The greatest gladiator match in the history of the world. God vs. man. Day vs. night. We will always remember 2016 as the year Batman and Superman came face-to-face and fought each other over their differing ideologies. This is a showdown that fans have been asking for for years. Ever since Frank Miller's 1986 graphic novel, "The Dark Knight Returns", comic book nerds have been wanting to see the dark knight and the man of steel go head-to-head in an all-out brawl in the streets of Gotham or Metropolis. And now, 30 years later, the people at Warner Bros. and director Zack Snyder have brought to us what we've always wanted. However, this film wasn't without its setbacks. Many fans have questioned some of the casting choices when the film first went into production, particularly Ben Affleck as Batman, and many were still unsure about the quality of the film judging by the trailers and marketing campaign. After all the ups and downs this film had until its release today, including a wave of negative reviews from professional critics, is the clashing of these two iconic titans any good?
"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" stars an incredible ensemble cast, including Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, Jeremy Irons, Holly Hunter, and Gal Gadot, and is directed by Zack Snyder. The film takes place 18 months after the events of "Man of Steel" as Superman gradually becomes a controversial figure in the eyes of the public with some saying he is humanity's savior while others think he is a false god. Among those that believe Superman is a threat is Gotham City's very own Batman, who will stop at nothing to bring the Kryptonian to answer for his actions. As the film came to a close and the end credits started to roll, I felt my entire body shaking under the weight of what I just witnessed. What a remarkable and risk-taking film. "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" is a heart pounding, relentless, dramatic and exhilarating film. It is also, in my opinion, the most beautiful comic book film ever made since "Watchmen". Zack Snyder pulled no punches when making this film and the immense amount of effort the cast and crew put into this film is actually astounding.
When the casting of Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman was officially announced 3 years ago, many were quickly taken aback by this creative decision and immediately petitioned to recast the role with a different actor. Sadly, I was one of those people who initially disagreed with this casting choice. However, after seeing Affleck in the film's trailers and promotional images, those negative feelings quickly vanished into thin air. And now that I have seen the film, any lingering doubt I had about Ben Affleck's casting were murdered and buried. Ben Affleck's portrayal of the dark knight might possibly be the greatest live-action incarnation of the character to date and is, hands down, one of the best aspects of "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" This is a cruel, unforgiving and brutal Batman. One that is not afraid to cause some major casualties, which may turn off some comic book fans, but it is clear that Zack Snyder is pulling influences from Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns", which featured a Batman who has, at times, went beyond his own moral code. Although many may disagree with my opinions on the film overall, they will all agree that Ben Affleck nailed the part of Bruce Wayne/Batman and we cannot wait to see him in a future solo outing.
3 years ago, we were introduced to Henry Cavill as Superman in "Man of Steel", who has proven himself to be a great Superman and gave the character a presence we have never seen before. In the film, we saw a more realistic and grey version of the character, which was a different change of pace for DC's super boy scout. With "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice", we are introduced to a Superman who has become a threat in the eyes of some people. His immense power and lack of authority has made him a dangerous figure, which inevitably causes him to reflect upon his own purpose on planet Earth. This is a Superman who questions his morals and questions his own existence, which makes him a much more compelling character, more than he ever was in any live-action film. Henry Cavill graces every scene he is in with strength and integrity, as he continues to be the best live-action Superman since Christopher Reeves.
A recent poll has shown that audiences who have seen the film were most drawn to the scenes involving Wonder Woman and I can definitely see why. Many comic book fans have shouted over roof tops when the news of Gal Gadot's casting was first made official. With not much experience in the field of acting outside the "Fast and Furious" films, fans were not sure what to think of this new take on the iconic character. Thankfully, the creators did the character justice and brought this feminist icon out of the comic books and onto the cinema screen. Gal Gadot commanded presence in the minimal scenes she had in the film and presented a different aura, which helped reinforce a larger universe in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice". One of the stand out action scenes in the film solely centered around her and it was phenomenal. You will applaud and cheer for Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman as you anxiously anticipate her first solo film coming out next year.
Jesse Eisenberg, like Ben Affleck and Gal Gadot, was met with very lukewarm and negative fan reactions when he was officially cast as iconic super villain Lex Luthor. When seeing the film, you will need to be reminded that this is a contemporary version of the character that has been adjusted to the times we live in today. LexCorp in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" is a Google-like corporation with Eisenberg's Lex being an eccentric billionaire who has inherited the company from his father. If you can look past the fact that he is not the Lex Luthor we know and love from the comics, you will appreciate Jesse Eisenberg's performance. Delving into the character's motivations could reveal some of the film's key plot elements so without going into spoiler territory, I will say that Eisenberg, at least in my opinion, posed an interesting threat to Batman and Superman, which made him a very memorable villain.
Outside of the main leads in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice", the film also presents us with an amazing supporting cast filled with Oscar winners and nominees. One of the newcomers to the DC Cinematic Universe is Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth, who is one of the stand characters in the film. While different from Michael Caine's portrayal in Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight Trilogy", Irons was able to bring strength, sophistication, intelligence and genuine care to the role that made his version of the character unique. As a much more hands on Alfred, Irons was given a lot to play with in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" and it pleases me to know that we will be seeing him in future DC films, most likely in a solo Batman film.
Zack Snyder has always been a visual director and his work in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" continues to prove his expertise behind the camera. Every single frame he crafts in this film resembles a painting in motion. The balance, style and execution of each individual shot in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" is honestly astounding. The film is worth the price of admission for the cinematography alone. However, the criticism against most of Zack Snyder's films is that he is unable to craft a concise story within the beautiful visuals he creates. While there are some scenes that fly by very quickly in the first act of the film, the pacing of the story moved at a brisk pacing that never left you bored or unentertained. The story, while having many different elements and plot points, managed to hold the audiences' attention for the entire 153-minute runtime, which is no small feat.
In the past 10 months, it has been difficult to be impressed by action sequences because of the more than spectacular work George Miller has done with "Mad Max: Fury Road". The film has made action scenes in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens", "Jurassic World" and "Spectre" look almost obsolete. However, in 2016, two comic book films have successfully provided us with visually breathtaking, exhilarating, creative and memorable action set pieces. Those two films are "Deadpool" and "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice". Zack Snyder has never conceived a bad action scene in any of his films. Even in a film like "Sucker Punch", which is not a good film, Snyder managed to create fun, exciting, flashy and intense scenes of action. And "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice", again, is no different. With a title that pits two of that most iconic superheroes of all-time together, you can expect the epic showdown between the two titans to be visceral, harsh and powerful. Explaining these action set pieces in more depth would be ruin it for you, so without giving anything away, I will say that Snyder does not fail at bringing us engaging, energetic, fierce yet beautiful action scenes with "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice".
Larry Fong, who worked with Zack Snyder on "300", "Watchmen" and "Sucker Punch", returns behind the camera for "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" and brings something extraordinarily special to the film. Many of the heart-pounding action scenes in the film were shot with precision and grace. While Amir Mokri did an excellent job with the cinematography of "Man of Steel", Larry Fong's approach to shooting "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" was more stylized, elegant and grandiose. Regardless of whether you think this is a good or bad film, many will admit that this probably is one of the most beautifully shot films of the year [maybe even in recent memory]. With "Watchmen", Fong was able to take many of the comic panels from the famed graphic novel and faithfully translate them onto the silver screen. And now with "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice", there are a few moments in the film that come right out of the pages of Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns". It is very clear from the film's opening that both Snyder and Fong have a clear love for comic books and their aesthetics, and the two of them were able to create a living, breathing comic book for the cinemas.
As many of us comic book fans know, Warner Bros. Pictures has already moved forward with an entire slate of DC Comics films including "Suicide Squad" [coming later this year], "Wonder Woman", "Justice League" and more. And with "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice", it is clear that they have already begun spring boarding this new franchise with full force. Without giving anything away, there are clear connections in the film to the wider DC universe, which will please the die hard comic book fans who have been waiting for so long to see these characters on screen for the first time.
Although I have praised the film overall, it isn't without it's shortcomings. As mentioned before, some of the scenes in the first act of the film fly by very quickly and are, at times, unresolved in the end. There is also a scene in particular that seemed out of place, which I felt would have worked better as a mid-credit or after-credit scene instead. The issues I have with the pacing of the film may be fixed with the 3-hour extended cut of the film that is to be released later this year on Blu-Ray and DVD. "Watchmen" also had a similar problem with its pacing, which was mostly resolved with the film's director's cut. However, in my opinion, these were the only glaring issues I faced when experiencing "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" in theaters.
Before the film opened to audiences worldwide, critics across the nation have slammed the film for being overly serious, humorless and "not fun". Many of these criticisms were also cited in the reviews for "Man of Steel". To the critics who claimed that "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" was boring, dull, uninteresting and overly serious, I would respectfully disagree. While not a perfect, I believe the film's dark tone gives it more of a mature edge, which separates this comic book film from the rest. While I do not want to compare this film to those made by Marvel Studios, many critics have made such comparisons regardless. "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" is its own entity and the films produced by Marvel Studios are also their own. They are completely separate in tone, delivery and execution. Because "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" is darker, mature, more toned down and less humorous than the films from Marvel Studios, it does not mean it is any less engaging. I would like critics to stop comparing the films from DC and Warner Bros. to the ones from Marvel Studios. As a comic book fan, I love both Marvel and DC. To me, it is not a competition. A good film is a good film, no matter what studio. When "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" gets things right, it's beyond spectacular, but I will not ignore the film's mistakes either.
Whether or not you enjoyed "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice", we should all take this time to appreciate the fact that somebody out there actually tried to bring these two pop culture titans together in the same film. It is clear that a huge amount of effort was placed into the hands of the cast and crew of this film and they all delivered their A-game. Whether or not you agree with their creative decisions is entirely up to you, however "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" is not a lazily put together film, by any means. Zack Snyder and company brought their creative visions to life and we all experienced one uniquely distinctive film. Are there some flaws in the film? Yes. But they don't detract from the other amazing aspects of "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice". I can't express enough how much I enjoyed watching this film. Is it an Oscar contender? No. Is it one of the best comic book films out there? I would say yes. I give "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" a 9 out of 10.
Go see it in Real-D 3D, IMAX 3D and Dolby Cinemas today!
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