IV. The Reactions — and the Reaction to those Reactions

Upon its release, Man of Steel received mixed reviews with much of the criticism focused on the changes made to the Superman mythos — from the suit to his actions. Many found it to be un-Superman-like for him to be so focused on stopping General Zod that he (a) did not once stop to consider how their fight was decimating much of Metropolis and (b) ended his life.

Snyder knew what he was doing. He said, “that killing Zod was part of the learning curve that would transform a scared and confused kid into the Superman fans know and love by the end of the Justice League films.” He was also quite cognizant of the fact that the destruction of Metropolis and the resulting collateral damage would be a sore spot for some, namely those that have a very narrow view of what Superman is and should be, and that’s why it is shown from the perspective of the people at the start of BvS and is really the point on which the entire plot is based.

While reviews for Man of Steel fell in the middle — 55% on Rotten Tomatoes vs. 75% audience score — Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was pillioried, resulting in an avalanche of gleefully nasty reviews and an aggregate score of 27% (though a 63% audience score). A pattern emerged: “Fan reception to Man of Steel was much warmer than the critical reception — something that would become a recurring motif for the DC films.” BvS is almost certainly the most divisive superhero film of all time:

While it was critically savaged, Batman v Superman has a deeply devoted following who adore it for its dark deconstruction of DC’s two biggest icons. Indeed, it’s hard not to wonder if Batman v Superman would have been more warmly received in 2017; while Wonder Woman is a ray of light in a dark world, Batman v Superman embraces that darkness with a level of glee that borders on nihilism. That level of cynicism was off putting for most viewers in early 2016, and yet it feels oddly prescient at the tail end of 2017, predicting the chaotic forces that would come to dominate real world events soon after its release.

It’s weird that a film that made nearly $900 million and boasts both iconic American characters and multiple Academy Award-nominated actors could be a cult classic, but that is what BvS has become, largely because of the beating it took at the hands of critics. Its fans argue that it is one of the most misunderstood films in recent years — or ever — and feel as if the professional reviewers had a clear bias, that their reactions were more personal than professional, as if Zack Snyder’s style and approach were reprehensible and it was impossible that anyone would prefer or enjoy it:

The quick responses, sadly, showed how clearly the dislike, scorn, and negative feedback for anything Batman v Superman, or indeed DC or Snyder-related wasn’t coming from a critical source. Those who disliked the film weren’t part of a homogeneous group, but for the most prominent voices, it wasn’t enough to simply make their opinion that Snyder’s work was objectively bad, creatively bankrupt, or terribly misguided known. Going a step further, anyone who questioned that consensus, highlighted overlooked elements, or sought to engage with the work was foolish, pitiably zealous, and deserving of less than respectful response. There is simply no grey area: that response or attitude is NOT a critical one, in the spirit of the word or philosophy. As time passed, many online personalities or pundits who considered themselves “critics” took this same stance against the idea of criticism as a conversation and investigation, outright refusing to question, consider, or respectfully engage with opposing opinions.

There were a multitude of criticisms lobbed at Snyder’s first two DCEU films (as well as the universe’s third, Suicide Squad, which he executive produced), but perhaps the most common was that they were dour, joyless affairs. Perhaps I loved them because I’ve long been annoyed with happy Hollywood endings. While some watch films for an escape, there are those of us that want to see the real world reflected back at them through a certain lens and the seriousness is actually what makes the films realistic and believable:

The world is cynical, skeptical, and jaded. War, poverty, violence, hatred — these are the daily realities for so many people, and even those in positions of so-called power realize how helpless they are to stop most of it. Lex Luthor’s remark about a person with knowledge being smart enough to realize they are powerless in the world is a crucial hint into his own psyche and how the scars of this lesson were beaten into him from a young age, for example. He articulates a truth, a knowledge about the powerlessness of mankind in the face of our own destructive impulses, and that we pretend toward power and knowledge to shield ourselves from those realities.

Moreover, despite what many would have you believe, both Man of Steel and Batman v Superman had moments of levity and humor, though they were delivered in a dry, offhanded way. BvS stands as the low point of the multifilm arc, the nadir for the characters from which they can recover and ultimately find salvation. It is not unlike any other second act or middle part of a series (much like The Empire Strikes Back or Infinity War).

Yet rather than judge the films on what they were or what they were trying to do, a large swath of people lambasted them because they were not what they wanted or expected — and that is one area in which DC’s crossover legacy is a hindrance. For many, Christopher Reeve is the ultimate Superman and the way the character was portrayed was the only proper way to do so, meaning that any variations will immediately be scrutinized if not completely dismissed. The same is even more true for Batman — everyone has their own favorite version of the Dark Knight, whether it is Adam West or Michael Keaton or Christian Bale, so it is already an uphill battle. Some of those films and performances entered the public consciousness and became iconic, meaning that any changes or updates are immediately risky. That is one reason why Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor was, like the film itself, so divisive.

One character, however, was not.

Perhaps at least part of the reason Wonder Woman’s appearance was so warmly embraced was because there had never before been a live-action film version to which audiences would measure it. That’s something that has benefited Marvel. Not only were they first with their shared universe, but it was also almost a completely blank slate. Since their most popular characters had been optioned by other studios, they needed to look deeper into the roster to create their universe. There had never before been a big screen adaptation for Iron Man or Thor, let alone the Guardians of the Galaxy, so there were no previously held notions or comparisons weighing them down:

Putting aside all of the hostility and simplistic assertions rooted in narrow attitudes and silly personal resentments, I think the biggest problem has been an approach that often contradicts the prevailing mainstream public impressions and expectations for several of the central characters — specifically, Superman, and to a lesser extent Batman.

Many casual fans do not understand the different machinations of these characters and simply want more of the same. As such, Snyder had been criticized for being too faithful to the source material. Imagine such a statement considering it wasn’t that long ago in a film that Batman not only pulled out a Bat credit card, but did so to purchase a woman. Snyder himself has said, “I love the characters, and maybe to a fault sometimes, I dork out on the hardcore aspects of the comic books.” Alas, many casual fans and most critics do not. His faithfulness to the comics is astounding, but the general public doesn’t know the Injustice: Gods Among Us storyline or the intricacies of the New 52 and instead only know that Superman changes in a phone booth (which no longer exist) or Batman never uses a gun (despite the fact that he did it numerous times in the comics). This iteration of the characters was unfamiliar to the larger public:

Batman v Superman showcases a version of the Caped Crusader that wide audiences had never really seen; not simply a Batman who is losing his fight against crime, but who has, for all intents and purposes, already lost. Batman, generally portrayed as the smartest DC hero, acts in brash, shortsighted ways, as he’s so blinded by the paranoia and fear that he fought against for so many years. He exists in a bubble of his own misery and cynicism, convinced the world is spinning out of control as the emergence of godlike beings push his feelings of helplessness into overdrive.