WARNING: This contains spoilers from Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice

(Picture: Warner Bros)

You get the impression that the critics have been sharpening their knives for a long time in preparation for Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice.

With its $410 million budget, unwieldy title and the shadow of Man Of Steel still looming large, there was always going to be a big target on the back of Zack Snyder’s latest foray into the ever-expanding DC Universe.

As the first reviews came in the cynics seemed to have been proven right, that this movie had utterly failed to live up to its pedigree.




Except maybe this time around the critics completely missed the point. That Snyder had in fact made a movie that embraces the world of comic books in a way that no other director has ever dared to.

Eschewing the gritty realism of Christopher Nolan’s Batman series Snyder instead presents us with a Caped Crusader closer to his comic book counterpart than anyone else has ever managed to capture on screen.

Think of it this way. Christian Bale’s ’emo Batman’ was so wracked with whiney self-doubt that he took an eight-year sabbatical from crime fighting, something that had legions of Bat-Fans up in arms all over the world.

Bat-Fleck however is a completely different animal. He’s larger than life, as the character should be, an urban legend given flesh. He displays the scars of past victories and defeats proudly, much like the costume of his own fallen sidekick. Sorry guys, no Robin this time around.

(Picture: Warner Bros)

He’s someone that the audience can get behind, both in and out of the costume. Bruce Wayne’s brief interactions with Diana Prince, the alter ego of Gal Gadot’s already superlative Wonder Woman, are so full of fun and potential that you can’t wait to see how these characters will continue to evolve.

Speaking of secondary characters we can’t ignore Batman’s ever-faithful manservant. Because while Michael Caine’s Alfred is enjoying a Fernet-Branca in some Italian palazzo, Jeremy Irons’ more rugged Mr. Pennyworth seems to be the true brains of the operation, as he aids Master Wayne in his war on Gotham’s underworld.

However most important for the thrust of this film is that this Batman is a hero so consumed by the righteousness of his cause that he’s willing to challenge a veritable god in a red cape.

And what of the aforementioned Man of Steel? While many have been quick to dismiss the last son of Krypton as merely window dressing in this movie, Henry Cavill unfairly attracting much of the negative press, they willfully ignore the significance of his role in developing the film’s tone.

(Picture: Warner Bros)

He portrays Superman as a genuinely problematic messianic character, one that allows Snyder to explore the role of superheroes in a surprisingly thoughtful way.



It’s Lex Luthor himself who puts it best, that ‘If god is all powerful he can’t possibly be all good, and if he’s not all powerful he can’t possibly be god.’

This dialectic of god vs. man, good vs. evil, night vs. day is ever present throughout this film. Of course you could argue that these motifs are often used in a heavy-handed fashion, but what do you expect in a movie where grown men wear gaudy costumes, and seek to right the world’s wrongs with their fists?

This movie is a rock opera, massive in scale and scope of its ambition. It paints its characters large, its themes are overblown, its visuals are lush and at times make no sense. But that doesn’t matter, because you’re meant to experience it with your heart, not your head.

Add to this Snyder’s amazing ability to capture action sequences in a way that far surpasses anything that’s ever appeared in rival superhero franchises. You can almost feel the crunch of bones, the taste of blood, the smell of cordite as our heroes fight their way through scores of real world enemies, not the disposable CGI puppets that dominate Marvel’s Avengers.

Then there’s the much maligned dream sequences in the movie, which I’ll admit can prove confusing to a non-comic book fan, but still provide some of the most interesting moments of the film.

Snyder is always seeking to visualise our character’s hopes and fear in a way that’s so much more effective than what long, expositional speeches (another Nolan trait) can ever achieve. Film is a visual medium after all, one that is always served best by showing something, not describing it.

(Picture: Warner Bros)

I know that the claim that this is the best superhero movie ever made is a bold one, but not when you really think it through.


Iron Man and Iron Man 3 are excellent films, but Tony Stark isn’t really a superhero. In fact those movies feel more like Bond in battle armour, in the best possible way of course.

And while The Dark Knight remains the benchmark of excellence for many, can a movie defined by a single breath-taking performance really hold the top spot? In my mind it’s currently the best movie about a supervillain, though that might all change with the release of Suicide Squad later this year.

It really comes down to this. If you want realism, go see an Ibsen play. If you want nuance then Charlie Kaufman’s Amomalisa is still on screens. But if you want your brain to be punched by the fist of justice go see Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

MORE: LISTEN: Full Batman V Superman soundtrack released online

MORE: 10 reasons Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice is a disappointment

MORE: The Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice reviews are in and it’s not looking good