Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (C-) Movie Review
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice stars Ben Affleck as Batman, Gotham's caped crusader who wonders if Superman, played by Henry Cavill, is too loosely supervised in his "heroic" actions. As tensions between the two rise, Lex Luthor, played by Jesse Eisenberg, an eccentric billionaire, pits the two against each other in calculating and villainous ways.
A week later, I'm still trying to decipher the plot of this film. Batman v Superman is quite a messy film where narrative is concerned: character motivations are often unclear or lacking, the editing is choppy and disorienting, and there's a general laxness towards plot. Who needs it? Snyder, the film's director, is strong where character is concerned; we're given extensive backstory on both superheroes and understand their moral complexity and anguish. But Snyder is so light on plot and sense that the film's story remains largely unmemorable. In fact, there's not a whole lot of effort put in to create any coherent narrative.
Perhaps Snyder and his crew are riding the wave of hype. People will see this movie, they'll get their paycheck, and they'll go onto more opportunities. But where Snyder is concerned, there is a noticeable amount of effort. He sets up admirably ambitious stakes rather successfully, despite a lack of concrete plot. The destruction of Gotham and Metropolis looms in the distance. Superman is in danger of being cast out by humanity. Lex Luthor is undoubtedly up to no good! It's a shame that he has no idea how to resolve any of this. Snyder takes some interesting ideas, most specifically Superman's acceptance among the world, and ends the film with an overlong, bloated, ugly, loud action sequence that goes on for a good forty-five minutes that resolves almost none of these conflicts. Not to mention the whole "Martha" debacle, which I won't spoil for those who haven't seen it but for those who have, you know why I'm complaining.
But along with setting up stakes, there's some really cool art direction here. A moody, broody atmosphere pervades the film: the days are overcast, the colors are faded, and everything has a sleek look to it. The art direction is beautiful and engrossing.
Speaking of moodiness and broodiness, Batman v Superman takes itself very seriously. There are brief and occasional flashes of humor but in the span of the film's two-and-a-half hour run time, they are few and far between. This is undeniably a genre film that feels similar to what we saw in the beginning of this wave of superhero movies than we're seeing now. Absent is the quick wit and quirky charm of Deadpool or Guardians of the Galaxy. This is not a complaint, merely an observation. In fact, I think the film's seriousness is both a strength, perhaps its greatest strength, and a weakness. The film's refusal to joke around makes it easier to invest in the stakes established by Snyder. Consequently, when Snyder has no idea what to do with these stakes, the film crumbles under the weight of its self-importance and ambition.
Now enough about stakes and narrative craft. You're probably wondering if Ben Affleck is a good Batman or not? He's pretty good. He brings the necessary darkness to the character. He's believable. He doesn't really compare to Christian Bale's Batman; Affleck doesn't really exude a natural "Batman" air but he's quiet and sullen here. Henry Cavill brings an unexpected emotional complexity to the character of Superman. There's an internal struggle in his character, as he asks himself where his "home" lies, if he's wanted, and where he belongs. It's surprisingly deep stuff for a film called Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
For those already wanting to go see it, I'm sure my humble opinion isn't stopping you. The film is almost too big to fail. But it's a disappointingly crafted film, surprisingly messy. For a while there, though, in the middle third, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice gets a hearty amount of momentum building. There are flashes of genuine intelligence here. If Zack Snyder was as good at resolving conflicts as he is at setting them up, the film would likely not disappoint.
FINAL GRADE: C-
MPAA RATING: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action throughout, and some sensuality
A week later, I'm still trying to decipher the plot of this film. Batman v Superman is quite a messy film where narrative is concerned: character motivations are often unclear or lacking, the editing is choppy and disorienting, and there's a general laxness towards plot. Who needs it? Snyder, the film's director, is strong where character is concerned; we're given extensive backstory on both superheroes and understand their moral complexity and anguish. But Snyder is so light on plot and sense that the film's story remains largely unmemorable. In fact, there's not a whole lot of effort put in to create any coherent narrative.
Perhaps Snyder and his crew are riding the wave of hype. People will see this movie, they'll get their paycheck, and they'll go onto more opportunities. But where Snyder is concerned, there is a noticeable amount of effort. He sets up admirably ambitious stakes rather successfully, despite a lack of concrete plot. The destruction of Gotham and Metropolis looms in the distance. Superman is in danger of being cast out by humanity. Lex Luthor is undoubtedly up to no good! It's a shame that he has no idea how to resolve any of this. Snyder takes some interesting ideas, most specifically Superman's acceptance among the world, and ends the film with an overlong, bloated, ugly, loud action sequence that goes on for a good forty-five minutes that resolves almost none of these conflicts. Not to mention the whole "Martha" debacle, which I won't spoil for those who haven't seen it but for those who have, you know why I'm complaining.
But along with setting up stakes, there's some really cool art direction here. A moody, broody atmosphere pervades the film: the days are overcast, the colors are faded, and everything has a sleek look to it. The art direction is beautiful and engrossing.
Speaking of moodiness and broodiness, Batman v Superman takes itself very seriously. There are brief and occasional flashes of humor but in the span of the film's two-and-a-half hour run time, they are few and far between. This is undeniably a genre film that feels similar to what we saw in the beginning of this wave of superhero movies than we're seeing now. Absent is the quick wit and quirky charm of Deadpool or Guardians of the Galaxy. This is not a complaint, merely an observation. In fact, I think the film's seriousness is both a strength, perhaps its greatest strength, and a weakness. The film's refusal to joke around makes it easier to invest in the stakes established by Snyder. Consequently, when Snyder has no idea what to do with these stakes, the film crumbles under the weight of its self-importance and ambition.
Now enough about stakes and narrative craft. You're probably wondering if Ben Affleck is a good Batman or not? He's pretty good. He brings the necessary darkness to the character. He's believable. He doesn't really compare to Christian Bale's Batman; Affleck doesn't really exude a natural "Batman" air but he's quiet and sullen here. Henry Cavill brings an unexpected emotional complexity to the character of Superman. There's an internal struggle in his character, as he asks himself where his "home" lies, if he's wanted, and where he belongs. It's surprisingly deep stuff for a film called Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
For those already wanting to go see it, I'm sure my humble opinion isn't stopping you. The film is almost too big to fail. But it's a disappointingly crafted film, surprisingly messy. For a while there, though, in the middle third, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice gets a hearty amount of momentum building. There are flashes of genuine intelligence here. If Zack Snyder was as good at resolving conflicts as he is at setting them up, the film would likely not disappoint.
FINAL GRADE: C-
MPAA RATING: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action throughout, and some sensuality