Filled with explosive action, deep, heavy exposition and nearly gratuitous fan-service, Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice (which I will henceforth refer to as BvS) is a film that's tough to have a definitive opinion on. While the pacing of the film can sometimes feel slightly disjointed and random -- partly due to it being a set-up for DC's planned Justice League franchise (roughly equivalent to Marvel's Avengers) -- everything still comes together with such polish that I found it enjoyable, if a bit uneven.
Directed by Zack Snyder, BvS takes place sometime after the apocalyptic fight between Superman and the rogue Kryptonians in Man Of Steel (also directed by Zack Snyder), which pretty much levelled an entire city. The world is divided, with half seeing Superman as their saviour, the other understandably having reservations about his destructive potential. Among the latter faction are eccentric genius Lex Luthor (the second, apparently), and moody billionaire Bruce Wayne, later Batman.
Perhaps in an effort to differentiate itself from the relatively light-hearted fare of Marvel, BvS is dark -- not just in its themes, but in its lighting, its costumes and its actions. While we expect Marvel's heroes to be clad in bright, shiny, colourful costumes, protecting us in broad daylight with fun, cool-looking flourishes, here the heroes are nothing of the sort.
Gone is the Batman who refuses to kill, let alone hold a gun. This Batman flattens cars (along with their baddie passengers) and shoots assault rifles like it's nobody's business. He's not the type who believes in the good in humanity, like Christian Bale's. This Batman has apparently been around much longer, and he's seen a lot of good people fall along the way. (That Robin costume with what is apparently the Joker's spray-paint on it: a hint, perhaps?) This has apparently affected his view of humanity, which he shares with his butler Alfred (Jeremy Irons). In fact, it could be said that Bruce is BvS's best character.
The lighting in BvS is almost always set to dark and foreboding, while the costumes -- even Superman's red and blue -- are greyish and rough, unlike Iron Man's metallic sheen or Thor's magic armour. The action scenes are also brutal. While Marvel's films could be said to focus more on coolness than realism, BvS's action looks considerably more painful (though that doesn't mean it's not cool). When Superman throws Batman through a wall, it really does look like it hurts, even through his extra armour. Those familiar with Man Of Steel's cataclysmic finale will be familiar with Snyder's style of fight scenes, which here lend the film a grittiness on top of its already heavy atmosphere.
Due to BvS's attempt to be both a sequel and a set-up, many of its story beats feel rushed or -- even worse -- confusing. The anti-alien theme so often shown to us in the film's trailers quite literally blows up by the end of the first act, reaching no real, or at least satisfying, conclusion. This holds true for many of the film's sequences, including the fight promised in the title. While it's definitely enjoyable while it lasts, the fight is resolved so abruptly -- and simply -- that I wondered why they let it drag out so long. Also, due to the rushed nature of the storytelling, many of the characters and events feel like wasted opportunities, and would have been so much more effective if the audience were given the chance to develop a connection. Gal Gadot's Wonder-Woman is a treat to see. That shot where she actually appears in full costume for the first time? Pure gold, though her enigmatic nature and scarce screen-time do detract from the impact of her eventual appearance. Henry Cavill's Clark Kent, meanwhile, remains serviceable at best. While his imposing physique makes for a pretty believable Superman, his wooden acting doesn't make him particularly endearing in the other role.
Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luthor is a little tougher to pin down. His manic-but-calculating portrayal of Lex sells the audience on the threat he poses to our heroes, but I do believe he goes overboard sometimes. It gets a bit annoying when he suddenly goes on those tangential rants of his. His motivations, while relatively understandable in the first half, become muddled and unclear by the end. While I understand why he would manipulate Batman to kill Superman, I certainly don't understand why he would create an unkillable, uncontrollable monster that can destroy the world.
While definitely peppered with moments that will appeal to fans of the DC characters -- those nods to Aquaman, the Flash and Cyborg, all characters in the upcoming Justice League film -- BvS's pacing can become a little difficult to follow for casual audiences. The film's need to cover as much ground as it does leaves many threads hanging without resolution, which won't be as much of a problem to fans of the source material who can piece together the events taking place. But those unfamiliar with the mythos and pre-established relationships may have problems with that. If you're a fan of DC comics, this film is made to appeal to you. Even if you aren't, you can probably enjoy the action just fine, but the exposition -- of which there is a lot -- will be more difficult to grasp.
