Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (Part 1 of 3)

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.