Ever since the film was first announced, there has been a thick area of scepticism surrounding it. Man of Steel failed to win over many critics. Some questioned whether DC were in too much of a hurry to get their "cinematic universe" off the ground to compete with Marvel. Many (myself included) disputed the casting of Ben Affleck as the Dark Knight after the fiasco that was 2003's Daredevil, while others felt they were rebooting the caped crusader too soon after Christopher Nolan's game-changing trilogy had ended. The trailers and viral marketing campaigns did little but fan these flames, and early reviews for the film have been largely negative.
To be fair, some of the criticism is warranted. The studio does try and cram a lot into this movie. In fact, I'd go as far to say that, if split, Dawn of Justice has enough to story for at least 2 or 3 great parts. The film serves as a sequel to Man of Steel, the introduction of a new Batman, the introduction of Wonder Woman, the set-up of the Justice League, and that's all before our titular heroes have even had a chance to square off. This leads to the film's editing to be like that of a Game of Thrones episode, with the viewer forced to go back and forth between different stories and different characters perspectives. Now, while I didn't find this to be an issue, I can see how some viewers may have found it distracting. There have been other criticisms of the movie thrown about (such as the film's dark tone and Batman's apparent love for violent murder) however there was only one thing in BvS that really ground my gears. The dream sequences. Zack Snyder, this ain't Dallas. All they did was distract us from the already busy story at hand and provide a trailer for what I can only presume is going to be a future crossover with the Mad Max franchise. Dream sequences never work for me, however in this film they were done to death, and that was the element that frustrated me most about this film.
That is all the negative comments I have to make on this film. My opinion is that this film has been given an unduly hard-time. Yes, there are flaws, but let me just say this; Dawn of Justice is an absolute joy-ride. Let's not over-analyse this for just a second: this is Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman sharing the screen together. That's cool to see. Fans have been clamouring for years to see DC's big three unite on the one screen and, when it finally happens, it is more than worth the wait. And that brings me to another point; the fights sequences in Batman v Superman are incredible. From Superman battling Doomsday into the atmosphere, to Batman taking out thugs, to the final battle between our two protagonists, Dawn of Justice hits a home-run in terms of its action. But, in contrast to this, it's the dramatic character building scenes that really made me sit up and take notice of this film, and that is largely due to the work of a very stellar ensemble cast.
Out of all the talented actors on display, I have to give the most credit to Ben Affleck. I was wrong. Ben Affleck has the potential to be the greatest Batman of all time. Brooding and intense, Affleck brings a darkness to his turn as the great detective that far surpasses both Michael Keaton and Christian Bale's initial outings under the cowl. Even when not in costume, he underplays his interpretation of Bruce Wayne which not only is in keeping with the idea that this is an older version of the character than we are used to seeing, but also serves to make his performance as the billionaire playboy more believable. I could go on but if you are still on the fence as to whether you will see this film or not, I would suggest taking a trip to your local cinema purely to see this absolutely perfect portrayal of the Dark Knight. Gal Gadot is also a breath of fresh air as Wonder Woman. Gadot oozes a sense of authority, and her interactions with Affleck's Bruce Wayne make for some of the film's most interesting moments. We only get a hint of what the character can be, but the sight of her laughing in the heat of battle in the film's final act is a joy to see. Jeremy Iron's Alfred is as sarcastic as he is wise, while Jesse Eisenberg's Mark Zuckerberg/Lex Luthor is the perfect maniacal billionaire for the current era, and his back and forth with Holly Hunter's Senator Finch helps to explore the depth and the inner torment the character posses. Returning cast members from Man of Steel are also stellar, but it really is Batfleck who steals the show. Sensational casting.
The bulk of the credit though has to go to director Zack Snyder. Snyder was handed a poison chalice in the sense that no one had faith in this film. He was forced by the studio to squeeze a lot of elements into this one movie. And he pulled it off. On screen, it all comes together. The first half of this movie plays like a political thriller and does explore some pretty complex themes, and you can tell this is where Snyder is in his element as he lets the plot play out steadily, putting all the chess pieces in the right places. And when the action really kicks in (particularly in the climatic battle with Doomsday) the 300 director's eye for a great visual is on perfect display. The story, while busy, never feels overly convoluted, and when all the elements come together it is very rewarding indeed. While I still disagree somewhat with the studio's decision to rush the opening of its cinematic universe, I do believe that Snyder has balanced the film nicely and has done the best job he could have with what was given to him.
In conclusion, I don't see why Dawn of Justice has been almost universally panned by critics. Yes, it does cram a lot in and some of the plot points are pretty suspect, but this is the case with most films in the superhero genre! Batman v Superman is a film with phenomenal acting, great action sequences, fantastic back-and-forth dialogue and more than enough exciting visuals to keep you gripped throughout. It brings us the best Batman in years, and the amount of strong female characters continues an exciting trend that has been rife in recent blockbusters (with Gal Gadot and Holly Hunter in particular arguably stealing every scene they are in). I didn't think I would enjoy it, but the film's serious tone, dark humour and riveting plot won me over. I recognise its faults but, for me, the pros outway the cons. It's a movie that tries to do something very ambitious and admirable, in the amount of tasks it takes on a once and the legendary status of the characters it includes. Dawn of Justice really is a succulent smorgasbord of superhero enjoyment and I would highly recommend this film to anyone.
Score: 8.4/10
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