BATMAN V SUPERMAN
Before watching this film, the plethora of negative reviews were really beginning to annoy me. Having now seen it, they seem a little more justified but still wholly unnecessary. Superhero movies are certainly not intent on pleasing critics. They are huge studio films created for fans of the franchise. Although it wasn't perfect, there were some epic moments that are being left in the shadow of the not so great ones.
Positives
First of all, we need to appreciate the Batfleck. He was outstanding as this new version of Batman. Considering the fans awful reception to the news of this decision, Affleck surprised everyone by displaying an older and an even more downcast take on the role. He also left the character with plenty of room to develop - I'm assuming we will see this growth progress over the duration of the next phase of DC movies. But this role isn't just about portraying the caped crusader, there is also his alter-ego Bruce Wayne. Again, Affleck brought great depth to Mr Wayne's persona; the audience could really see the complexity in his eyes. Although many people are hating on this movie, they cannot deny that it will be intriguing to see what Zack Snyder has in store for the succeeding films.
There was also Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman and Henry Cavill as Superman. Once more they too were excellent castings, embodying all things necessary to take on such roles. Despite not passing the bechdel test, Gadot played a kick-ass and empowered character who wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty. Following on from Man Of Steel, Cavill was still a great Superman. He was obviously conflicted as the line between right and wrong was becoming increasingly more indistinguishable. Although he was saving lives and encouraging peace, it was obvious that was struggling with the pressures of being a globally renowned God. This gave more dimension to his character and made him a lot more entertaining. This self confliction also brought about some really interesting themes in terms of politics and philosophy. Should this alien be allowed to do as he pleases? Should the government have the right to control him? This aspect of the film was great and I really enjoyed all of the build up that was happening during the first act, however the critics' negative responses are derived from what followed.
Negatives
In the beginning of the second act, the tone changes and the film transitions into fight mode. Obviously you would expect this from a film titled Batman vs Superman but it all seemed a bit convoluted. One event causes the politics/government idea to be thrown out of the window, and the movie proceeds to revolve solely around the relationship between the titular characters. This was done in order to allow them to set up future films; something that has taken Marvel years to do.
Also, in the past, I have loved that Batman really cares about the people of Gotham. No matter how atrocious they may be, he never intends to kill anyone - hence (in the Nolan movies) the use of pretty much every weapon known to man but guns. This idea is dismissed in Batman vs Superman as we actually see him stabbing and shooting at strangers.
Overall
My final critique would be that Doomsday was disappointing. He was just a big blob of CGI - with no apparent resemblance to Lex Luthor or General Zod.
Overall, I must confess that I did enjoy this movie. It definitely had its moments. The actual fight between Batman and Superman was really entertaining to watch - especially with that perfect musical backdrop scored by Hans Zimmer. When the three come together at the end to take on Doomsday, I found myself shuffling closer and closer to the edge of my seat. I would definitely recommend seeing this film in IMAX to fully appreciate the moments like this.
