The big guns come out to play in superhero battle royale
|||BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE
DIRECTOR: Zach Snyder
CAST: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Laurence Fishburne, Jeremy Irons
CLASSIFICATION: 13V
RUNNING TIME: 152 minutes
RATING: 3 stars (out of 5)
Theresa Smith
Zach Snyder’s take on the epic-ness that is Batman and Superman duking it out is dark, violent and filled with special effects.
It probably looks amazing on the big screen, but Nu Metro’s insistence on screening previews on a defective 3d screen does rather make for murky viewing. I could, however, make out that several fight sequences are lifted straight off comic book panels or from games like Arkham Asylum.
The set-up of the first third of the film drags, but once it gets going it builds up the momentum to one very big fight, dragging you in its wake. Then it is action a-go-go as buildings are destroyed and the body count racks up.
Snyder’s take on the Bat is a twisted companion piece to Man of Steel which emphasises the Gotham denizen rather than Superman. Referencing the Frank Miller Dark Knight rather than Bob Kane/Bill Finger’s more optimistic creation, he gives us a world-weary detective whose cynicism leaves little room for playing the playboy.
Ben Affleck is wonderfully ripped, making us believe that he can carry off that armoured suit and he strikes a more doleful note than Christian Bale.
While Alfred (Irons) is the one who speaks of the powerlessness that comes about when people are afraid, Batman provides one of the human responses to Superman (Henry Cavill). Afraid, vengeful, angry – a very real-world response to the presence of an all-powerful alien whose allegiance and motivation are not understood.
Batman v Superman picks up 18 months after the events of Man of Steel with some questioning whether Superman should be allowed to do as he pleases with no repercussions, while others worship him as a god because he is all-powerful.
The idea of whether all-powerful equals totally good is bandied about and Cavill makes for a naive Superman who just wants to help people and doesn’t see the perfidy of mankind.
Like Marvel Films, DC are asking questions about power and responsibility, even if they do emphasise spectacle over character development, going big rather than necessarily bringing it home.
We see a little of Superman’s alter ego, Clark Kent, as he tries to do his reporter job, questioning why Batman gets away with hurting people.
Laurence Fishburne gets all the coolest “if it bleeds, it leads” kind of Perry White speeches and Jesse Eisenberg hints that his Lex Luthor is mentally unhinged.
Lois Lane (Amy Adams) again proves to be the plucky girl Friday, haunting the edges of the action as the frail human, but figuring out what is really going on before everyone else because the reporter in her just doesn’t give up.
The geeks in the know will spot the Easter eggs with all sorts of characters referenced in passing. Not only does Gal Gadot provide an intriguing glimpse into what Wonder Woman has been up to, but oh my, Jason Momoa is at least going to look really great underwater.
Critics will tear apart plot holes and inconsistencies, but the film is brash, works on a large scale and is very ambitious – it is a comic book that many want to see, even if the jokes are few.
If you liked Man of Steel you will like this.