Batman v Superman has three modes: grim, grimmer, and desperately grim. Darkness in action/adventure movies can be a very appealing concept, but the characters and their circumstances need to earn it. For director Zack Snyder, his approach to this much-anticipated superhero throwdown is to never use a scalpel when a sledgehammer will suffice. Scene after scene in this movie whacks viewers over the head with how depressing life must be in Gotham/Metropolis. This is reflected in the relentlessly dark cinematography, the constantly brooding and joyless main characters, and the most over-the-top score of composer Hans Zimmer's career. I understand that for this cinematic universe, DC wants to differentiate itself from the lighter, jokey tone of Marvel's movies, but Batman v Superman is what happens when the scales tip too far in the other direction. It's visually affecting but emotionally hollow.
Batman v Superman begins promisingly before its narrative and characters become a muddled mess. The first 15 minutes recap the Superman/Zod fight in Man of Steel, only from Bruce Wayne's (Ben Affleck) perspective. It's powerful stuff and it sets the stage for Batman's resentment of Superman (Henry Cavill), who he views as unhinged and dangerous for the world. Superman, working at the Daily Planet under the identity of Clark Kent and in a clandestine relationship with fellow reporter Lois Lane (Amy Adams), sees Batman as a reckless vigilante. So leave it to wacky supergenius Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) to hatch a scheme to push these two closer to the brink of killing each other while he follows through with some dastardly plans of his own.
When Ben Affleck was first announced as the next Batman, controversy arose. But Affleck is the least of this movie's problems; he does a solid enough job as Bruce Wayne and as Batman. The real problem is the filmmakers' treatment of this legendary character; he's as unhinged as everyone else and largely unsympathetic. We don't need Batman's origins explored again to understand him, but we need to like and respect him. That's difficult here. Ditto for the Man of Steel, who seems so brooding and disconnected from every other version of the character we've ever seen that it's hard to believe we're watching the same person. He's boring. The movie raises a few interesting points about Superman's unchecked power but doesn't pursue them; it's too busy being fashionably dark and contorting itself into an unconvincing scenario where these two so-called heroes eventually come to blows. Where's the heroism and warmth? Where's any sense that these men are doing any good at all? Even during a montage of Superman saving people, the movie's brooding tone is all wrong; it seems like he's going through the motions.
The supporting characters in Snyder's universe fare no better. Amy Adams' Lois Lane was underused in Man of Steel and isn't treated better here. Chemistry between her and Superman/Clark Kent is virtually non-existent; we feel nothing for these two. And while the big reveal of Wonder Woman (Gal Godot) in costume is undeniably cool, the character has no reason to exist in this story. She's shoehorned into the plot in awkward ways, and ultimately her appearance feels like nothing more than a bridge to a solo Wonder Woman movie and Justice League. Jeremy Irons takes over as Bruce Wayne's butler/partner Alfred, but the part doesn't fit. The camaraderie between these two simply isn't there; Alfred seems almost contemptuous-- bordering on Simon Cowell-esque-- of Batman at times. Finally, Jesse Eisenberg gives us a Lex Luthor who seems to be in a completely different movie. He hams it up with an off-the-wall, high-energy portrayal, but his character's motivation is murky.
At two-and-a-half hours, Batman v Superman runs far too long to accomplish so little. The movie's midsection is peppered with bizarre, pointless dream sequences (both from Batman and Superman) and an investigation into the title characters' activities that never fully engages. There are also scenes too dumb for words, like a brief montage of Bruce Wayne doing shirtless weightlifting in preparation for his big fight. The action sequences, including the inevitable mano-a-mano between Batman and Superman, are well-filmed but so desperate to be taken seriously that they lack power. We watch it clinically as two characters with little charisma find ways to pound on each other. Only at the climax, when the Big Three (Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman) join forces against a ridiculous-looking foe, does this movie finally inject a little heroism, teamwork, and derring-do. But it's too little too late by then. Without giving anything away, I can also say the movie's final few scenes pointlessly try to misdirect us. We know that what happens here will be undone by the time Justice League arrives.
Though not without its small pleasures, Batman v Superman is for the most part a misfire. In an attempt to catch up with Disney/Marvel's aggressiveness, DC, Warner Bros, and Snyder have rushed many of these superhero elements onto the screen without proper gravitas. They've botched the recipe. This is a dark movie, but its darkness feels manufactured rather than organic. It's as if life in these cities (which are somehow right across the river from each other) really, really sucks 24/7, even with superheroes around. Directors like Christopher Nolan and George Lucas (to name a few) understood darkness in franchise movies; it comes from empathizing with characters and feeling involved in their struggles, no matter how dire. According to Batman v Superman, we're supposed to care about these characters because they're comic book icons, not because they're vividly characterized. For me, that's just not good enough.
Rating: ** (out of ****)
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