Why So Serious

A “Superman Vs Batman: Dawn of Justice” review

It’s been three years since Zack Snyder rebooted comic’s greatest icon in Man of steel. As a huge childhood fan of the Christopher Reeves Superman era I always have high hopes for any Superman that makes its way to the silver screen. I enjoyed Superman Returns more than most, finding Brandon Routh a likeable Clarke Kent and a convincing Superman; the movie itself, despite lacking in action, was heartfelt and true to the classic movies.

However, Man of steel left myself and audiences alike with mixed feelings, a darker Superman, and it was clearly a project designed to spearhead a DC movie universe to compete with the thriving Marvel cinematic team-ups that have set the bar so high.

So how have DC responded? Here the two greatest comic book icons in history go fist to fist in what should be the showdown of the century. A great deal of money has been spent to give these titans the battle they deserve.

This movie starts well. We see the climatic battle and the destruction of Metropolis from Bruce Waynes’ perspective. A truly post 9/11 scene as city blocks fall and dazed, dusty survivors wander the streets. A superb introduction for Bruce Wayne: brave, moralistic and thirsting for vengeance against a rampaging overpowered alien. This sense of helplessness against absolute power is quite a theme throughout the film, the motivation for many a character.

From here DoJ ( Dawn of Justice ) begins to set up multiple threads. A Batman investigating illegal arms dealers, a trendy genius Lex Luthor intent on using alien technology for his own means, an American media and body politic questioning Superman’s actions at every move, and finally Kal-El himself juggling an unchallenging career and mired in self-doubt over his Super-self.

So, with Bruce Waynes’ motivation made clear, all it takes is a few unfortunate events to lead to the battle we have all waited for. Firstly though, you have to wait out a muddled middle act, some unchallenging investigations for the world’s greatest detective, and an excess of bad dreams from Ben Affleck’s impressive Wayne. Fans may be shocked that, after the poor reaction to Affleck being cast in the titular role, he shows he has the skills and physique to show us the most jaded Batman yet, worn down by his years of crime fighting and determined to counter the alien threat.

So we finally come to the action, what we get here is an astonishing but all too brief showdown. I confess I loved Superman throwing Batman through a building and then seeing Batman turn the tables and pummel Superman in return. Yes, we get the “Versus” in the title but that all to quickly takes us to the “Dawn of Justice”. The fighting is impressive, action right out the comics and there’s no doubt where the budget was used, but sadly a fight without much heart. Perhaps there was too much hype or I was just pummelled into depression by the films sombre, serious tone. If you thought the Batman films of Christopher Nolan were dark and brooding, wait until you see how Superman wades through his quagmire of doubt.. Henry Caville may be built for the role but lacks the light, likeable charm of Reeve or Routh.

Countering this is an all to brief appearance of Gal Gadot’s Wonder-Woman, giving the fight her best and clearly relishing the action. Maybe there is light at the end of Snyder’s serious tunnel after all.

Spoiler zone ahead, don’t read read on if you care about spoilers!

I have a policy of not watching too many trailers for big movies and in this this case I have been proven right. The appearance of Doomsday in the final trailer just confirmed that the movie moves on from Batman Vs Superman too quickly and gives us the “Death of Superman”, an event which no doubt deserved its own movie. With this supposedly shocking end to the film, I simply didn't care, I saw it coming over a month ago. Combine this with a film so lacking in warmth, humour, hope and spirit and it’s difficult to feel anything for our lost hero. By the end the film has become too lost in its sombre, serious tone to find any emotional connection.

Okay, so of course Batman/Bruce is moody and dark, we all know he should be…but we don’t get any light or hope from Superman, no absolute moral compass. Ben Affleck surpasses himself as a gruff Wayne but Caville comes across stymied and paralysed into inaction by a lack of confidence is his own heroism.

I also confess to slight disappointment in Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor Jnr. Well acted and likeable but a character with unclear motivations. A throwaway villain perhaps or maybe this will make sense in sequels to come.

But here we come to the future, many will be scouring this film for easter eggs, clues to the future of the franchise, of which there are plenty. We see Flash, Cyborg, Aquaman and of course that great flurry of fighting from WonderWoman. Was that Red Hood in Bruce’s dream or an older Flash!?

So how can I rate this movie? The good parts? Affleck as Batman, now in much need of his own movie. WonderWoman is striking so far. But sadly this film suffers too many problems, a rushed middle act lacking in action, a relentless seriousness, an oppressive tone that sucks joy from the audience and a wasted sacrifice by our greatest hero that just left me cold.

So final verdict? Yes, see this film for the spectacle and the satisfaction of a hero versus hero showdown, but you may leave feeling a little ambivalent to the film as a whole.

Score for this film, a mildly disappointing 6/10. No doubt it will earn a tidy sum at the box office.