Movie Review: ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’

The first comic book I ever owned was “Batman: Mask of the Phantasm.” I was too young to read, so my Dad did it for me, shaping an undying affinity for the character that has pretty much taken over my life.

Now, many years after my love affair with DC Comics first began, fans like me finally get to see their two biggest icons, Batman and Superman, go toe to toe on the big screen. Sounds like a dream come true, right?

Well, yes and no. “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” is a beautiful, exhilarating film that delivers on spectacle, but gets bogged down in a messy story.

First and foremost, it is a Zack Snyder film: It has all of the action and visual flair associated with his work. It does not have the twisting, intricate plot of the Christopher Nolan “Dark Knight” trilogy, so the sooner fans lose those expectations, the more likely they are to enjoy “BvS.”

The film picks up right in the middle the fight between Superman (Henry Cavill) and General Zod (Michael Shannon) in 2013’s “Man of Steel,” except from the perspective of Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck), who comes to view Superman’s power as an unstoppable threat to humanity. “Batman v Superman” is a story about Bruce, Lex Luthor Jr. (Jesse Eisenberg) and the United States government trying to find a way to control the god walking among them, while Superman struggles with public criticism and self-doubt about the righteousness of his actions.

The plot is the film’s own kryptonite. Although seemingly straightforward, the story gets muddled and confusing as dream sequences and flashbacks blend with the events in the present. Although the film was not bogged down with backstory, it rushed through the exciting bits and slogged through the first act and part of the second.

In terms of visual appeal, “BvS” is right on the money. Every scene is crisp and gorgeous, from the icy peaks of a mountain to the gutters of Gotham; the film is pure eye candy. Snyder creates a perfect contrast between Gotham and Metropolis that captures the essences of the two heroes and highlights the dichotomy between them. Gotham is dark, dirty and scary, and its hero must channel that fear and brutality to fight the chaos. Metropolis is brighter and more civilized, fostering an idealistic hero who stands for hope amid the suffering.

Fans have seen them clash in cartoons, played as them in video games and dreamed about how epic their fight would be, but watching Batman and Superman brawl on the big screen is something else entirely. The whole film is built around the premise of their fight and when it finally comes, it’s a quick but epic match pitting Batman’s brains and technology against Superman’s raw strength. The scene is superhero gold and has such convincing emotions that audiences will feel cheated by how fast it’s over.

A big point of contention for “BvS” was how Ben Affleck’s portrayal of Batman would compare to previous versions, especially those of Michael Keaton and Christian Bale. Criticize the film all you want, but the Batfleck is pretty great – the best live-action Batman yet. Gone are the days of the stiff, rubbery haymakers thrown by Keaton and Bale; Affleck’s fights are more fluid and brutal, demonstrating more martial arts expertise with a variety of gadgets thrown in for good measure. His portrayal of Bruce Wayne captured the suave yet concerned persona of Gotham’s favorite son in such a way that you’d never expect the dashing socialite to be pounding criminals at night.

In general, the casting is one of the film’s strongest aspects and the actors breathe new life into their iconic roles. As the first actress to take on the role of Wonder Woman in a film, Gal Gadot carries an air of seductive mystique as Diana Prince, yet trades that in for fierce battlefield joy when she dons Wonder Woman’s Amazonian armor. The film steadily builds up to her appearance as the Greek heroine, and boy, does Gadot deliver.

The one role that did not play well was Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor Jr. Fans have been apprehensive about his casting since it was announced, and quite frankly, they were right. In the earlier parts of the film, Eisenberg’s signature bratty affect coupled with his character’s ruthless genius provided a good foil to the more mature and macho heroes, but as time went on, his whininess became excessive and his attempts at insanity unconvincing.

“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” is more faithful to the comic books than previous DC films and trades its gritty realism for dark references to some of the most iconic graphic novels. Ben Affleck’s performance as the Caped Crusader and Zack Snyder’s artfully crafted aesthetic are the highlights of the film, while a poorly crafted plot prevent it from soaring and make screenwriters Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer the real villains.

– Matthew Fernandez