I will admit my initial reaction to the announcement of this film was along the lines of - "How the hell are they going to do that? Superman will kick Batman's ass". I couldn't see it working in a live action film, but of course I became very keen to see it come to life. I love both characters - in fact, they're my absolute favourite superheroes. My love for Superman started with the seminal classic from 1978. I used to love watching the cheesy as hell Adam West/Burt Ward TV series from the 60's, but my passion for Batman was truly realised with the 1989 film by Tim Burton.
Over the last nearly 4 decades (yes, that long), there have been various big screen versions of these characters. Plenty of ups and downs, plenty of actors trying out the suits. With Man of Steel in 2013, we saw a very fresh take on Superman, and the start of a DC Comics version of a Cinematic Universe (films that tie their characters together, instead of separate worlds). I don't want to really compare to Marvel Comics Cinematic Universe, but I'll tell you this - I love that we have both universes to play in.
Man of Steel was a great start. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is the next entry. Set 18 months after the events of MoS, we're introduced to Ben Affleck's Bruce Wayne/Batman. He's a pretty pissed off character - angry with Superman and the threat he poses to the safety of our world. Is Affleck's version of Batman any good? Hell yeah it is. He's the oldest incarnation of Bat's we've seen in a live action film, but he is very tough and a brutal fighter. He moves a lot like the animated TV series version of Batman. Batfleck is very different to the recent Christian Bale portrayal (not better, just different).
Cavill was great in MoS, and he continues that stellar performance here. His character is presented with some interesting personal challenges (not just the fact Batman wants to kill him). The rest of the main cast is rounded out by Amy Adams' Lois Lane (perhaps not developed anymore than what she was in MoS), and Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luthor. I found Eisenberg's take on Lex to be quite good. He's a bit nutty, but also supremely intelligent and just downright evil. No, he's not playing Mark Zuckerberg in this film as well. My wife mentioned an interesting impression she got of Eisenberg's Lex - it seemed like he was trying to channel Heath Ledger's Joker performance - I could sort of see that.
Now this film is a sort of setup for a Justice League film (coming in 2017). So, we not only get Batman and Superman, but the brief introduction of Gal Gadot's Diana Prince/Wonder Woman. And, let me tell you, this is handled very well. Her few moments of screen time are teasing and exciting. I'm really keen to see her solo film coming in 2017. Additionally, we have a great new Alfred Pennyworth to back up Batman - Jeremy Irons is just perfect.
As for the film itself (aside from the great casting and performances), the story is jam packed. There is a lot happening on screen, and that first 1 to 1.5 hrs moves along at a steady pace. Up until that last hour, I was enjoying the movie. Cool looking and well constructed action sequences, much better scripting than MoS, and a very engaging plot line. I especially liked how Bruce Wayne/Batman is actually brought into the events at the end of MoS - something that may not have been planned during MoS production, but it is pulled off quite well. Some of the flow of the story is a bit jarring sometimes, but it is a minor gripe. There really is a lot going on.
After that first 1.5 hrs, well what can I say, it all just gets better. Yes, I was hoping it would. The actual battle between Batman and Superman is very well handled, and any sort of notions I had in my head about this not going to be believable were thrown out the door. The overall production of this film is top notch (you would expect that for $250m). The visuals are amazing. I really liked Batman's new lair and gadgets, including an awesome new Batmobile and Batplane. If anything, you could be a bit let down by the effects in the final conflict/battle. Thankfully, this film doesn't go as bombastic as MoS did towards the end. It almost does, but it is reined in and is pretty cool.
I certainly don't get the hate and extremely negative reviews this film and MoS have generated. They're completely different to the Marvel films, but of no lesser quality. They are definitely darker in tone, which I enjoy. Why can't people be happy that we have some really great superhero films coming from different studio's? I could probably write another article on my feelings about this torrid hate that DC films have towards them - sometimes it feels like people can't except both universes. If you feel one is better than the other, then fine - but don't hate for the sake of it. As an audience member, lap it up! These characters are great, and for the most part, we're getting some great live action versions. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is definitely one of those - go see it.
4/5
