By Shivani Sanghani, Public Relations Manager
Zack Snyder’s “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” stuns audiences with its exploding melodrama between the unstoppable all-time number one and two-rated crime-fighting duo, the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight. In this first live action film to feature both Batman and Superman, in addition to Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and the Flash, criminal mastermind Lex Luthor manipulates Batman into a “preemptive battle” with Superman, whom Luthor is obsessed with defeating.
This superhero film picks up where Snyder’s “Man of Steel” (2013) left us pondering. In midst of the epic brawl between Superman and General Zod of Krypton, Bruce Wayne/Batman resolves to quash Superman’s legacy.
As the Caped Crusader, Ben Affleck delivers a noteworthy performance, yet his rendition of the timeless character has been met with mixed reviews. Nonetheless, he brilliantly delivers as the Dark Knight, despite being no Christian Bale.
One of the film’s most fundamental flaw is its lack of heart: “there seems to be an essential lack of understanding of what those characters are about…You need more than just pictures—you need characterization,” film director Kevin Smith said on his podcast on the “Hollywood Babble-On.”
Despite the splendid visual styling and spectacle, the blockbuster falls short of the focused, compelling narratives of such iconic Justice League characters. Filled with a dour tone and overtly complex plot twists, “Batman v Superman” is a mere “buttress” of power and gut. Merely a visual spectacle, “Dawn of Justice” is overstuffed with actors, plot and mayhem.
Nevertheless, the mega blockbuster has its scintillating perks: an immortal Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot). Cynthia Fuchs of “PopMatters” said, “Wonder Woman remains ‘Batman v Superman’s’ most compelling story, precisely because it’s untold.”
This superhero mash-up triumphs in its visual grandeur and cinematography yet fails to intelligently portray some of our nation’s most beloved heroes of all time.
Shivani Sanghani can be reached at [email protected].
