Have you ever heard of the saying, “Don’t put your eggs in one basket?” In the economic world, it simply means that you hinge all your bets on one thing. Yet, this is what DC is hoping for with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Fraught with an uphill battle where Marvel is already winning by miles, Zack Snyder and the folks over at DC Comics hopes to jumpstart the DC Extended Universe by packing everything but the kitchen sink into one blockbuster.
You know what? They might have done just that.
I attended the very first IMAX press screening of BvS last night. All I can say is… wow. If you were one of the many fans who were skeptical about the movie, let’s lay those worries to rest. BvS exceeds expectations. How? Let’s break it down (without spoilers, of course).
First of all, the trailers threw the biggest red herring of all. In the second one, we were all introduced to the movie’s surprise villain—Doomsday. Talk about spoiling the surprise. Luckily, Doomsday’s trailer reveal wasn’t movie-breaking at all. To paraphrase Snyder himself, there’s plenty more movie than what the trailer lets loose. Expect some twists and turns for the whole duration of the movie.
The story is originally made for the movie. It doesn’t adapt existing material but it is loosely inspired by other works. Superman is obviously following the route established by Man of Steel. Batman, on the other hand, is inspired by the tired, I’ve-seen-it-all vigilante of The Dark Knight Returns. Bats, the rest of the Gotham crew, and its rogues gallery aren’t explored in the film, but they do appear through passing references. Well, just to be clear, BvS contains several references to previous and upcoming material. Keep your eyes peeled.
Despite fitting three superheroes, two villains, loads of supporting casts, and several cameos, most of the movie’s threads were neatly tied at the end, with the exception of some plot points it left open for the other sequels.
The inevitable end fight scene looked like something lifted straight out of a comic book. I’ve seen extraordinary fights before, but this felt like how a superhuman fight should be. The end scenes were long, but were so brimming with action that I didn’t even notice that the fights have been going on for a long time. Without giving anything away, even the denouement was crafted to perfection. A lot of comic book movies essentially end as soon as the bad guy is defeated, but BvS created an ending that tugged at more heartstrings that I ever saw coming from a comic book movie.
The movie’s standout performances were Ben Affleck (who, despite his generally stoic demeanor, nailed Batman), Gal Gadot (and Wonder Woman’s amazing entrance), and Jesse Eisenberg (despite lacking a little bit more screen time and development). Props also go to Jeremy Irons for perfectly playing a sarcastic Alfred Pennyworth.
Speaking of, Alfred plays the man behind the curtain of Batman’s gizmos. In the movie, Batman wasn’t decked out in Ironman-like gear, but what he does have is enough to go toe-to-toe with Superman himself. Yes, I’m talking about the “Hulkbuster” Batsuit. The movie has a total of three Batsuits. Best part? No Batnipples!
The cinematography was classic Zack Snyder. Each scene was a work of art. For reference, see 300, Watchmen, and Sucker Punch. They may not be the best examples when it comes to overall quality, but the way they were shot was so beautiful. Even with CGI, BvS follows the same route. Gotham and Metropolis stood out with their darker palettes, iconic of DC’s direction. I’d even say that several scenes were peppered with symbolisms.
Beware of the lens flare, though. Snyder overdid the lights. Some uses were stunning, but several were just distracting. There was a car chase scene that was just blinding because of the light and the enormous amount of lens flare.
The music was composed by Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL. The score is epic and memorable as befits two of the biggest composers in modern movie magic. Just listen to the fight music.
As for IMAX, go for it if that’s your thing. Rather than using cheap tricks, the 3D element added a lot more depth to the movie. But by no means is it a requirement. BvS works perfectly well in 2D format. It’s all up to you.
Verdict: 9.5/10. Don’t miss this wonderful film! I thought Deadpool was hard to top, but after seeing Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Marvel finally has their work cut out for them. DC is back in top form and they’re showing no signs of slowing down. Justice League can’t come any sooner.
(Lifesaver tip: Don’t fall into the Marvel syndrome. There are no mid- or post-credits scenes attached to the movie.)
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