Batman V Superman: Dawn Of the DCEU

Batman V Superman Dawn of justice, directed by Zack Snyder is the second movie in the DCEU. This was one of the most hyped movies in history and the reason for the hype is the title itself, the two greatest superheroes of all time sharing a screen for the first time. Ever since the announcement was made in the 2013 comic con panel right after the release of man of steel people went crazy with their fan theories and speculations. There was a huge three year wait for the clash of the world's finest. The expectations for the movie were over the roof because the Nolan trilogy had set the standards too high. Ben Affleck played batman and Henry Cavill played the man of steel for the second time with Gal Gadot starring as wonder woman.

It was a visual treat for anyone who watched it and definitely a huge blockbuster making over 850 million USD in the box office despite the 27% critic rating at rotten tomatoes. The main reason for making the movie was to set up a universe and introduce new members for a future justice league film. Unfortunately the film didn't focus much on the title as much as it did about the second part, the Dawn of justice. There was a brief introduction to all the justice league members including cyborg aquaman and the flash. There were some good moments but the film overall failed to meet the expectations of the majority of people who watched it. It seemed like the film targeted only DC fans and they (myself included) welcomed it spectacularly. To this date, despite the controversies that arose, DC fans have stood by defending their heroes and their universe in spite of what the critics and normal audience say. That being said lets get back to the movie.

Ben Affleck was arguably the best batman on screen and certainly the most powerful and gadget heavy batman to this date. He gave a charismatic performance as Bruce Wayne and an intimidating and strong batman. His part turned out to be the best performance in the movie. Henry Cavill had the looks and the muscle and he was great as superman too. I'm growing more fond of his Clark Kent than his superman screen time. His superman was not a comic book inspired happy, cheerful, saving cats from trees type superman, instead it continued to be as realistic as it was in man of steel. No matter what we say that is exactly how a real life superman would be treated in this world. There was a cameo from Gal Gadot as wonder woman, definitely a fan favourite performance and appretiated by all viewers due to a fantastic introduction and a fight sequence. Jesse Eisseneberg starred as Lex Luthor which was definitely the worst performance in the entire movie. He had some amazing lines in the movie but it was overall very disappointing due to the lack of motivation for his actions and a poor dialogue delivery. He may look like young Lex from the comics but doesn't act like him.

The movie faced too many problems ever since the release but personally, as a DC fan I enjoyed it very much and expect more from the upcoming movies. It definitely doesn't deserve razzie nominations but then again the razzies aren't taken too seriously. I loved Ben's new take on batman and loved the breathtaking visuals. But the only way to make both fans and critics happy is by sticking to the source material, not just the storyline, but the costumes, make-up and character. It would definitely be foolish to try out anything new or take any more risks especially this early. DC could definitely be a tough contender for Marvel if they keep that in mind and not try to rush things.

Verdict:

Theatrical version                

Fan in me : 8/10                    
Critic in me : 7/10                

 Extended cut

Fan in me : 8.5/10 for the extra Clark Kent scenes
Critic in me: 7.5/10 story makes more sense

Posting this review on 25th March on account of the 1st year anniversary of the movie and before the official justice league trailer, fingers crossed expecting a great trailer and an even better movie, go DC!