Critics have been very, very… very harsh about Batman v Superman and to be honest I’m not quite sure why?

Don’t get me wrong I do think there are a lot of problems with the film, but there is no way it’s as bad as a lot of critics have made it out to be.

 

 

THE BAD

There are lots of questions surrounding the film.

Why is Gotham across the bay from Metropolis? No idea.

Why is Lois Lane in the film so much? She’s kind of annoying throughout.

Why was Jessie Eisenberg cast as Lex Luthor? It was a gamble that didn’t pay off.

 

 

The story jumps around so much that it’s hard to attach yourself to a character for too long before they’re missing from the screen for 10 minutes.

I was also puzzled about why so many characters were introduced into one film? It stretched the storyline to the point where people got sick of trying to understand who’s who and why they’re involved. Who really needed to see The Flash stopping a supermarket robbery, or Aquaman attacking a camera?

I mean when Marvel began to build its on screen universe, all of their big characters starred in their own separate films before coming together in The Avengers, which seems pretty logical. It allows an audience, especially one that doesn’t read comic books, to understand the characters’ background story, and it also allows them to get a feel for the actors playing the characters.

 

 

This film has much more of a comic book feel about it compared to some of the most recent Warner Brothers/DC superhero films. So why didn’t the powers that be schedule a standalone Wonder Woman, The Flash, Cyborg and Aquaman feature film, much like Man of Steel, to introduce the beginning of the Justice League? Instead they all got small parts in this big movie.

 

 

THE GOOD

Batman v Superman universe has an entirely different and distinct feel to Christopher Nolan’s vision of The Dark Knight. It follows on from the base storyline in Man of Steel, which sets up the events that unfold throughout the film nicely.

In this movie we get to see an older, grittier and more cynical Batman after 20 years of fighting crime and losing this sidekick Robin.  Ben Affleck could become a superb Batman should he get to further explore the Caped Crusader if/when he gets to direct and star in his own Batman film in the future.  Jeremy Irons’ Alfred follows suit and he is a much more adaptable and hands on aide to Batman than any other version of the character in the past.

 

 

Wonder Woman, played by Gal Gadot, is also so great when she’s finally revealed as a badass warrior. She is an insanely strong woman with a purpose, other than being a love interest. This is refreshing to see and is happening more and more in films recently, for example: Charlize Theron’s character in the most recent Mad Max.

A lot of people had a problem with Batman fighting Superman, because ‘Superman would kill Batman in seconds’, but that is the beauty of these superhero films. Imagination is key. If you’re not willing to accept that there’s a possibility that Batman could maul Superman in some strange turn of events, that probably isn’t logical, well then yes this film probably Isn’t for you. To me fictional stories allow for fictional characters in silly suits, to be involved in fictional and outrageous sitations, which can go in whatever direction makes for the best story.

 

 

The over exagorated fight scenes are also a triumph for the film. Superman can obviously throw whoever he wants wherever he wants and that’s cool, but  Batman’s fight scenes are more interesting. Obviously he’s not as strong as Superman or Wonder Woman, but he manages to ragdoll a lot of people, especially in the warehouse fight scene. This is the embodiment of his superhero status as someone who is faster and stronger than the common man, which in turn backs up his qualifications for becoming part of the Justice League when it’s eventually formed.

 

One of my favourite thing’s about any story whether it be on television or on the big screen are cliff hangers or unanswered questions at the end and Batman v Superman has more than one. It’s a great promotional tool for DC and Warner Brothers in terms of their upcoming film, but it also adds to the overall story of those films.

 

Even after it’s second week Box Office drop off people are still wondering about the ‘Knightmare’ scene and what it means. People are still asking whether Bruce Wayne was dreaming when he saw The Flash rip through time to send him a message. People still want to know who Lex Luthor is talking about when he said “He’s coming. The bell has been rung.” While locked in his prison cell.

 

Overall, this is such an enjoyable film despite it’s flaws. It’s so different to any other Superhero film you’re likely to see again. Unfortunately DC/Warner Brothers have decided to reshoot parts of the Suicide Squad movie following reaction to Batman v Superman, which is a shame. This shows a lack of confidence on the studios’ part for the way BvS was made, meaning a similar film is unlikely to happen again.

 

 

Graham McGrath

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