Batman v Superman Dawn of Justice

 Review Written:

By Adolph Vega

3D

The stereoscopic 3D visuals of Batman v Superman are a mixed bag but overall I enjoyed it.  Several scenes make fantastic use of 3D and look sharp and vivid in 3D.  These scenes use pop out and depth 3D to make the viewer more invested into the story.  One memorable 3D scene is a flashback scene regarding a young Bruce Wayne. The 3D usage within that scene really makes it pop both because of the visual design and because of the stereoscopic 3D visuals.  The 3D has issues in a few interior scenes because the lighting makes a dramatic contrast that confuses the eye because of the 3D element.  The various action scenes within the movie look nice and give both quality depth and pop out 3D.  The 3D within the movie has the capacity to wow the audience, other times the 3D is distracting and annoying but for the most part it’s solid and works well.  Overall I will average out the 3D to be good, because you can clearly see the people who crafted the 3D for this movie worked hard to make this a worthwhile presentation.

Final Verdict: Good 3D

Movie

Superman and Batman movies are the hardest movies for me to review because I have such a strong affinity for the characters.  Both Superman and Batman are iconic figures of popular culture and it's difficult for me to detach my fandom to be able to craft a fair and honest criticism of any movie they are in.  I enjoyed and will defend Man of Steel and the new approach it had for Superman.  I also enjoyed the older Christopher Reeve Superman movies.  I accept that characters will change to adapt to a specific era of time. I will always try to have an open mind to how a specific character can be represented on screen.  Batman v Superman Dawn of Justice has some big shoes to fill, in both fan hype and establishing a profitable DC comic’s cinematic universe. 

Batman v Superman Dawn of Justice (BvS) is focused on the character of Batman and his disdain for Superman after the events from Man of Steel.  BvS takes place a few years after the events of Man of Steel and knowledge of that movie is critically important for understanding this movie. The story of BvS has multiple parts that work consecutively and independently to drive the narrative.  I liked this complex nature of the story and how it handles multiple story elements, which move simultaneously.  Everything comes together in the final act and sets the foundation for many upcoming DC comic book inspired movies.  The cameos of other DC super heroes are tasteful and give the viewer a nice sample of things to come.  The movie gives the characters of Superman and Batman consequences for what they do that are both positive and negative. The movie is both too long and too short. I wanted more depth from certain scenes but also really enjoyed some scenes being short and sweet.  One scene with Superman in the US Senate I wish was given more screen time. Sadly the movie trailers spoiled too many of the story elements of the movie. The final act of the movie is both shocking and satisfying and thrilling with many fun and intense action scenes. Batman v Superman is action packed movie that introduces a huge number of characters.

The cast of Batman v Superman is huge and includes the entire cast from Man of Steel and many new faces playing iconic characters.  Batman is played by Ben Affleck, Jesse Eisenberg is Lex Luther, Gal Gadot is Wonder Woman, and Jeremy Irons plays Alfred to name a few.  The cast choices have been a very controversial and overall I enjoyed the new versions of these characters and actors who portrayed them.  Gal Gadot is strong, sexy, and very likable as Wonder Woman. In fact Wonder Woman steels the spotlight from both the man of steel and caped crusader and kicks serious butt.  Ben Affleck is a brutal batman who is haunted by his past and played with real gravitas and dignity.  Ben Affleck is fantastic as Batman and has a grand presence on screen.  Jeremy Irons is wonderful as Alfred and has great chemistry with Ben Affleck and you get the wonderful sense of commonality and experience between the two men. The weakest cast member is Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luther.  Mr. Eisenberg is just too young to play this character.  This version of Lex Luther is uneven, nervous and is simply a chore to watch on screen.  I found his vocal pitch and delivery of dialog to be painfully executed.  I never found this version of Lex to be menacing but only annoying.  Finally a well-executed Lex Luther scheme that doesn't involve real estate, sadly the actor is wrong for the role.  To be fair I have never liked any film version of Lex Luther.  Gene Hackman's Lex Luther was goofy and silly.  Kevin Spacey's version of Lex Luther was basically the same character as Gene Hackman but with a modern twist. My favorite version of Lex Luther was from the TV show Smallville portrayed by Michael Rosenbaum. That version of Lex Luther is confident, smart and terrifying. This Lex seems to be more of a mad scientist Lex Luther than brilliant confident businessman that I prefer. I tried to like this version of Lex Luther but I couldn’t bring myself to fear or respect him. Jesse Eisenberg’s version of Lex Luther is the weakest element of this movie.

Overall I enjoyed the movie but it has many flaws. I do wish that more elements of the story were more developed, but I suppose other future movies will fill in those gaps.  The action scenes within the movie are well handled and thrilling and I enjoyed the storyline. Lex Luther is the worst aspect of this movie, which is a real shame. Batman v Superman is an ambitious action movie that does a very good job of introducing us this DC cinematic universe and I can highly recommend it.

Final Verdict:

7 / 10

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