Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Movie Review

I just saw Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Friday night and thought I'd post my review of it here mainly just with the pros and cons. First lets start with what I didn't like or the cons which are really only 2 things but they're worth noting IMO especially since the first con really affected the overall score I gave the movie.

Cons:
1. My biggest problem with the movie (and I've noticed a lot of other reviewers believe the same thing which I now understand) was that it was a bit too long and drawn out at times with the movie taking too much of its time building up the story and not enough time showcasing more super hero action which is what this movie needed more of. As result of this movie decision, the quality of the movie does suffer and I even found myself a few times saying in my mind: "can we get to the action already?!"

Mind you, I LOVE character driven movies and stories but the way this movie was marketed it seemed like you would get an actual Batman vs Superman action movie for the most part but that's simply not the case and because of this the movie was ranked lower in score for me. Nevertheless, the build up for as long as it is does however in the end pay off so it was overall worth the wait and I'll get into to that in my pros section.

2. Is not really a deal breaker more like a nitpick or annoyance more than anything but it involves the portrayal of Batman. Mind you, Affleck as Batman is fantastic and he IMO is the best Batman and Bruce Wayne we've seen on the silver screen to date however showing him to be be as lethal (yes you read that right) as he was at times in the movie wasn't something I wanted to see from this version of Batman. Even though this Batman is heavily based off The Dark Knight Returns version of the character I still would've liked it better if they had Batman stick to his morals like he does in continuity and still come off as the scary and badass dark knight we know and love. Again, this didn't really affect my score of the movie it's just a minor annoyance more than anything.


Pros:
1. The movie has has the BEST action and visuals I've seen in a super hero movie without question. I don't say this lightly since I've seen all the major super hero movies but this movie no doubt has them all beaten including the previous battle in Smallville as shown in the Man of Steel movie. Every action scene had my complete attention and kept me entertained and even smiling sometimes while watching.

2. Alfred. Definitely the supporting role highlight of film and probably my new favorite version of the character who's both a butler and tech guru in this movie. He also delivers some of the most funny and meaningful lines in the movie making his character even better then we've ever seen him before in a movie.

3. Superman. Was shown to be very powerful yet down to earth guy which is how I've always seen the character and how he's portrayed in the previous Man of Steel movie. The way they portray Superman in the end battle is very true to the core of the character and a well done fan service to one of my favorite Superman story arcs.

4. Batman. What can I say... other than Ben Affleck IS Batman and embodies both him and the Bruce Wayne (an older Bruce) character perfectly. His fight scenes are not only some of the best in the movie but they're fast, brutal, and they actually show him using martial arts skill. What I also loved about this take on Batman is that they actually made him seem scary (not just as a badass) and it shows when he's first introduced on the screen. He's no doubt now my favorite take on Batman in the movies and I now look forward to seeming him in solo movies in the future.

5. Wonder Woman. I never thought I'd say this but she was actually my favorite thing about the movie even moreso than Batman (which is saying A LOT given how good Batman is as I just covered). Even though she only played a small part in the movie, her grand entrance and fight scene really made up for some of the downsides of the this movie and it actually gave me goosebumps seeing her for the first time in action and in a movie. If you're worried that Wonder Woman won't be able stand up to Batman and Superman as characters (or won't be able to shine next to them) you shouldn't be since she plays a very important part at the end. As a matter of fact, Wonder Woman actually got the most positive reaction from the audience of people in the theater I was in which is saying a lot since she's not in the film that much. All I can is, seeing this movie actually made me appreciate Wonder Woman more as a character and super hero and now I'm REALLY looking forward to her solo movie just as much as Affleck's solo Batman movie(s).


Neutral:

Lex Luthor. While I didn't hate this character, I can't say I liked him either since this version of the character was nothing like the ruthless business man/brilliant scientist that we know him to be. In this movie, Luthor is creepy yet a dangerously intelligent cold hearted villain who comes across as over the top a bit much for my taste. However, he serves his purpose well in the end as the evil mastermind of the movie so I can't complain.

Lois Lane. Really didn't make or break this movie for me but like Luthor she serves her purpose well as Superman's main supporting character.

As far as the Batman vs Superman fight itself goes, I'll say this if you enjoyed the Dark Knight Returns battle they had you'll probably love the battle they have in this movie which goes back and forth with both heroes dominating each other at different points of their battle. With that said, I think once you see the Trinity battle scene you'll enjoy that fight much more and even geek out seeing these character come to life on screen.

Overall, while I thoroughly enjoyed this movie I can't say I loved it or that it was a masterpiece like I have for some other comic book/super hero movies I've seen. However, I will say I left the theater well pleased from what I saw and would see it again and will be buying it when the R-rated version is released on Blu Ray.

I rate it a 8.5/10.