The Sun is Setting
Talk about a “head-scratcher”. As a warning, I am going to try and be as ambiguous as possible while writing this review but there might be some very minor spoilers.
For starters, I admit this is a very impressive, very ambitious film. There are two ways to look at this movie: As a comic book adaptation and as a sequel. As a comic book adaptation I’d say it’s on par. The movie was filled with fan-service that should be satisfactory for comic book fans. Still, I believe that WB and DC should’ve subtitled the film World’s Finest to round out the fandom appeal.
Speaking of the movie’s title, I couldn’t help but think that the more straightforward title should’ve been “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Ambiguous One-Liners”. There was a lot of deduction that had to be done by both the audience and the characters in the film. A lot of which were allusions to the comic book lore. I lean more on the Marvel side of comic books, but get my DC fix with the TV series and animated cinematics. So, even with my basic DC knowledge, there were enough references that had me fanboying. I even chuckled a couple of times.
To be honest, my expectations were that of sea level when I heard that Ben Affleck was playing Batman. Batfleck’s representation here was splendid and I public admit that I now eat my own words about this actor. This version of Batman is coarse and abrasive. His fighting style is calculated and abrupt at the same time. This Batman is unfamiliar to us on the big screen, but very adjacent to the comics. I honestly have very little complaints of the Batman corner of this movie. I am pleased with his use of gadgetry, bat-transportation, and overall presence.
If we look at this movie as a sequel, there’s a lot left to be desired. Most of us are well-versed with Batman’s mythology. Over the years we’ve had 6 well-known movies, a 90s animated series a lot of us grew up in, and a badly-made prequel TV series. All of which allows the audience to feel comfortable enough that we don’t need an origin story. Superman has about the same number of entertainment adaptations with one major difference: We know very little about the super strong man with a red cape who can fly. The Superman mythology can be defined as “repetitive”, so you can’t assume the same amount of comfort from the exact same audience.
Man of Steel, this movie’s predecessor, is, in my opinion, a good starting point to fleshing-out the Supes mythos. This movie does not sustain. Instead of augmenting the story, we get an “18 Months Later” title card and are made to assume we understand what has developed. In the last movie, the awkward and fleeting kiss between Lois Lane and Superman suddenly becomes a full-fledged relationship that contains no build-up. (Don't even get me started on Amy Adam's portrait of Lois... I've had a problem with her demeanor since the last film.) Superman’s alter ego, Clark Kent, has a personality, a voice, human traits. All which we only saw once in a fraction of a second during the final moments of the last film.
The one redeemable part that the Superman fable brought was the villain: Lex Luthor. He's a man with knowledge that yearns power, but amuses himself with a little manipulation. There were two instances in the movie that actually caught me off guard. One had to do with Superman and Batman's sudden amity. The other had to do with the extent of Lex Luthor's lack of restraint when pushing Superman's coerced transgressions.
As a sequel, this movie falls short. As a Batman comic book adaptation I’d say it’s adequate. While I did leave the movie theater with a certain amount of satisfaction, my amped, conflicted feelings made me review the film in my head with a lot of scrutiny. The presented product left me feeling like I was missing two or three films between Man of Steel and BvS. Films that culminate Lois and Clark’s relationship, explain Wonder Woman’s presence, and clarifies a lot of cameo appearances and world building. I understand the assemblage of easter eggs and foreshadowing for the birthing of a DC Cinematic Universe, but even two hours and forty minutes is not enough for that omen.
Now, don’t get me wrong. The time I just spent in the theater was enjoyable, but even with very little spoilers, background knowledge, and expectations I still craved more concentrated substance.
-- Geo (sora_thekey) 24/7 geek! -- Follow me on Twitter: @Geo_sorathekey
