There’s a lot to discuss with this movie and I suspect people will be talking about it for years to come. I’m sticking to a spoiler-free review so I’ll probably do separate posts with more details and spoilers. But for now, I’ll avoid spoilers.
This movie didn’t work for the critics and was divisive all around. It’s not a perfect movie. But despite its flaws, I loved this film having seen it three times.
This is not your ordinary comic book movie. For me, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” is an emotional sci-fi drama that dares to explore the psychology of two of the most iconic superheros as it answers two intriguing questions:
How would you feel knowing there’s a powerful alien with the ability to destroy the world living alongside you?
How would you feel if you’re a powerful alien who wants to feel like you belong in the only world you've ever known while using your powers for good, but you’re met with fear, skepticism and god-like adoration?
Batman/Bruce
In a beautiful visual display, the film reenacts the destruction from “Man Of Steel” but from the perspective of Bruce Wayne. This sets in motion his anxieties. Batman has always been a paranoid superhero, who’s always prepared for the worse. And as the film proceeds we can clearly see his emotional descent that pushes him to want to terminate Superman.
On a side note: Can we please have a “Justice League: Tower of Babel”.
Superman/Clark
The object of Batman’s hate, Superman tries to navigate through a world in which everyone has an opinion of him. Unlike previous movies, this Superman’s actions have consequences. There’s a political element inserted into this film where people question whether Superman should get involved in world affairs. His Clark persona is idealistic and has issues with Batman’s brutality. This incarnation of Superman/Clark is compelling and relateable as he is set in the real world where he is viewed by many as a God.
Lex
Pulling the strings is Superman’s arch nemesis, Lex Luthor. And this version of Lex isn’t looking for beach front property. His hate stems from philosophical and religious feelings that date back to his past experience. He has a high intelligence and a thirst for knowledge and power but ultimately Superman’s existence has exposed Lex’ own inadequacies which has him questioning just how much power he truly has.
The acting is top notch from every character. Ben Affleck has brought the dark knight to life—an older, more brutal Batman. Henry Cavill IS Superman. Jesse Eisenberg, the more controversial choice, really worked for me. You can see the crazed anger seething underneath the surface. There’s this scene on the helipad between Lex and Superman that is so brilliantly acted by both and the dialogue is fantastic.
As much as I enjoyed the film, there is room for improvement. The editing could have been better in some places. And as far as the structure, it would have benefited from a traditional stream lined method of story telling instead of the connect-the-dot method, particularly regarding Lex Luthor and the reveals surrounding his characters (as I tip toe around spoilers).
The film was aesthetically beautiful, like pages from a comic book brought to life before my eyes. Superman was a sympathetic figure, given a lot of depth. While, the internal struggle of Batman as he is brought up from the depths of mistrust to one of hope because of Superman is wonderful to watch unfold. Superman ultimately saves Batman’s soul and I’m interested in seeing their relationship deepen in future films.
And I look forward to the 3 hour version blu-ray.
Score: 9/10 stars
