BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE
**1/2 (out of four)
DIRECTED BY Zack Snyder
STARS Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill
Frenzied fanboys hopped up on hype and hysteria obviously disagreed, but 2013’s Man of Steel proved to be one of the worst superhero films to ever swoop onto thousands of screens — not awful in the incompetent way of a Catwoman or a Batman & Robin but rather in the manner of an ambitious movie that swings for the fences, misses by a mile, and ends up in the losing column. For just as there was no joy in Mudville after mighty Casey struck out, so too was there no joy in Metropolis after director Zack Snyder and scripter David S. Goyer got through turning the setting of one of comicdom’s most enduring and inspiring superhero sagas into a mausoleum of morbidity, miscues and crippling melancholia.
The good news is that the inevitable follow-up, saddled with the laborious moniker Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (the subhead not to be confused with Age of Ultron — or the Age of Aquarius, for that matter), is far better than its predecessor. I wouldn’t quite call it a “good” movie, nor would I be able to quite recommend it to anyone but the true believers. To be sure, it’s a mess, but it’s often a fascinating mess. It’s also the most nihilistic superhero picture I’ve ever seen, so dour and misanthropic that it makes Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy suddenly seem as chirpy as that animated Fantastic Four series from the ’70s, the one which had the bright idea of replacing The Human Torch with a squat robot named H.E.R.B.I.E.
Still, the nihilism fits this picture better than it did Man of Steel, and that’s largely due to the addition of Batman to the proceedings. The film begins by addressing the civilian deaths that racked up during the skirmish between Superman (Henry Cavill) and Zod (Michael Shannon) at the end of MoS, and many civilians and politicians are left wondering whether the son of Krypton is a hero or a villain. The debate is never an entirely convincing one, and it doesn’t help that Cavill’s granite-face acting makes his character seem less like someone grappling with guilt and more like someone debating whether his indigestion is acute enough to warrant taking an Alka-Seltzer. But Batman’s conflicts, on the other hand, feel painfully real. Well-played by Ben Affleck, this Caped Crusader is more sadistic than ever, branding his criminal captives like cattle and inspiring fear even in those he’s trying to rescue. He tells his trusted manservant Alfred (Jeremy Irons, predictably cynical) that Superman must be stopped before he morphs into a megalomaniac drunk on his own invincibility, but it’s clear that this Batman also wants to remain the only bully trolling the schoolyard.
As the title promises, the two heroes eventually mix it up, all part of a master plan perpetrated by Lex Luthor, a cracked millionaire who doesn’t care for either God or the godlike hero who crash-landed on our planet. So much of what is wrong with this picture can be traced directly to the Lex Luthor created by Goyer and co-scripter Chris Terrio (Argo‘s Oscar-winning scribe). His motivations are feeble, his endgame is murky, and his methods are often daft. Jesse Eisenberg is clearly having fun in the role, but just as it’s still difficult to accept that the character Amy Adams is playing is supposed to be Lois Lane (she would have made a better Lana Lang), it’s hard to see this twitchy goofball as Luthor — instead, it’s more like Richie Rich by way of Heath Ledger’s Joker, and about as menacing as a Pomeranian nipping at the heels.
Gal Gadot makes her debut as Wonder Woman, and the only thing certain is that she’s fine as WW’s alter ego, Diana Prince. As Diana, Gadot has some nice scenes opposite Affleck’s Bruce Wayne; as Wonder Woman, it’s impossible to say, since her screen time is minimal and she’s basically only employed to break ground in preparation for the upcoming Justice League movie.
The final stretch of the film is a chore to endure, as Snyder (as always) shucks aside anything of merit to bombard audiences with relentless and repetitive effects. It’s unseemly and unimaginative, right down to a CGI villain (Doomsday) that almost qualifies as a clumsy deus ex machine, a lumbering behemoth that seems to have wandered in from a Hobbit outtake. Not helping matters is the bombastic score by Hans Zimmer, an aural assault that often sounds like a bad tribute band’s rendition of Zimmer’s Inception theme.
Still, for everything that Batman v Superman flubs, there are those moments when everything clicks. It can be something as simple as Bruce Wayne’s greying temples (a nice touch) to something as significant as a sideways glance from Superman, feeling the weight of his failure as his world explodes around him. It can be respect for a person doing the right thing for the right reasons (Holly Hunter as a level-headed Senator) or pity for a person doing the wrong thing for the right reasons (Scoot McNairy as the survivor of this saga’s own version of 9/11). Mainly, though, it’s the appreciation that this franchise has finally detected a beat that most accommodates its burnished heart of darkness.
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This article appears in Mar 23-29, 2016.
Ohh shut up your the peace shit that never satisfied with a fucking movie there a dam reason why shit was left unanswered also of course shit will be dark after the man of steel asshole a fucking city started blowing up people died just watch marvel movies if you want happy good times there more I can say but I don’t wanna be here long you peace of shit read comics
everyone keeps wanting a marvel happy superhero with wise cracking morally superior heroes that never really deal with the consequences of their actions. This was meant to be dark and humorless. Doomsday is the monster that is unkillable, how do you make that light hearted. Was DC supposed to just make an avengers movie?
Reading your review gave me horrible flashbacks to my intro to film class in college. You sound like a pompous self-absorbed asshole who chose a shitty major and is now trying to justify it. Do you honestly take yourself seriously? It’s a fucking comic book movie for Christ’s sake. I don’t like comics at all, but the movie was entertaining nonetheless. You must also be real fun at parties. I can only hope that your life is as miserable as you make it out to be. My advice to you is to get over yourself, realize that movies are not as important as you seem to think they are, and enjoy life a little bit.
I am a DC fan, grew up with these superheros and it pains me to no end what they are doing with Batman and Sups in the second millenium.
Sups is still needing his daily dose of prozac. We had 150 min to see Batman And Sups make peace because of their mother’s name, but i still think that Sups problem is his father figure. Donner’s Superman and Smallville painted John Kent as a positive character that guided Clark to be the better man in both representations, MoS turned Mr. Kent exactly to the other side. So, Clark didn’t grow to be the better assured man, which would make him a better Superman too.The self assured Clark and latter Superman were the direct product of the way his parents dealt with their special son.
You do not tell you son to leave people to die to hide talents that could save them. Imagine fathers around the world saying this to their firefighters sons (9/11?)
Someone in DC/WB has to sit down ro think of what they are doing so that they won’t alienate people like me.
I am just sad that DC/WB left these superheroes in the hands of people that do not care for them. Could they remove Zack Snyder please?
Thanks for writing, everyone.
Ryan Kesterson: You obviously have some serious anger-management issues. You must be real terrifying to be around at parties (and probably Trump rallies). And if “movies are not as important as [I] seem to think they are,” then why is it so agonizing to you that someone disagrees with you about a film that you obviously think is the bestest ever made? Also, my life’s not at all miserable, but thanks for projecting!
Asm299216: Unlike Ryan’s right-wing-styled rant, your anger sounds more like that of a 16-year-old fanboy. Also, your illiterate comment is a cautionary tale for why it’s important for children to stay in school.
Tired of Marvel: Thanks for your take. However, contrary to you (and Asm299216) thinking I only gave the film a mixed review because it was dark, I actually state in my review (including the very last line) that I think the dark angle works for this film.
BuffyDawn Summers: Absolutely agree with your view regarding Pa Kent, who was borderline psychotic in Man of Steel.
Worst crittic frfr hate reading all this about a great movie. Get a real job dude
A 2.5/4 is very fair for this. It’s not as bad as a lot of critics are saying and their arms were folded against it from the beginning, but to see these butthurt fanboys getting out the pitchforks at the suggestion that there is ANYTHING wrong with it is hilarious. It’s an enjoyable, but VERY flawed movie. Relax, its an honest judgement not an attack on your favorite franchise or superhero movies in general.
Personally I hope we get a standalone Affleck Batman movie with someone other than Snyder directing.
Matt, you seem a little thin skinned and immature judging by your replies.
Thanks for writing, Jamal. I see; so it’s OK for anonymous trolls to attack people online with juvenile rants and heaps of profanity, but it’s wrong for those people to respond — better to just timidly wince and maybe even offer apologies for “offending” fanboy sensibilities. Got it.
Why is it everyone who disagrees with you or anyone for that matter have to be a “troll” or “fanboy” ? And so anyone who doesn’t reply is weak and timid? Gotcha! No, I’m just saying always attacking others who attack you with juvenile insults doesn’t make you come back on top looking like the better one. It just puts you in the same category.
You’re right, Jamal. Henceforth, I will strive to live my life according to your standards. (Also FYI: If someone uses terms like “you peace[sic] of shit” and “pompous self-absorbed asshole,” then most likely it’s a troll or fanboy and not someone looking for a genuine discussion on film.)
Well, as long as you strive to live by my standards. That’s all that matters. Peace!