Let me clarify before I begin that I am not a Superman fan, never have been. However, the reboot of the Superman movies by Christopher Nolan caught my eye and so did the new Superman (Henry Cavill). I actually liked Man of Steel, prequel to Batman vs Superman for its take on Superman’s story, I thought it was very well done since I could move beyond my usual block (A pair of specs cannot work as a disguise, how can they not see, etc etc). Batman on the other hand, has always been one of my favourite superheroes because he does what he does without the fear of mortality and yet I wasn’t very fond of Christan Bale as Batman.
Now, coming to this movie, I found Ben Affleck very convincing as the older, mature, been- there-done-that, sceptical Batman. I really don’t understand why people are giving him such a hard time. In Ben Affleck, you see a nuanced Bruce Wayne and you can really feel sorry for the wealthy, erstwhile playboy. Henry Cavil is consistent with his performance, an alien or God if you will and yet vulnerable like lesser mortals. I like the fact that Superman is shown to feel, to actually care, it is not only about being righteous. Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor was disappointing, high expectations quashed, the character overdone.
The movie could’ve been great if not for the weak plot, it had all the makings of a blockbuster- 2 iconic superheroes, a cameo from Wonder Woman, that’s already 3 sets of fan bases to tap, a sneak peek at other superheroes from the DC universe- The Flash, Aquaman (he is often spoofed in various media…I feel sorry for him) and Cyborg. Wonder Woman is limited to a cameo and unnecessary party scenes that could’ve been utilized to explore her character further. Lois Lane actually has a meatier role than Wonder Woman and it is very aptly played by Amy Adams.
Bottom line, based on the storyline, I would say the movie was average (70%), I don’t think Batman would ever consider eliminating anyone (man/woman or superhero) without thorough investigation. Batman would never have such a myopic view, that really betrays his intellect and is hard to digest. At one point, I found myself horrified because poor Lois Lane was mediating between Superman and Batman. If only the two would’ve talked, they needed a woman to clear the air between them. I couldn’t believe it! Overall, considering the acting, dialogues and so on, I would say the movie touches 80% . I don’t regret watching it but it doesn’t inspire me either.
PS: By the way, the new “Alfred” looks like an older version of Robert Downey Jr and seems to have his sass too.
Fyuree Scribbling 