Batman
v. Superman
They ruined Batman. We already knew Superman stinks, but this is
unforgivable.
Ben Affleck stars as Bruce Wayne – the mysterious billionaire
who is full of rage after Superman’s battle with General Zod
destroyed a Wayne Industries building and killed many of his beloved
employees. As the world questions whether or not Superman (Henry
Cavill) is a hero or someone who needs to be kept in check, Wayne
isn’t interested in taking any chances, and plots how he can
destroy this man full of superpowers.
In the middle of all of this, billionaire kook Lex Luthor (Jesse
Eisenberg) has expressed an obsessive amount of interest in those new
aliens who showed up in the movie Man
Of Steel, so he maneuvers to get
access to Zod’s dead body and the alien ship that was
destroyed. Of course, we have to wonder why.
Meanwhile, Superman is struggling with his place in the world and
becoming outraged at the Gotham vigilante, Batman, who has no respect
for civil rights or a moral compass. Also, he really digs Lois Lane
(Amy Adams).
Plus, Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) shows up!
Batman v
Superman is a super slog through
empty scenes, boring performances, nonexistent storytelling, and
constant questions about motivations that results in a lifeless movie.
The explanation and justification of Lex Luthor’s plotting is
what completely ruins Batman v
Superman. He’s the
main villain in the movie, and Eisenberg’s performance is
brilliant, but it is all wasted because writers Chris Terrio and David
Goyer don’t let the audience know why he is seeking the
result he seems to be working towards.
Is it global domination? Beats me.
Will it result in even greater riches? Beats director Zack Snyder.
Is he just looney tunes enough to want to see chaos reign supreme?
Beats the writing team.
Without the proper context, the audience is left struggling to figure
out why Lex is so weird, even if it is fun to watch.
I just wish Cavill was paying attention to Eisenberg. Superman is a
super bore as Cavill gives the flattest, unemotional, stone-faced
performance of a lifetime. He has no charm to win over the audience.
Without the cape and all of the reminders that he’s Superman,
you would have no clue why he is so super and lovable. You get the
feeling Cavill’s lack of ability to command the screen is why
this movie becomes so much more about Batman. Even then, it’s
hard to judge Affleck’s performance.
Throughout Batman v Superman,
Affleck appears to be ready to bust out into some real acting, but
he’s held back by Snyder’s desire to make the movie
dour and dark (and dull). Batman is supposed to be brooding in
Snyder’s world, but he should let Affleck run more with the
rage and pain coursing through Wayne’s veins.
No matter how much I wanted to give the movie the benefit of the doubt
and desired to see a great, awesome film that would leave me as giddy
as Star Wars: The Force Awakens did, Snyder and the writing
team
destroyed any and all good will with the way Superman and Batman decide
not to destroy each other.
It’s no secret that Batman
v Superman is supposed to be the
start of a massive Justice League franchise to rival The
Avengers. They even introduce
several of the characters to the audience and give all sorts of hints
at something more to come, so don’t get all upset and scream
SPOILER ALERT at me when I tell you how asinine, moronic, ridiculous
and all around stupid that major twist is when we see it on screen. The
reason why they decide to stop fighting could be one of the worst
written scenes in movie history.
Batman v
Superman is a dud.
Batman
v. Superman is rated PG-13 for intense
sequences of violence and action throughout, and some sensuality.
153 Minutes
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