By Nishant Lahoti

BVS is, to say the least, a divisive film. Critics panned it, and the fan base was split hard. However, there was one thing everyone agreed on (as much as unity could be achieved when talking about BVS), and this was Ben Affleck’s performance as Batman. More specifically, an aged, weathered, wearied, sardonic, morose, SOB Batman with tonnes of badass left in the tank and a hidden smouldering ember of passion belief, waiting to be fanned into life. Evidently, WB, Zach Snyder and anyone else involved in the general growth of the DCEU agreed and have made Ben Affleck and his Batman the centrepiece of the universe. This is evidenced through things Zach and co. have said, and also by the fact that Ben Affleck is taking complete creative control (writing, directing and starring) of his own Batman movie, essentially making him the “star” of this cinematic universe.

What has also really rammed this new status quo into place is Affleck’s clearly huge role in Justice League. I know this could be a huge extrapolation from a small piece of footage from a much larger film, but I think the brains behind the DCEU are smarter than this. This trailer is the trendsetter for what they want people to think about this (for them) crucial movie. They want people to see that the JL movie is lighter in tone, there’s more colour outside of the muted blue-black-dark grey palette, and they want to show that Batman is the centrepiece to the whole endeavour. He is leading the charge to recruit everyone, and he is what links them together. Even on statistics alone, the vast majority of the trailer, Batman/Bruce Wayne is on the screen. Also, more than just seeing that Batman is a big part of the movie, we see which Batman is going to be part of the Justice League. It seems like we’re going to get a (relatively) more upbeat Batman, one with passion for the cause again. It’s this portrayal of Batman that has made me reconsider BVS.

BVS, to me, more than anything else, is a big Batman film. Yes, Batman is only half the title, and yes, the “Big Baddie” is a Superman villain in the comics, but those aside, Batman is the main character. Superman only has 43 lines (if you count agonised yelling). Batman wins the fight against Superman, his weapon is the one that defeats Doomsday, and he is the one who develops the most throughout the film. Batman goes from passion-less, to hate-filled, then to love-filled by the end. Superman, on the other hand, is still stuck on the same “I’m so strong, why does nobody like me” schtick. Superman’s role in this movie is to be more of a catalyst for Batman’s arc. Supe’s action flame the ember inside Batman, making him feel rage, and then it’s Superman’s words, that convert Batman’s rage against Superman into belief in him, belief that there are still “good men” in Gotham.

Quick aside, for those who say the “Martha” moment is stupid, I point out there is a fine line between love and hate. Yes, it could have been a more drawn out conversation during the fight, where Superman is trying to have a conversation with Batman, and Batman is blind to it through his rage, and its Superman’s efforts to talk to Batman that cause him to get his ass handed to him on a plate, as opposed to Superman being dumb. However, this is an execution issue, rather than issue with the original idea underlying it, as people are saying.

It’s this arc connecting the two Batmen, the B in BVS and Batman in Justice League that will stand BVS in good stead in the future. The Batman in the Justice League trailer feels earned. He feels exactly like the Batman standing at Superman’s funeral at the end of BVS, and that’s no small feat. Continuity of character development across cinematic borders is something Marvel have been praised for, and they’ve had 15 or so movies to reach that level. For the DCEU to possibly be approaching that only at their 3rd movie is impressive. Obviously, there are the caveats of Marvel introducing lots more characters individually, and doing their ensemble movies after everyone had been introduced, and generally doing things at a slower pace, but the achievement is still impressive.

Essentially, BVS is a movie for the ages, in the sense that its place will be more clear when the DCEU is bigger and wider. It has the unenviable role of having to set up a wider universe, under immense fan pressure, develop one of its key characters, and please a wider audience to make enough of a profit for WB to remain invested. Snyder may not have pulled off every objective, but for me he’s pulled off the key one: giving the DCEU the Batman it needs.