by Matt Sernaker, Managing Editor

Batman and Superman are unquestionably two of the biggest characters in popular culture. With legacies spanning over 75 years, these two have fought against the forces of evil in DC Comics, and have spawned numerous live action and animated incarnations. Now these two timeless heroes are about to collide in Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the first of the anticipated DC Extended Universe series. It’s been a long road since the initial trailer Batman v Superman trailer was released at Comic-Con in 2013. One of the most exciting industry moments of that year was when the Batman and Superman logos collided in Hall H, making fans stand up and cheer with anticipation. Now the feature film is finally here, will the final product invoke the same response from audiences?

This review includes minor spoilers. You have been warned.

The Heroes

While this might be a sequel to Man of Steel, it is Batman and Wonder Woman who really make this release memorable. Ben Affleck (Argo) dawns the cape and cowl for the first time, and he masterfully balances the dual identities of Bruce Wayne and Batman. Previous actors have always had challenges with personifying both of these aspects of the role, and I feel like Affleck is the first one to truly get it right. Batman is heavily inspired by Frank Miller’s “Dark Knight Returns”, as well as Jim Lee’s recent comic designs. Snyder was able to capture his movements in a way that feels like they are leaping off the page. This is also a Batman who is keen on using his detective skills, and isn’t afraid to run into danger. My only minor issue with this version of Batman is that he had no qualm with using guns. Batman’s aversion to guns has been a defining character trait for decades, and I wish they taken that into consideration with this release.

Gal Gadot (The Fast and the Furious Franchise) makes her first appearance as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince, and the Amazon Warrior makes her presence well known. While she is more of a B-Character in this story, her involvement leads to some of the more visually impressive battle sequences. After seeing her brief time in this film, I am very confident that she can be done well in a stand alone feature.

Henry Cavill (Man of Steel) returns to the role of Superman/Clark Kent, but once again, we really don’t spend much time at all with Clark. The last film focused more on Superman and ignored his humanity, and this film barely scratches the surface of why Superman is such an important figure in the comic world. This is not any fault of Cavill’s, but they have managed to make this bright and shiny hero into such a dark and brooding character.

The Villains

One major component of the film that did not work for me on any level was Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network) as Lex Luthor. This character felt convoluted and out of place, and his interpretation was just…odd. While i’m glad that Lex wasn’t after owning land in this movie (his focus in the previous Superman movies), I really wanted a cunning businessman and viable threat for the Man of Steel. Lex Luthor is a genius, but his actions have always been focused on protecting humanity from alien threats. While there is an element of that character present, Eisenberg embodies a character that is more of a mix between Lex and The Joker (think about how Jim Carrey portrayed the Riddler in Batman Forever).

If you’ve seen the trailers, then you already know that Doomsday is the big bad that the Trinity must face by the end of the film. I will be the first to admit, the character does look much better on the big screen, and does have an evolution. Comic fans will be happy to know that the character does eventually look more in line with his comic book counterpart (just be patient). While I wasn’t a fan of the method that they chose for his creation in the film, the results did make for an impressive third act.

The Challenges

Plot holes and inconsistencies abound in Batman v Superman, and it ultimately detracts from what could have been an epic adventure. While the film clocks in at 2hours 33mins, the story manages to be unfocused and leaves you feeling unsatisfied. It feels like there are countless missing scenes that are needed to make the story flow, and without them, the pacing and storytelling is left feeling disjointed. We are given some interesting visuals, (the current state of Wayne Manor and a certain costume are just some items that come to mind), but we really don’t receive much in the way of payoff.

We know DC and WB really want a Justice League movie (and they want it NOW), but they don’t want to take the time to organically built to that payoff. We also know that there are several cameos scattered throughout this release, and honestly, only one of these appearances managed to excite me (hint: he talks to fish). Bruce Wayne’s random visions might be setup for future stories, but they had no place in this film, and ended up making the story more convoluted than it needed to be…There are many forced elements that it will really hurt your head if you think about it.

Marketing

Let’s talk about marketing for a moment. Trailers have the potential to make or break a movie. In the case of Batman v Superman, they gave away a significant amount of the plot (like 80% or more). There are still several big twists that have not been spoiled, but I still felt like I had already seen the movie before sitting in the theater. In addition to the marketing choices, Zack Snyder himself gave away a huge (and extremely specific) spoiler on where and when The Flash would first appear in the film. This information detracted from the actual arrival on screen, and I wish that the Director hadn’t given away what could have been a memorable moment.

Visuals and Designs

Regardless of the story challenges, if you are going to see this film, I would still see it in IMAX. The set designs, costumes, and cinematography are well suited for this format. The design and utilization of the Batmobile was one of my favorite parts of the movie. Forget about the Tumbler design from the Nolan Films, this new design is virtually unstoppable.

In the comic industry, there are moments called “splash pages”. These are multi-page layouts that focus on one specific intense visual, that will draw the reader in and provide a memorable sequence in extreme detail. There are several of these moments scattered throughout Batman v Superman (the gathering of the Trinity of heroes, Batman and Superman face to face on the rooftop) and these moments will definitely make you feel like a kid again.

Overall

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice could have been a great story to kick start the DC Extended Universe, but unfortunately, it fails on many levels. All the ingredients required to make a legendary film are present in this latest incarnation (iconic characters, fantastic costume designs, and impressive special effects), but even the best ingredients can go to waste if the overall recipe is bad. There is an important missing ingredient to this film: THE FUN. There are only a handful of moments where anyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, and it is very apparent to the audience. With that being said, is the film still worth seeing? The answer is yes…but go in with extremely low expectations.

I will leave you with this final note: when only one person in an audience of 400 people applauded at the end of a blockbuster film like this… you have a serious problem.

ComicsOnline gives Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice 2.5 out of 5 batarangs (and that is only because of the great choices with Batman and Wonder Woman).