most famous for: killing Superman. Obviously they are going to bring Superman back to life. How can they do the Justice League without him? The much tougher thing is how are they going to bring back Clark Kent? That won't work so well. If Superman is no longer Clark Kent ... well, I'm done.
Here are a few more questions: Why don't Lex's goons in the desert just use normal weapons so there would be no trace of anything fishy? Why would people think Superman bothered to use guns to kill people? Why is Lex so intent on pitting Batman against Superman if he plans to have the kryptonite himself? Why did Lex allow his right hand girl to get blown up? If Diana Prince gave up being Wonder Woman years ago, is she just carrying around the outfit "just in case"? How did Lex get the kryptonite into the U.S. after Senator Finch said she'd block it? Did she not think he'd simply smuggle it in? Was that just an idle "please, don't" and was thrown in simply to justify Lex later killing her? Just how much of Batman's suit is bullet proof? Do people really not recognize Clark as Superman simply because of the glasses?
Perhaps the worst part of the film is that there are nuggets of potential. I didn't completely hate the film. There are parts that work. There are things I liked. But they are strung together by a poor story, grim storytelling, and a muddy vision of what makes Batman and Superman such enduring characters.
With what he had to work with, I thought Ben Affleck did a good job as Batman/Bruce Wayne. He brings a tortured, jaded maturity to the role. The setup he is given for his beef with Superman is believable and even understandable. It's hinted that there have been dark goings on in Gotham that have left him even more emotionally scarred, beyond witnessing his parents' deaths (one scene that was actually handled well). What we didn't see was the Bruce Wayne persona. That would have been good.
What I dislike is that this Batman, by the end, is using guns and killing the bad guys "as necessary." I prefer the Batman from the comics, the animated series, and the Nolan trilogy, the Batman who refuses to kill. Batman is a dark, troubled character. But there is a line and he shouldn't cross it. Also, while Bruce's nightmares serve a purpose within the story -- and in establishing his inner demons -- the main one drags out far too long. We get it. He fears Superman becoming a dictator. Move on.
Jeremy Irons' Alfred suits this version of Batman. He is tired, worn out, and a bit snarky. He's also shown as a hands-on helper: fixing suits and flying the Batwing remotely. It's nice to have Alfred do more than serve as Bruce's moral compass.
I liked the conflicted Superman/Clark Kent from Man of Steel. That struggle carries over into Batman v. Superman as Clark tries to decide what Superman's place in the world is. Conceptually it works. In execution, it feels a bit muddled and like Clark is mostly reacting and being acted upon more than anything else. I was also frustrated at his very poor communications skills when it came to interacting with Batman. He had the high ground (literally ... but without the ground part). Arguing, threatening, punching, and tearing up the Batmobile are not a great way to win someone over to your "I'm a good guy and you don't need to fear me" cause.
Where Batman has Alfred, Superman has Lois Lane and his mother. In the limited scenes she has, Diane Lane does a good job as Martha Kent. I also like Amy Adams' Lois Lane. She has intelligence and gumption and is useful rather than helpless throughout the film.
Perhaps the best surprise of Batman v. Superman is actually Wonder Woman. Gal Gadot does an excellent job as the enigmatic Diana Prince. She's intriguing, clever, stunning, and fierce. Her interactions with Bruce Wayne are some of the best moments in the film. And when she enters the final fray, it is with more panache than her male allies. That she is left largely a mystery at this point was also a wise choice.
All of the above casting choices are spot on. And most of the rest of the cast is fine too. But Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luther? I cringed and groaned every moment he was on screen. He's whiney, annoying, and manic. I always expect Lex to be cunning and shrewd: a cool and collected man of business. This Lex is not even close. His Machiavellian plot is solely to kill Superman. He doesn't seem to be motivated by revenge. It's not implied that Superman is somehow in the way of Lex's "master" plan. His only plan is to kill Superman. And I really can't figure out why. Nor did his final "warning" make any sense. As villains go he was bland and boring.
The awesome musical theme from Man of Steel is back for Superman. Wonder Woman gets an equally awesome theme. Aside from those occasional snippets, the music in Batman v. Superman is terrible. Truly terrible. It is as overblown as the film itself. I actively disliked most of the soundtrack.
Overall, Batman v. Superman is a bloated mess riddled with plot holes. It's dark and grim with a few mentions of hope but very little to actually offer of it. There are a few flashes of (much-appreciated) humor (see the Quotes section below). But mostly it is grim and serious on top of more grim and serious. I get that they are trying to distance themselves from the Marvel universe. But lighten up a little. There's a lot of talk about power in Batman v. Superman. I wish it had instead shifted its focus to justice, mercy, redemption, and what it means to be a hero. There is some talk of those things. They are ripe themes for the picking. But it is only ever talk. What religious symbolism there is is devoid of understanding or heart.
If you are a fan of Batman and/or Superman, you'll likely see this film regardless of what I or the critics say. And I'm not sorry I saw it. There were a few good nuggets. I'm sorry those nuggets were squandered, along with any potential this movie possessed.
*** Spoiler Section ***
If you're going to include Doomsday, then yeah, it's not too unexpected that you're going to include what Doomsday is most famous for: killing Superman. Obviously they are going to bring Superman back to life. How can they do the Justice League without him? The much tougher thing is how are they going to bring back Clark Kent? That won't work so well. If Superman is no longer Clark Kent ... well, I'm done.
Here are a few more questions: Why don't Lex's goons in the desert just use normal weapons so there would be no trace of anything fishy? Why would people think Superman bothered to use guns to kill people? Why is Lex so intent on pitting Batman against Superman if he plans to have the kryptonite himself? Why did Lex allow his right hand girl to get blown up? If Diana Prince gave up being Wonder Woman years ago, is she just carrying around the outfit "just in case"? How did Lex get the kryptonite into the U.S. after Senator Finch said she'd block it? Did she not think he'd simply smuggle it in? Was that just an idle "please, don't" and was thrown in simply to justify Lex later killing her? Just how much of Batman's suit is bullet proof? Do people really not recognize Clark as Superman simply because of the glasses?
Quotable Quotes
- "Clicks his heels three times and he's back in Kansas, I suppose." -- Perry White regarding Clark's disappearance
- "It's okay. I'm a friend of your son's." "I figured that. The cape." -- Batman and Martha Kent
- "Is she with you?" "I thought she was with you." -- Superman and Batman regarding Wonder Woman
- "Even you've gotten too old to die young ... not for lack of trying." -- Alfred to Bruce Wayne
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