Movie Review: “Superman v Batman: Dawn of Justice” better at Batman than Superman

BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE (PG-13)

DC throws two of the world’s biggest superheroes into the ring by way of a smackdown of “Freddy Vs. Jason” or “King Kong vs. Godzilla” sized proportions. “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” comes to you courtesy of “Man of Steel” director Zack Snyder. In addition to pitting these legendary characters against each other, this movie was obviously designed to set the stage for the back-to-back “Justice League” movies that Snyder has also signed on to direct.

In “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” the Dark Knight (Ben Affleck) is convinced that a godlike Superman (Henry Cavill) is a danger to our way of life after witnessing firsthand his inadvertent destructive path in the final act of “Man of Steel.” In an effort to protect the human race, Batman wages a war with Superman — but as it turns out, he isn’t the only one with an axe to grind. It appears that genius Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) has even bigger plans: A diabolical scheme that will put both the Dark Knight and Krypton’s favorite son in potential danger. Lucky for our central heroes, there’s a new warrior on the block, and she goes by the name Wonder Woman.

Where to begin? There’s a lot going on in “Dawn of Justice.” Perhaps too much. In the end, Snyder’s bombastic epic works more successfully as a “Batman” movie than a “Superman” flick. Oddly enough, there are actually more scenes of Batman in action here then there were in Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Rises.”

Affleck proves to be this film’s strongest component which is quite ironic when taking into consideration that his casting ruffled more than a few feathers. Affleck is incredibly effective as Batman, presenting a more seasoned (and weathered) interpretation of the character. In short, this Batman has been at it for a long time.

Aside from trusty Alfred and the occasional lady friend, Affleck’s Bruce Wayne is a solitary man, but as expected, he’s a guy who isn’t afraid to take out the garbage. This version of the caped crusader is a bit like James Bond with a tough-as-nails alter ego, but this Batman must accept the idea that perhaps there are others out there who are just like him. Affleck completely sells it, bringing confidence, swagger, and toughness to the role. He’s so good, in fact, that one can only hope that the rumors regarding him directing a stand alone “Batman” movie are true.

On the flipside, we have a disappointingly dull Superman, one who continues to struggle with inner turmoil. This is an interpretation of the legendary character that I simply can’t get into. True, there have been many incarnations of “Superman” through the years, but for my money, Superman has always been a representation of the very best of humanity. Richard Donner understood this, and he demonstrated as much in his magical big-screen adaptation in 1978. Here, we get a brooding, conflicted hero whose own Earthly mother, Martha (Diane Lane), selfishly leads him to believe that he doesn’t owe this world anything.

In short, this is basically the same Superman we were introduced to in “Man of Steel.” As written through the course of two movies, this one-note Kal-El has virtually no character arc. In Cavill’s defense, this isn’t really his fault. He certainly has the proper physicality and charisma for the role, and as many are quick to point out he’s easy on the eyes. But quite frankly, this Superman isn’t terribly compelling, and I never truly felt for his plight. What’s more, Snyder and team don’t really allow Cavill a chance to be playful with the Superman/Clark Kent dynamic, which is incredibly disappointing given that the end of “Man of Steel” suggested that perhaps this dynamic would come into play.

In “Dawn of Justice,” it’s pointed out pretty early on that, at least in the eyes of Lois Lane (Amy Adams), there really isn’t much of a separation, rendering Bill’s (David Carradine’s) awesome “Superman” analogy at the end of “Kill Bill” moot.

While we’re on the topic of Adams, she’s an appealing enough performer, but there isn’t much to her here. And while Lois and Supes may be an item in “Dawn of Justice,” there isn’t much chemistry to speak of.

Elsewhere, there are a few solid supporting turns worth mentioning: Jeremy Irons is gleefully cantankerous as Alfred, while Gal Gadot is a perfect fit for Wonder Woman. If only Jesse Eisenberg were half as good as the heavy. Eisenberg’s interpretation of Lex Luthor is even less interesting than Superman. “The Social Network” star plays Lex as an intellectual but with spastic, chaotic, Joker-like tendencies, and the whole thing falls incredibly flat.

“Dawn of Justice” as a whole looks good, particularly in IMAX. It’s clear a lot of time that money and manpower went into the making of this thing, and while you’ll see all that hard work right up there on the screen, you’ll also wonder why there are so many the gaping plot holes and severe lapses of logic. Even though this is a superhero movie and many fans are simply going in for the big superhero smackdown, there are rules that need to be followed. And most of the time, “Dawn of Justice” isn’t at all interested in following them.

Why isn’t Superman tearing into Batman’s armor like tinfoil? Why does Supes bust the Batmobile in half, offer threatening words to the Dark Knight, and promptly soar off into the night sky as the real bad guys make their get away?

(Spoiler alert!) Why is Kevin Costner back in such an unnecessary capacity? Why is Lois Lane seemingly all-knowing when she isn’t even really privy to any of the late movie conversations that would allow her to have such knowledge? How is it that Batman and Superman go from being bitter enemies to besties in a matter of seconds? I suppose that last one can be summed up in one word: “Martha.”

And how about the introduction of a second big bad in the final act? A fan favorite’s only real reason for existence in this movie is so that Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman can fight him in a ridiculously over-bloated (and overly long) battle. I guess it could be argued that this stuff is par for the course. Still, villain No. 2 in “Batman v Superman”  has about as much meaningful impact and importance in this picture as Venom did in “Spider-Man 3.”

In addition to all the dazzling set pieces in “Dawn of Justice,” it’s clear that Snyder wanted to address the criticism that Superman must be held accountable for the destruction in “Man of Steel.” While it’s admirable that he weaves this criticism directly into the very fabric of this movie, it should be noted that he does it in a far less compelling way than Brad Bird did with “The Incredibles” over a decade ago.

Where superhero movies go, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” is certainly far less dull than that recent “Fantastic Four” redo. Furthermore, it’s far more entertaining than the campy abomination that is Joel Schumacher’s “Batman and Robin.” Still, there are many squandered opportunities here, and “Dawn of Justice” lacks the joy, camaraderie, and wonderful character beats that have elevated recent Marvel works to such glorious heights. Not that I’m trying to start a war between Marvel and DC fans. I’m simply calling it like I see it.

Here’s hoping that Snyder can iron things out in his back-to-back “Justice League” films because it takes more than names alone to sell cinematic adaptations of such beloved properties. It also takes a lot of heart and a true understanding of these characters and their audience.