“Batman v Superman” Proves That DC Is Taking No Prisoners!
The much-hyped arrival of the latest DC film will no doubt be very polarizing. Some fans will say that “Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice” didn’t stick to the source material enough, some will say that the film took its self too serious but all I was left with an overwhelming feeling of joy.
Director Zack Snyder crafted a wonderful introduction into the complicated world of DC, accessible to comic and casual fans alike. Skipping the origins for our superheroes, we are thrust right into the middle of a world dealing with powerful beings. Superman’s fight with Zod at the end of “Man Of Steel” is a major factor in the film; their fight led to the deaths of thousands, forcing the American people to pick a side of ‘pro’ or ‘anti’ Superman. Someone on the side against Superman is Bruce Wayne, A.K.A Batman. This is a man who has faced the worst of the worst and can only see the bad in people; he views Superman as a major threat who he must stop. In the middle of their feud is Lex Luthor, the mad genius who is pulling the strings. His manipulation of both superheroes causes them to face off while he plans something much worse.
One of my only complaints is how wonky the plot gets at times. We know Lex is pulling the string, but exactly how much work has he put into all of this? Why can’t Lex Luthor in any Superman film just create an easy world domination plan instead of these convoluted shenanigans he finds himself in? Unless, this was all just part of a much bigger plan. Which leads me to a complaint, not with the film but with the viewers. I heard a lot of chatter after the movie about unanswered questions and heavy building towards the future. What is wrong with that? Is it because Warner Bros. isn’t following the same path Marvel took to Avengers? I thought “Dawn Of Justice” handled the story well while letting us know there is some insanity coming our way.
A major hint at the future and past of this universe is the inclusion of Wonder Woman. From the moment Diana Prince steps onto the screen, we know she is unlike any woman we have seen before. She commands the screens while commanding the men around her. Diana subtly hints at a tragic backstory that we will see in her solo film as well as researching others like her. While not spoiling too much, the things she finds in Luthor’s files lets us know what we will be dealing with in future films.
Major compliments have to go to the cinematography. Take away all the nerdy fanfare surrounding the film; it’s a solid piece of cinema. I can recall many individual frames or entire sequences that felt so wonderfully mapped out. The scene at the party thrown by Lex was beautifully choreographed; I was amazed at how masterful it felt. As Lex is delivering a bumbling speech, Bruce & Diana sneak around the party while Clark Kent listens in. The Comic ‘Holy Trinity‘ never appears all together in the scene but the way one leaves while another enters is a stroke of genius. There was another scene where we see Martha Wayne’s pearls fly off her; that one shot is so iconic to the Batman franchise that I was happy to see it find a place here. We all know Snyder is a visual director; his beautiful films like “Watchman” & “300” proved that but the amount of visual storytelling he used in “Batman v Superman” is unlike anything he’s done before.
There was a lot of talk about the casting of the film. From Ben Affleck as Batman, to Jesse Eisenberg’s Luthor, and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, everyone seemed to be very opinionated towards their casting. When the credits rolled, I had no complaints about anyone’s performance. Affleck completely owns the role. Batman is a character he was born to play. He balances the gritty pain of Batman with the sass of Bruce Wayne easily & he shined when he got to show off Batman’s detective skills. I can’t talk about Gadot’s performance as Wonder Woman enough. There was a moment when Doomsday hits the warrior with all his might, and she gets up with a smile. She loves the fight, and it shows in her eyes. Without a doubt, hype for their solo movies just rose.
My praises for “Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice” are endless. There’s too much to digest with just one viewing of the movie; this is something I personally can’t wait to see again.
What Zack Snyder did with this film was create a healthy alternative to the monotony that is Marvel films; if you are tired of those movies, join us on the DC dark side!
