Review: Yawn of Justice?

BY: NOAH CASTAGNA

Going into Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, I was expecting a trainwreck. The critics had bashed the film with brutal precision, pinpointing its jarring editing, weak storytelling, and poor character writing as massive issues bogging down a movie brimming with potential. They were not wrong in these aspects- the first act of Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice is enough to put an overcaffeinated toddler to sleep -but what some critics fail to entirely acknowledge are the many things it does right. Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice is a visual feast, much more so than Snyder accomplished with Man of Steel. Even bland scenes involving Lois Lane and her excessive damsel-in-distress motif are gratifying to watch, and Snyder’s ability to set up an impressive shot is on full display.

Once the film makes the tiresome trek to the second act, the flaws become far less distracting from the spectacle of the film’s action sequences. Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman are all incredible to see on the big screen, and both diehard fans and casual audience members will be pleased with their depictions. Ben Affleck IS Batman, presenting the strongest performance of the film. Henry Cavill had little to work with, (Superman seemed to be constantly cast as the antagonist in a conflict that should have been far more complex), and his performance noticeably paled in comparison to Affleck’s. Gal Gadot’s appearance as Diana Prince is brief, yet rewarding. Fans of the character will more than certain be satisfied with this portrayal of the DC heroine, and the applause she receives as she first appears on the screen is well earned. And I would be remiss to not mention Jeremy Irons’ excellent appearance as Alfred Pennyworth, easily my favorite character from the film.

That said, there are clear issues that remain blatant despite the engaging combat and overall good performances. Lois Lane constantly holds the film down, appearing at nearly every action sequence and either resolving it too abruptly, or distracting Superman from the combat that the viewer desperately craves. The messy editing can be in part credited to Lois Lane-centric scenes which neither flesh out Clark Kent nor further the plot (which is abysmal to begin with). Batman v. Superman jumps around far too much; as the film finally engages the viewer in a scene, it moves away to one of the many unnecessary side plots, which becomes frustrating fast.

My foremost issue with the film lies in Jesse Eisenberg’s portrayal of Lex Luthor. It is certainly a departure from the comic book character (the movie even clarifies he is Alexander Luthor, son of the real Lex Luthor), which would normally be fine- comic accuracy is not a criteria for a good movie -if not for his incredibly painful-to-bear performance. He felt straight out of a cheesy 90s action film, and his motivations were not explored anywhere near enough. Wayne’s interactions with the eccentric Luthor were enough to keep him from being too distracting, but his noticeable absence of depth really hurt the film in an area it already struggled: character motivations (or lack thereof).

Overall, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice deserves a viewing. There is a lot for both the diehard fans and casual movie-goers, and the world-building for Justice League excited me as the sweaty comic nerd I am (Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman are not the only iconic DC characters to appear in the film). It is visually exciting, and while a concluding event feels very forced and completely unnecessary, it is still an overall enjoyable movie-going experience. Do not bother staying after the credits, however.

I would give Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice a 6.5/10, and it truly does justify the admission price.