Hello my dears!
This is going to be my first review in English. I'll try doing these in both languages in the future whenever I feel like it....
Yesterday, I watched a movie that I have been expecting eagerly ever since it was announced. And there it is: the big "but" which prevents me writing a more positive review. My expectations were high. Maybe, I should start at the beginning...
Before that: I will in due course of this blog give a distinct "from this point on there will be spoilers warning". Until that point this review is spoilerfree and fairly general. Whoever continues after the warning can't complain about being spoilered. As I said before: The warning will be highly visible.
This review is about Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. Trailer and further Infos on Cast & Crew here (link leads to the film's page on IMDB).
Well...
I love Superman since I've been 7. I got to know him as Christopher Reeve's interpretation and was fond of this character.
Batman, I like for roughly the same time. It was the series with Adam West, that made me exited for the hero of Gotham City.
Nevertheless, I also like the newer interpretations. Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney and above all Christian Bale gave Batman/Bruce Wayne many facets (yes, even Clooney ;-) ).
It felt like I was one of the few who weren't horrified when Ben Affleck was announced to be the next Batman. I saw the potential this actor brought to the role. An actor who advanced in his acting skills ever since his first, rather failed attempts. I was looking forward to 'Batfleck'. Really!
It was the same with Superman/Clark Kent. I even liked Brandon Routh's Superman/Kal-El/Clark Kent even though he wasn't ideal, as was Dean Cain's... Of Henry Cavill's 'Man of Steel' I was delighted!
So it was logical for me to champ at the bit of my childhood heroes to team-up.
Well, I knew that Superman and Batman would over time become "Best Buddies". But I also knew (having read Frank Miller's "Return of the Dark Knight" ;-) ) that they also had their issues with another.
Thus, my expectations ran high.
My expectations to the movie based on the trailer (I kept clear of further information, making-of's or interviews on purpose) were enormously grand. Mainly, my expectations were (negatively) that too much emphasis would be brought on the conflict situation of the Heroes.
My hopes (as they were before watching the movie) were:
- That the conflict would have been doctored with and stoked by a third party (I knew, Lex Luthor would be in this movie). I hoped, Superman and Batman would realize that early on and team-up against this third party.
- I hoped to see more of the bromance/friendship of the two as they both to fight the same fight only from opposing directions (Superman fighting for the good, Batman fighting against the evil in the world).
The movie itself became ... TOO MUCH.
Too much pathos. It was downright trickling from the screen.
Too many grand images strung together without actually supporting any plot.
Too much colossal music that enhanced the images into infinity and threatened to overwhelm the audience.
LOOK HERE! FEEL THAT! HERE...THERE... PLEASE NOTE XYZ!!!
Bleargh!
And an outstanding final battle. Outstanding 30 minutes that didn't pay up for a disapointing ending and the rest of the 120 minutes run time.
Conclusion:
7 of 10 Points. (Because I recognize the potential in the movie. I was disapointed but the movie isn't bad per se. And because of Ben Affleck's Batman)
My recommendation: Save your money on the 3D-Version. Two, maybe three scenes that were great in 3D don't actually justify the extra-fee. It is a movie made for the big screen, so don't wait till you can watch it on your telly or computer-screen. Maybe a lot got lost in dubbing. I realize relatively often, that movies and series are influenced a lot by interpretation, translation and dubbing...
So. That was the spoilerfree part. I would love to read your opinion on my review and on the movie. Please be fair and give spoiler-warnings, if you do spoiler things in the comments.
+++++ WARNING +++++ WARNING +++++ WARNING +++++ WARNING +++++
HERE I DO SOME STRAIT TALKING
FROM HERE ON THERE WILL BE SPOILERS
+++++ WARNING +++++ WARNING +++++ WARNING +++++ WARNING +++++
You had been warned...
I was conscious of the fact that the movie would be centered around the "old question" of how to stop a Superbeing. How can a human (without superpowers) cope with the potential danger that a Superbeing, a divine Being poses?
Those questions are legit:
- Who guarantees that Superman will never do something 'we' humans wouldn't want to?
- Wo guarantees that Superman won't succumb to the seduction of power and might?
- Who'll help 'us' if 'our' heroes turn against 'us'?
Yes, the conflict of Batman (human) vs. Superman (God/divine/Superbeing) ist understandable and even necessary. But why on earth couldn't they talk??? If Superman had from his outing onward presented himself and his course to the committee, explained his point of view and motivation, the potential for conflict would have been less. Well... considering the struggle man vs. God, this couldn't be, could it? But a certain degree of openness would have done a lot of good.
Unfortunately, Superman had been pushed way to much into the "Alien"-corner. HELLOOOO... in 'Man of Steel' it's a grown and adult Clark Kent who learns of Krypton and his legacy and 'his world'. Wouldn't it be logical for Clark, even 18 months after the events of 'Man of Steel' to still feel relatively 'human-ish'?! He has been living 'here', amongst 'us' ever since he was a child. Even if he never was a human... He wasn't that much outside society to actually feel alienated.
This is one of the major points that I have against this movie's Superman. He isn't the force for good that he should be and always has been. He is constantly depicted as this Superbeing that floats above humans. And even in the few scenes as Clark Kent he appears to be so ... dehumanized.
Well, to support the conflict, Superman is ignoring the attempts on a dialogue and is repeatedly seen acting like a god. Of course, this strengthens his critics and they rightfully so, ask: How does God (Superman) decide who lives, who dies?
So having Superman ignore all tries to talk to/about him heightens the conflict-situation. It's understanding for the course of the movie but poorly done.
This is as much as I can say about Superman in this film. Actually it is a movie about Batman. And I am amazed of (at?) Batfleck. I was positively excited to see Ben Affleck wearing the costume and the role, especially considering that Christian Bale left huge footprints to fill.
I liked, that the Dark Knight sees himself as a criminal. Why? Well, strictly speaking, he is a criminal:
- Vigilantism is illegal.
- He tortures and brands other criminals to gain information.
- He no longer is the (relative) harmless law enforcer Adam West was.
Now... My favorite "Bad guy". Alexander Luthor. Brought to live superbly by Jesse Eisenberg. The insanity, boiling so close to the surface *applause* very good! I had hoped to see more of him and I was right. He did spur on the general conflict of Batman and Superman. Even though the "guys" realize his involvement in the end. A worthy successor of Kevin Spacey's Lex Luthor.
A small negative detail: How on earth did Luthor find out about Superman's alter ego Clark Kent?!
Whom have I overlooked so far? Whom mustn't I forget? Yes. Diana Prince/Wonder Woman. Her jump into the action brought on the fantastic 30 minutes eingeläutet I talked about. During the whole movie, I was disapointed to only glimpse her in the periphery. But when she enters the final battle... BAMM! Really good move!
The hints on the Justice-League throughout the movie were - well - necessary. This movie is called "Dawn of Justice" for a reason. I'm really eager to see this story arc to unfold further.
Less time on and less pathos in general, but a tiny bit more screen time for the members of the future Justice League would have been great!
Whom I did think to be really annoying: Lois Lane. Not the tough journalist who interviews terrorists in a desert, but the Mary Sue she was in the final battle... She always was at the right place at the right time and - of course - Superman hears her knocking on concrete wreckage amidst explosions and falling debris and rubble... Meeh!
So: A little less pathos, A bit more logic and this movie would have earned 8 or even 9 points.
That's it. Until next review,
your's
McHeidy
Sources of pictures used:
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm3547601664/tt2975590?ref_=ttmi_mi_all_pos_103
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm3252165376/tt2975590?ref_=ttmi_mi_all_pos_104
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm3235388160/tt2975590?ref_=ttmi_mi_all_pos_105
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm120265216/tt2975590?ref_=ttmi_mi_all_pos_107
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm3281510656/tt2975590?ref_=ttmi_mi_all_pos_112
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm3247956224/tt2975590?ref_=ttmi_mi_all_pos_113
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm3247956224/tt2975590?ref_=ttmi_mi_all_pos_114
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2497171200/tt2975590?ref_=ttmi_mi_all_pos_118
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