Two of the world's most iconic heroes are about to battle on the big screen. Batman vs Superman. The movie is finally here and it is billed as the film that will establish DC's place in the cinematic world. Rival Marvel has done things right. DC has taken a different approach and now we see if it's the right one. Let me just start by saying that this is not the right approach.
Zack Snyder put Superman back on the map with Man of Steel and started what many call the, "Snyder-verse." Lot's of people, myself included, had issues with the re-telling of Superman. I am not going to rehash those, but the movie picks up where the destruction in Metropolis ends. Snyder does do a good job of establishing the tone of the world after the city is nearly destroyed.
Ben Affleck is possibly the best Batman we've seen yet. He looks the part and establishes Bruce Wayne's place in the world. The stuff with him and Jeremy Irons (Alfred) is top notch. This movie does a great job of making you want another solo Batman with Affleck in the cowl. Batman is good, but his conflict with Superman seems forced. It seems fueled by anger and Batman tends to be more reasonable.
I think Henry Cavil looks like Superman, but his emotion just seems forced. The movie teases a more familiar Clark Kent, but there just seems to be something missing. The fight between the two heroes is nothing short of fantastic. It is certainly the highlight of the movie, but you wait too long for it to even happen. You wait way too long.
I have said countless times that movies like this are only as good as their villains. Jesse Eisenberg was a horrible casting choice and destroys one of the greatest villains of all time. He makes no sense. He is anything but diabolical and is a waste of a great character. His tone is all wrong. He doesn't come close to being the greatest criminal mind of all time. He comes across as some bad crossbreeding attempt between the Joker and Riddler. He is, without a doubt, one of the worst things in the movie.
The other worst thing in the movie is Doomsday Zod. I will not spoil the whole thing, but the moment I saw the manner in which they created this train wreck, I was immediately annoyed. I realize you need a powerful foe to take one super heroes, but this is just a waste. Metallo, Braniac, or even a kryptonite powered exo suit for Lex would have been a better choice. The fight between this thing and out heroes is a visual c.g.i. eyesore. Snyder loves his destruction and assaulting your senses. The saving grace to the fight is Wonder Woman.
Gal Gadot steals the show. Like Affleck she makes you excited to see her character's first solo outing. The three heroes look incredible on the screen. It truly is a comic book come to life, but unfortunately it's just not enough to save this thing. It is dark and moody. The pace is horrible. It slowed even more by these ridiculous nightmare sequences that do more to confuse than anything else. The film offers a few glimpses of hope here and there, but it's hard to get excited about the "Snyder-verse." We get glimpses of other heroes, but I don't feel like anyone was overwhelmed with excitement. They took half a Superman sequel and smashed it together with half a Batman movie.
The movie combines a few famous comic book arcs that are not meant to be combined. The sad cliffhanger is nothing short of emotionless and disappointing. It's a good thing this movie is being released now. It was originally supposed to open against Captain America: Civil War. Marvel is going to win that fight. Again. The things that people complained the most about, Ben Affleck as Batman and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman are hands down the best parts of this movie. Unfortunately, they are not enough to make this worth the hype.
