Batman v Superman is probably one of the most highly anticipated movies of this year. Maybe one of the most anticipated movies of the last few years. Considering the movies that have come out or that are coming out, that’s saying something. After seeing the numerous previews and teasers for the film, everyone was left with the same question: Would the movie hold up to expectations? The people wondering this ranged from people who were hoping that it would finally be the movie we have been waiting for from DC to the people who were fully planning on seeing a train wreck in the theater, and couldn’t wait. So, who was right? The answer, in my opinion, is all the people who were in the middle of the two extremes. It wasn’t earth shattering, game changing good like, say Marvel’s The Avengers, but it wasn’t the steaming pile of brown stuff that was 2010’s Green Lantern. Simply put, it was mediocre at best.
The biggest fear I had going in to see this film was that there would just be too much going on. I was nervous about that when they added Batman to the title, instead of this being Man of Steel 2. I grew more nervous about it when they announced that Wonder Woman would be in the movie, along with Aquaman and the Flash and possibly Cyborg. It got worse when they announced that Lex Luthor and Doomsday would both be featured villains. It just seemed to be too much story to fit into a feature-length film, even if that length was 2 1/2 plus hours. I had a little particle of hope, though, that somehow they would pull it off. They didn’t. My biggest fear is Batman v Superman’s biggest issue. Because of how much they wanted in the film, they had to give up a few things, like a good, cohesive story. A minor detail, really.
One of the things they could have accomplished in this film is establishing the tone. Showing that in this DC universe, a dark, brooding Batman can exist alongside a bright, shining Superman. They had the opportunity to set the foundation for each hero’s mood and tone. Something, by the way, that the comics have been getting right for years. I mean, until recently, but that’s a post for another time. They could have shown that this world had happy people who did stuff in the day time, and dark, scary people who spent all their waking hours in the black of night. Instead, they decided to make everyone dark and brooding and scary. In fact, Batman, sad Batman, is almost the happiest character in the film. That was a major miss, and evidence that they will continue to go down this dark, moody road. Although, the director for Aquaman has assured us that his film will be lighter and more fun. I wouldn’t hold my breath, though.
For me, those were the two biggest negatives for the film, and really brought it down for me. The biggest positive for me, hands down, was Wonder Woman. Gal Gadot was amazing as the Amazonian Princess. Just amazing. After her performance, I cannot wait to see Wonder Woman’s stand alone movie. It should be pretty good. They set it up a little bit in this film, and it seems like it could be pretty good.
The other big positive for this film were the action sequences, although it could have used more. The battle between the World’s Finest, Batman and Superman, was everything this little comic book geek could hope for. During that scene, I was glued to the screen and I wanted it to just keep going. I wish there had been more of it earlier in the film, instead of cramming all the great action in toward the end. They could have easily excluded about an hour of story leading up to the battle, and the movie probably would have been better for it. The battle between the Trinity and Doomsday was also pretty great. Seeing Batman and Superman and Wonder Woman team up against a big bad like Doomsday was a lot of fun, and gave me hope that a Justice League movie won’t suck. At that point, there was little hope left.
Then the movie ended, in a way that was shocking to some people. Ok, most people. Personally, I felt totally hopeless about future DC films, including Justice League. I feel like the movie was entertaining at parts, and wasn’t a total failure. The story wasn’t strong, but I think more than that, I am just not a fan of the story they are trying to tell. I am not overly excited to see how the Justice League and the heroes of this DC Universe will continue to grow and develop in what is obviously a very dark and hopeless world. I felt exhausted as I left the movie, carrying the weight of what was a very heavy film. It had its moments, and overall it entertained, but the story and the end were too much for me to overcome. I originally said three stars, but I think I am amending that to 2.5 stars out of five. Right in the middle. It’s the best I could give it after a lot of thought on the film.
All of that being said (and not just by me, but by most real critics), the movie seems to be bullet proof. It has already set a few records for an opening weekend, so unfortunately, DC and WB will take that to mean that they are on the right track. Which means we can expect more of the same in future DC films.
What did you think of Batman v Superman? Did you like, and you think that I am crazy, or am I right on target? Let me know in the comments or you can send feedback to me directly at [email protected]. If you like this post, please share it, or any of the posts from our site. You can also subscribe to our site, so you never miss a future post from myself or Liz.
