#BatmanvSuperman: Dawn of Justice
I wanted very much to like this movie. I did. But I am sorry. On hindsight, you can tell how the movie will turn out just from the title alone.
Firstly the movie, like the title, is long. Too long. It just dragged on and on. It took forever for the two heroes to fight. And then that fight wasn't the end of it. We still had the big bad guy to fight. Then Wonder Woman showed up. Then there was the post-fight. "When will this movie end?" you will ask.
Secondly, the movie tried to do too much and ended up doing nothing. Like the title tells you, there is Batman. There is Superman. There is Dawn of something. There is a Justice League movie coming (actually two parts). So, like a Hong Kong Chinese New Year ensemble movie, cameos and Easter Eggs are all over the place. You end up with a rojak of a movie without a proper story being told. Just a bunch of string of setups for the coming universe.
Thirdly, as the title tells you, this is a very serious movie. Serious serious serious. Don't-bring-your-kid-to-watch-it serious. Many-people-die and Terrorism-is-referenced serious.
Seriously. Does anybody have any FUN at all in the movie? Ok, maybe Lex Luthor. But even his motivations are serious. And he is kind of annoying.
There were bright spots. I enjoyed seeing Wonder Woman. I yayed when she showed up. She was the only character the didn't have any major angst or brooded. She was just straight up badass and whoop-ass. Gal Gadot was so much better here than in Furious 7. All hail Wonder Woman.
Although my wife still thinks Lynda Carter is still the best.
I also enjoyed some of the fight scenes. Batman's vehicles and his Superman-Buster suit were very impressive to see in action.
Oh. If it bothered you that Superman kills in Man of Steel, you'll need to know that Batman kills too, in this movie. A lot. And uses guns. And shoots bad guys with said guns. For some, that's even more sacrilegious than seeing Supes kill Zod in the first movie.
Batman shooting people with guns. It's almost like watching Deadpool, except without the humour.
Yes, I know, I know, Batman has bent his No Guns and No Taking a Life rules in the comics before. But in this movie, it's almost as if he never had those rules. He's just straight up Rambo.
I think if you read many DC comics, you will enjoy this movie and be able to call out all the links and Easter Eggs. But for a general audience, you're just going to be lost. Like my wife, who needed me to explain more than half the movie to her.
Maybe we shouldn't let Zack Snyder direct any more superhero movies. If you didn't like Man of Steel, you won't like this one either.
We get it. Cavill's Superman is a modern-day Jesus (oh look we opened over Easter, so clever!). He is godlike and brooding. Affleck's Batman is also brooding, and angry, and seething. Two angry and brooding mama's boys in one movie.
You almost wish they would beat each other into a pulp and then we can reboot Batman and Superman yet again. Or just proceed with Woman Woman alone.
If you still want to watch this, I would recommend the IMAX version. The epic fight scenes do look grander on the IMAX screen.
Maybe I will rewatch Nolan's Batman series. Batman v Superman makes the Nolan trilogy feel lighthearted and fun now. And at least some of it takes place during the day.
