Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (Part 1 of 3)
Despite some good aspects, this movie is truly a mess. This is
clearly DC playing catch-up to Marvel's movie universe and it shows
how desperate DC is to make a combined universe. It reveals that DC
hasn't learned a damn thing about universe building with this movie.
Even with some stuff edited out, Snyder's second DC movie is
overstuffed with confusing and goofy nonsense. With all that's going
on, nothing feels fully realized. The movie is somewhat saved in the
third act with an impressive final battle with Superman/Batman/Wonder
Woman vs Doomsday. However, you have to sit through two dreary
earlier acts. For everything the movie gets right, it takes three
steps back.
Where is the heart from the Man of Steel movie?
Due
to the battle in Metropolis,
from the last movie, Bruce Wayne witnesses some of his friends lose
their lives. He sees Superman as an uncaring God that doesn't look
out for the normal people. Batman decides he must take out Superman
at all cost. Confounding this conflict, Lex
Luthor is playing a major role in this battle of the heroes.
Trust me, I really simplified the plot in the paragraph above. You
have Congress meeting and trade deals and shipping rights to sit
through and even a piss joke that doesn't work.
I will say that the openning battle from Man of Steel from the ground
level is impressive. And, they
Unlike
Man of Steel, WB let the reigns off of Zack
Snyder,
and we get to see what a pure Snyder-DC movie would look like. While
there isn't as much slow-motion-porn, the other weaker and annoying
staples of Snyder's other works are present. Like Burton, Snyder is
far more interested in style than proper character development and
organic plot progression. The main story theme that played a central
role in the first movie and grounded it is nowhere to be found in
this movie. I am not even sure there is a central theme buried in
all this conflicting and confusing story..
For
every cool shot faithfully brought out from the various DC comics,you
will have two or three questions about characters' motivations. That
is a major issue. Snyder needs another director that is suited with
telling stories to help with his visual style. This Micheal Bay
trend of cool cuts and slow-motion over a good plot really needs to
stop.
Yes,
we get to see Superman and Batman duke it out, but the movie doesn't
really deserve it. The script is so weak that it doesn't give us a
proper reason for having Batman want to kill Superman. Batman, if he
had problems with Superman, would probably discuss it with Superman
first. It is like DC and Snyder wanted to force feed us the conflict
from the The Dark Knight Returns without even bothering to convey a
proper reason for these two to fight each other.
Captain
America Civil War earned it because it built it up over time. We saw
the differences the way Cap and Iron-Man viewed the world, so it
worked. Here, the conflict happens over a span of ONE movie.
Instead of having them fight, why not have to work together in an
uneasy alliance? DC Comics was always the publisher that put writers
first and the artwork second. Marvel Comics was more of an artist
publisher first with style and look being important. It seems Marvel
and DC have reversed that with their movie franchises.
There
is clearly a bit of tug of war with WB shoehorning into their larger
DC movie universe and Zack wanting to show Batman and Superman hating
each other. Unlike Marvel, DC wants to force these iconic characters
together in the form of ONE movie. So, we get these weak
introductions to other DC characters that really don't make a
difference to the already super-crammed story.
There
is a shinning light in this movie. It is in the form of the lovely
Gal Gadot as
Wonder Woman.