Before I even saw the film I can’t help but find that DC is just going up against Marvel. Marvel has gradually introduced their characters during phase 1 and 2 and now phase 3 we see the Civil War breakout between Captain America and Iron Man. DC Have passed this and gone straight in which I feel is a mistake, especially for people who do not follow the comics.
From the first scene you can tell it is a Zack Snyder film from the stylisation, the slow motion walks with things gently falling from the sky. Very 300esq ……in parts. The film is very bitty. The main problem I have with this film is that it’s not one film. It seems like two different films which are just edited into a “story”. Considering I know the characters and story arcs and I am confused! My poor mum had no clue what was going on.
I can see what DC were going for obviously trying to set up the Justice League but I think they have gone about it the wrong way. With Marvel they started with phase one – the independent character films where you see the start of the story arc and get the character’s backstories. This then developed into phase two where more characters are brought in, like Black Widow into Iron Man 2, and then you hit phase three, Civil War (literally in Captain America). Where the sides are chosen. By this part in the franchise we know the characters and you have already chosen sides. I already know I am Team Cap but in all honesty I didn’t care about who “won” in Batman v Superman, as it wasn’t set up in same way as I hadn’t made the connection with the characters.
Speaking of characters Wonder Woman had no real purpose for 95% of this film and at the end even Batman and Superman don’t know who she is, she just shows up unannounced.
“Superman: Is she with you?
Batman: I thought she was with you.” (Snyder, 2016)
If you don’t know anything about the character, for instance that her alias is Diana Prince, this is another confusing aspect for people that don’t follow the comics. Ben Affleck was ok but nothing special as Batman. I found that he was trying too hard instead of letting the character flow through him naturally. Henry Cavill was just flat as a pancake and brought no character to Superman. Considering they are meant to be the main cast I really don’t have much to say about their performance.
The saving grace of the film who gets a star all of his own is Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor. I admit I was a bit sceptical when I first heard of the casting choice thinking Eisenberg may not have the depth the character required. Boy did I eat my words. Eisenberg brings the real psychopathic tendencies of Luthor which I don’t believe we have seen to this extent on screen.
Eisenberg has said “My goal was to play a character who had recognizable pathologies, I wanted people to look at Luthor as a modern person in need of help, not a stock movie villain. I know people like this. I’ve been harassed by people like this. I’ve been accidentally charmed by people like this.” (Schleier, 2016) “You know he’s charming, and also terrifying, eccentric and very smart. He is almost all these very interesting, and almost in conflict, characteristics that I [had] to bring together,” (Unger, 2016).
All well as the story being very bitty and not put together well, I also don’t think it should have been in 3D. To be honest with a lot of 3D films I can see no reason to pay more to see it in 3D as it makes no difference. This film is no exception. The thing that made it worse was the shaky camera work in the films. In a 2D film this can work to build tension and pull the audience into the film more but in 3D it just gives you a headache. At some points I had to take my glasses off and rub my eyes. This film does have some good ingenuity as Batman turns the kryptonite into many different weapons, kudos to the writers for that, but the actually fighting just seems like two egotistical boys having mummy issues. The fact that this huge battle is stopped because their mothers have the same name is a very easy way to close the book on the story, just not very good story telling.
I know that everyone is saying that you can’t compare DC and Marvel in other reviews I have read but come on in reality you know this is going to happen. I mean I love both the franchises I just wish that DC has thought about it a bit more. Maybe when we see the Justice League form it will make more sense. Until then 2 stars.
Works Cited
Schleier, C. (2016, March 22). ‘Batman v. Superman’: Jesse Eisenberg on Lex Luthor’s Jewish qualities. Retrieved from Jewish Telegraphic Agency: http://www.jta.org/2016/03/22/arts-entertainment/batman-v-superman-jesse-eisenberg-on-lex-luthors-embrace-of-jewish-culture
Snyder, Z. (Director). (2016). Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice [Motion Picture].
Unger, M. (2016, March 24). Jesse Eisenberg Talks About His Unconventional Lex Luthor. Retrieved from Screen Rant: http://screenrant.com/batman-v-superman-interview-jesse-eisenberg/
Director: Zack Snyder
Cast: Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Ben Affleck, Jesse Eisenberg
Crew: Christopher Nolan (Executive Producer)
Genre: Superhero Film
Rating: 2 stars
Claire's Cinematic Corner 
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