Well - the verdict is out.
It's been universally slaughtered and everyone seems to have an opinion about it.
First -let me divide all each and type of reviewer and then I'll tell you why this movie just doesn't work.
It's been universally slaughtered and everyone seems to have an opinion about it.
First -let me divide all each and type of reviewer and then I'll tell you why this movie just doesn't work.
1) People who see it with an open mind, love comics and have no loyalties towards either DC or Marvel. I think the people in this group mostly comprise of that lot. Majority of Indians love Spidey as much as Batman. We don't cut one to praise the other - we love them all. But if you give your honest opinion - then your are branded a DC loyalist or Marvel conspiracist.
2) Marvel fans who watch it with open kukris ready to stab DC to death.
3) DC fanboys who won't accept that this movie is a damp squib.
4) Some people, who just have no idea about Frank Miller or Jeph Loeb or Bill Finger or Bob Kane and they just go to watch the special effects or how cute Superman is or how sexy Wonderwoman is -- They wouldn't care less if this was Krish returns!!!
5) There is even a 5th type of people, who wait and read all the reviews and then after watching the movie a little later come up with a review which is not mainstream - they essentially go against the flow e.g. they will try and say Batman Vs Superman is actually a good movie and everyone else is nuts!!!!
I think I belong somewhere too. But I have been trying to figure it out myself because this movie has got me thoroughly confused.
Why is it so bad? And Snyder- hope you read this.......
Let's begin at the premise.. the sowing of the seeds of hatred between Batman and Superman.
- Snyder begins with this gigantic set piece of the Battle between General Zod and Superman, which kills a few close people of Bruce Wayne, as the whole city is nearly destroyed. Bruce Wayne is treated to this massive destruction and feels so much power in the hands of one mad is bad and he should be brought down. The seeds are germinated. Such a foolish thought!!! He literally terrorizes a city and takes down criminals with his fists and guns but he has to be self-righteous when it comes to Superman. Be grateful!! u dumb Bat - If Supes didn't bring down Zod - Earth wouldn't have been no more. Hence - the very seed of hatred seems stupid because fanboys can't believe Bruce Wayne - the greatest detective on Earth being swayed over this. His motivations seem pretty hypocritical if you analyze everything a little minutely.
- The second scene of young Bruce walking home with his parents on that fateful night is infinitely the highlight of this movie. Brilliantly storyboarded - it's wonderful!!! The correct reference points being Mask of Zorro and also a wonderful Coming Soon next week of " Excalibur" shining through. It's probably one of the wettest dream sequences of Batman fanboys. Sometimes you felt like squealing with joy but still there are some weaknesses. The mugging killing scene is shot on an open street with traffic, which makes it a tad bit weaker.
- Then what happens - it settles into the Superman track which is bland, boring and bleak. The plotline is so childish that we just wish we are not put through the motions of Lois Lane investigating and his boyfriend superhero dropping in to save her at the right moment. He saves Lois but lets the key baddies escape in the first scene of the movie, which he could have easily done - but he doesn't - Do you know why because Goyer is writing a serious story, which is a telling commentary of our times.
- Soon afterward we are exposed to Lex Luthor, which is actually a poor man's version of his Smallville rip off meets Mark Zuckerburg. Jesse Eisenberg tries to be Joker, Lex Luthor, Brainiac, Two-Face - everything all at once and fails miserably and keeps on failing and falling till the last frame of the movie. You just hate his version of Lex Luthor and remember the good old days of Gene Hackman and Kevin Spacey but the fact is no one has played Luthor well till now. No one and Jesse doesn't do it either - In fact he is not Luthor - he is a loser!!!
- Now lets switch to Batman stream. We have one of the eeriest Batman intros ever as two cops go to investigate a house to discover a human trafficking racket. Its a world where the victims are equally scared of Batman as the villains as he employs extreme measures to bring them to justice as "he is the Goddamn Batman" Lets not even get to the inspiratations- Thats not Snyder's cup of tea. It's Frank Miller and All Star Batman & Robin. How do we make Batman fresh and original. Make him darker and nastier and people will say "WOW!!! What a stroke of genius" We even see through that piece of originality but it definitely makes for the scariest opening sequence for Batman. It is bound to give me sleepless nights for sure. The Cop nearly blows up his buddy, scared to his wits seeing Batman. Its frankly the greatest opening sequence and probably one of the best moments of the movie.
- Meanwhile we have the deep dry drama playing out with Superman being framed for a crime he didn't commit and Lois Lane playing the intrepid reporter trying to prove him innocent and Supes is so distressed and depressed because he is a good guy - Boo! Hoo!! Lex Luthor is already up to his tricks trying to harness the power of Kryptonite but somehow in this imbroglio, Clark Kent gets time to notice the masked vigilante terrorizing Gotham and would rather follow that story up, instead of pursuing the Sports section.
Its just bad - Flashpoint or not!!!! I just don't feel like writing anything more!!!! Its not worth wasting my time on!!!
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