The wait for the highly-anticipated Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice has been a long one, but it was well worth it. Not only did this year’s blockbuster give us two of the biggest movie characters of all time, but it also proved to be one of the best films of the year. The story of Bruce Wayne and his fight against Lex Luthor was filled with action and drama, and it culminated in one of the most exciting movie finales ever.
But now that the movie is out, it’s time to reflect on all the action and see what we can learn from the latest installment of one of the most popular superhero franchises.
The Good
As I mentioned above, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was an amazing movie. It met all of our expectations, and then some. The biggest strength of this movie is its plot and characterization. The story, while being filled with action and adventure, focused a lot on the personalities and relationships of the main characters. The script did an amazing job of bringing the heroes and villains to life, and the cast did an amazing job of bringing their characters to life. The performances were spectacular, and the chemistry between the two lead actors, Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill, was phenomenal. As a result, we were able to experience a rare superhero face-off like never before.
Another strength of this movie is its action and drama. This was a game-changer for the DC Extended Universe, as it finally proved that animated superhero movies can live up to the same standard of live-action movies. While the animation wasn’t perfect (more on that below), the action sequences were incredible, especially for someone like me, who hasn’t seen a whole lot of action in the movies. The fight scenes were also beautifully choreographed, and it was clear that much effort went into making them feel as real as possible.
The Bad
This is going to be a pretty unpopular opinion among the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice fanbase, but I have to say it: I did not like the movie very much. I know that a lot of people loved it, but I found the characters to be shallow and two-dimensional. Granted, there are a few good reasons for this. First off, this was the first time that we’d ever really gotten to see these characters interact with each other, so it was kind of a shocker that they didn’t seem to have much in common. Second, I felt that the movie was too long. It dragged on for way too long, especially the second half, which was filled with fight scenes and very little plot development. Third, I didn’t like how Batman was absent for the majority of the movie. Sure, we saw his silhouette through the window at the beginning and end of the movie, but otherwise he was almost non-existent. He only showed up to fight. Lastly, the CGI was absolutely atrocious in spots. There were so many times when I was watching it and thought to myself, “Wow, that looks really bad.” It’s almost as if the movie was made in a rush and very little was thought out. And the final nail in the coffin of this movie is that, overall, I felt like it was pretty dull. The story was uninspiring and lacked any real excitement.
What Does It Mean For the DCEU?
Ultimately, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice doesn’t just affect the DCEU, but it also influences comic book movies in general. For one thing, it proved that there is still some life left in the old golden age of comic book movies. While I loved some of the newer movies that came out this year (especially Black Panther and Deadpool), I feel that they didn’t measure up to the standard that Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice set. In other words, it’s safe to say that this is now the new golden age of comic book movies. Furthermore, if you compare it to 2017’s Wonder Woman, which was also directed by Patty Jenkins, you’ll see that it set a new bar for the DCEU and, most likely, made comic book movies as a whole a lot more interesting.
But beyond that, I feel like this movie answered a lot of questions about the DC Extended Universe, namely the relationship between Batman and Superman. For years, we’ve been wondering how these two iconic characters would react to each other, and this year’s movie showed us exactly how they would react. As a result, it made us care about how they would eventually square off against each other in a Justice League movie.
So, in summary, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was an amazing movie, and it changed a lot of things. Not only did it prove that animated superhero movies can live up to the same standard of live-action movies, but it was also the first major installment in a new golden age of comic book movies. To top it off, it also introduced us to the greatest super team ever: the Justice League.