Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice
Today I review one of the most anticipated movies of the year, Batman vs Superman. I know a lot of people had some concerns about Ben Affleck replacing Christian Bale, but I personally didn't share those concerns. Going in, I was confident that he would do a solid job and that if the movie failed, it wouldn't be because of him, but because of Zach Snyder. Unfortunately, my predictions were true. Ben Affleck did a solid job, but the messy screenplay and the mediocre directing is what failed us all. Following in the footsteps of Man of Steel, Zach Snyder opened his film with annoying shaky-cam, unnecessary close ups, and CGI galore.
The best and worst thing that ever happened to the DC universe was Christopher Nolan's Batman movies. They weren't just good superhero movies, they were good movies in general. The gritty, realism that Nolan used has gained popularity with all of the wrong heroes. The Amazing Spiderman first, and now Superman. While Batman lends itself to the sort of realism found in the Dark Knight trilogy, Superman is simply too campy of a character. From his glasses that disguise Clark Kent, to the endless powers he possesses, to the invincibility of his character with only the exception of kryptonite; Superman is a character better suited to kitsch, fun, summer action. Unfortunately, Zach Snyder doesn't go this route and isn't talented enough to give Superman even an ounce of the depth that The Dark Knight trilogy possessed. The script is filled with stupid comparisons to God and the devil, and biased, Athiest views on morality and goodness, all in the name of "profundity" and all delivered to us by Jessie Eisenberg, whom I've never wanted more to punch in the face. Generally I am a fan of Eisenberg's borderline annoying, fast talking, nerd characters, but casting him as Lex Luther was the biggest mistake the movie made. Luther's calculated, smarts are replaced by a skinny, psychotic, Heath Ledger-inspired punk.
Another flaw of the movie, is the lack of dimension any of the characters have. I don't care about Superman, I don't care about Batman, I don't care about Lois, or Superwoman, or anyone. Batman vs Superman is a narrative mess with only a little more entertainment value than it's predecessor. 4 out of 10 stars. (One Time See)
