While Man of Steel was a good step, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was a giant leap into the DC Cinematic Universe, and it was nothing short of incredible. In my humble opinion, the fans are finally getting a great DC movie that is the perfect lead into The Justice League. There were even a few teasers for their stand alone movies as well.
One of the things that I noticed in Batman v Superman was how quick Batman’s introduction was. It was perfect. I would say the majority of people know Batman’s story at this point, and the intro gave just enough in case anyone didn’t remember his origin. This also helped to not bog down the movie with another origin story. Ben Affleck was another great Batman and an even better Bruce Wayne. I never doubted that he could do it, and I’m glad he proved me right.
One of the best reasons to go see this movie is Wonder Woman. Arguably DC’s most famous female superhero is finally getting her chance to shine, and shine she does. Gal Gadot is such a wonderful addition to this cast. Again, there were worries that she would be able to step into the very large shoes of the Amazon Warrior, but I’d say so far, she’s nailed it. I doubt fans will be disappointed at her showing in Batman v Superman, and this will only help to sell people on a solo Wonder Woman movie (if they weren’t already!).
The one casting choice that I was shaky about was Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor. I wasn’t sure how I would like a young Lex who still has a head full of hair. Jesse Eisenberg did a great job convincing me that he’s truly evil and needs to be stopped. I enjoyed his story line as well as his confident and nutty demeanor.
With all of the characters crashing Superman’s sequel, it’s obvious that there’s a chance for the screen to become too crowded. We’ve seen this way too many times in our other superhero movies, but this time is different. Somehow, I didn’t think that the screen was just overloaded with characters. The entire team behind Batman v Superman really understood how to introduce some characters while only teasing others. It was a perfect balance for this mighty film.
Without giving any spoilers away, I will say that there were definitely deaths in this movie. How will that affect our characters moving forward? While potentially not being as dark as Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, the new direction of the DC cinematic universe is a very serious one. I am glad that they are taking a new approach. It seems to be working.
With a score by Hans Zimmer and direction by Zack Snyder, Batman v Superman is a cinematic experience for DC fans and casual moviegoers alike. The cinematography was wonderful and the sounds just transported me into the worlds of Gotham and Metropolis. It’s hard to not give away any spoilers, so I’ll spare you more of my rambling. If there’s anything left to say it’s this: go see Batman v Superman. Whether you’re a comic book fan or not, this movie has something in it for everyone. And if you’ve seen the other DC movies or read the comic books, there are some nice Easter Eggs and nods to those who have come before.
It sounds great.