“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” Film Review

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One is fighting for the world and the other is fighting to find his place in the world. All the while the world is trying to figure out whether to put their faith in the hands of superheroes or in the hands of politicians.

A wonderful parallel to the current issues facing the nation today, thought-provoking themes and questions are put into perspective and one is put in the driver’s seat and must pick a side.

A must-see action-packed epic thriller brings two heroes to the forefront and introduces audiences to the precipice of the DC universe. The film is visually stunning from beginning to end and is driven by a musical score that is beautifully composed.

A more sophisticated approach to a comic book film that does not have to rely on sex and over-the-top humor to appeal to viewers. It is gritty and honest. A movie you can recommend to anyone and not worry about feeling awkward when watching it with someone else. A film that is rich in its comic book mythos while still taking risks and introducing original and new storylines, so that you are not just re-watching adaptations of stories you have seen before.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Movie PosterPhoto courtesy of www.imdb.com

“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”, directed by Zak Snyder (“300″, Man of Steel”), was released to theaters everywhere on March 25, 2016. The highly-anticipated film is filled with great acting and a brilliant script.

Batman (Ben Affleck) has been fighting crime in Gotham for 20 years and in the film is feeling tired and lost. Affleck plays a superb Batman but an even better Bruce Wayne. This film allows viewers to finally see the detective aspect of Bruce Wayne. After being witness to the events and aftermath that resulted in Metropolis (final fight scene in “Man of Steel”), Batman realize that he has been so focused on Gotham and has lost sight of the bigger picture. Affleck’s portrayal of Bruce Wayne is exceptional and incredibly real and relatable.

Superman (Henry Cavill) is struggling to find his purpose in the world. Although his intentions are good, the negative results and outcomes outweigh the amount of lives saved and distrust starts to settle in because Superman is an “alien”. You see the real conflict going on within the mind of Superman and how much it pains him to decide whether to keep going on or just stopping. How do you continue fighting for someone when they do not want you to fight for them? How can you love and respect a country that doesn’t love and respect you?

Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) is a splendid surprise. It is the first time Wonder Woman comes to the big screen and with her own movie to be released in July 2017, “BvS” does a marvelous job getting fans hyped up to see more of what is to come. Her participation in the film is more than just a cameo and is truly one of the many highlights of the film.

Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) is a character in the film that might be somewhat odd or new to many. Eisenberg’s portrayal of the notorious villain may take some getting used to. Once that happens, you see that Eisenberg’s Luthor is quite remarkable. It is a new spin on the villain that showcases his intelligence and maniacal intricacies.

The film is a sharp contrast to the recent Marvel movies like “The Avengers” and “Deadpool”, in that it is more serious, complex and dark. The film doesn’t have to lean heavily on big-budget action scenes and explosions. Instead the film delves deep into storytelling and the fight scenes are a work of perfection. The time and work put into the choreography of the hand-to-hand combat scenes were both artistic and brutal at the same time. For those that play or who are familiar with the Batman video games will be pleased to see how many elements of the game were taken into account and referenced in the movie.

The battle between good and evil is not always as clear cut as it may seem, there are individual complexities and realistic dilemmas that take place within one’s heart and mind that are put to the test and must be confronted knowing that their actions will have lasting consequences.

Grade: A