Arguably one of the most hotly anticipated movies of the
year. Batman V Superman has had almost a years’ worth of marketing and was
billed as a blockbuster of epic proportions. Despite not getting massive
critical acclaim, the film has amassed $700 million in it’s opening weeks.
What we really get from the film is exactly what the title
says. We start with a flashback, showing the destruction of Metropolis by Superman
and General Zod, we see Bruce Wayne running into the rubble before glimpsing Supe, giving him evils from a distance. Here his hate of
Superman begins.
A rugged grey haired dark knight. Ben Affleck portrays a
Batman rid of his morality and mercy, torturing and branding the criminals he
puts away. Clark Kent on the other hand couldn't be less sure of what he should
be doing. Half of Metropolis are blaming him for the destruction of the city and
the other half calling him their saviour.
The motions are set in play for the two giants to do battle, but
behind it all is the scheming Lex Luthor. Jesse Eisenberg plays a Mark Zuckerberg
gone mad, t-shirts, basketball but at the end of it simply an evil mastermind. Eisenberg has been heavily slated for his
portrayal of Luthor, and there is no doubting that he is a required taste.
However, I think he does a reasonably good job.
It’s a rather gloomy film and in an era which DC and Marvel
are facing off against each other, BVS is definitely loosing on the witticism front.
The only joke that seems to be made, is a reference to the ‘Joker.’ DC comics
are generally known to be darker, however, and this fits the setting
of the film.
It’s in the final hour or so that the film really kicks off.
Ben Affleck had his own personal battle with Henry Cavill before the film about
who had the best physique and they both get an opportunity to show off. We see
Bruce Wayne going nuts with weights and gearing up all his high tech weaponry.
He then faces off against Superman in the slums of Gotham in an all crashing
and bashing boxing match. The duel between the two, is really only the start
though. After a quick kiss and make up the two match up with Wonder Woman to
take on the marauding Doomsday who seems to have been thrown in as an excuse for
more carnage.
BVS also managed to nicely set up the expanded universe
which will see the Justice League introduced. They did in a few minutes what
Marvel managed in a few years. Viewers got a glimpse at Flash, Aquaman and
Cyborg. Wonder Woman had already made her presence felt and even helped out in
the final scenes.
With Batman spinoffs coming out just about everywhere, game,
casino,
TV will BVS be just another blotch on his cape or will it set up a bright
future for the DC expanded universe?
My Rating: 8/10
Directors: Zack Snyder Cast: Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jesse Eisenberg, Lawrence Fishburn, Amy Adams
My Rating: 8/10
Directors: Zack Snyder Cast: Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jesse Eisenberg, Lawrence Fishburn, Amy Adams
