Hollywood, MD – If you want to experience Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, you should go before reading reviews, ratings, or talking to anyone with a shred of pop culture knowledge. I enjoyed the movie, even if it was brain candy. While not worth any literary value, it satisfied a craving for a new movie with America’s favorite comic book heroes.
As the first live-action film to feature both Batman and Superman, the movie is also the first to feature live-action portrayals of characters Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and the Flash.
Directed by Zach Snyder, the movie highlights how criminal mastermind Lex Luthor manipulates Batman into a battle to the death with Superman, whom Luthor is obsessed with defeating.
I didn’t know what I was getting into when I went to the RC Theatre in California for a Saturday night movie date. I hadn’t read reviews or ratings, and I promised myself that I wouldn’t look up spoilers for the movie.
Comic book movies seem to be a guaranteed retail and box office success.
Children and teens are into the idea that with money or superpowers, they can save the world. Adults will pay to see this movie to capture a moment of their youth when they didn’t have to worry about ticket and concession prices at the theater or other responsibilities.
In my opinion, instead of making another Batman, Spiderman, Superman, Thor, Iron Man or Captain America movie, why not look into producing movies with female superheroes? Why limit the audience to one half of the population? Even the most “tomboy” of girls would appreciate having a female superhero movie to watch.
This movie seemed to be more like a series of unprepared skits featuring America’s favorite superheroes, than a movie with a strong plot, writing, and acting that audiences could look to as the definitive superhero story of 2016. I think Deadpool already took that prize, and holds it with two middle fingers.
Fans still have to wait for a Black Widow movie, which is rumored to be released in 2019. Wonder Woman will be getting her movie in June 2017, but I’m not going to hold my breath about that.
I enjoyed getting to meet Gal Gadot as Diane Princes and Wonder Woman, and hoped that she would get serious screen time, because she is a superhero who deserved to have a third of the screen time.
Wonder Woman made the statement early in the movie as she sauntered around a benefit with Bruce Wayne that ‘boys were never taught to play nice with each other.’ Hello, example of foreshadowing. At least she got to help them take down Doomsday, the Kryptonian abomination that Lex Luthor created.
After Snyder rehashed Batman’s creation story in the opening scenes, the audience witnessed the altruistic, all-American alien sweep in and save Lois from her latest journalist misadventures in a desert. It seems that Lois gets herself in trouble, and Superman manages to track her down every time and save her just in time.
The couple seem to be normal until he flies to her rescue at supersonic speeds and saves her from herself and her predicaments. Including when Luthor pushed her from a swaying skyscraper in Metropolis.
Lois Lane finally had the opportunity to save Superman when she found Superman and Batman in the throes of their battle to the death. After kidnapping Superman’s mother, Lex Luthor demanded that he fight Batman to the death so Martha Kent wouldn’t be harmed. Superman failed to persuade Batman to talk about the kidnapping and what Luthor wanted. Lois tracked them to the Bat signal.
With Batman’s metal foot clamping Superman’s throat shut, Superman croaks out “Save Martha.” Lois comes to Superman’s rescue, explaining that Superman’s mother’s name is Martha. An earlier scene informed the audience that Batman’s mother’s name was also Martha. If only men stopped fighting when their mothers get involved, right?
The pair, now on the same side, split off to save Martha Kent and stop little Lex Luthor from whatever other plans he has up his sleeves. Luthor was given access to General Zod’s body and the Kryptonian Scout ship and has been playing mad scientist with the cadaver. Enter Doomsday, or another reason for me to shake my head at the screen and wonder when the ride was going to stop.
Batman ends up playing a game of cat and mouse with Doomsday, and Superman impales himself on Doomsday’s bony growths as he kills the monster. Wonder Woman’s trying her best to trump the beast, but couldn’t do it alone.
Superman and Clark Kent die that night, and there are separate funerals for both.
I was almost in tears when Superman died. And then I almost lost it when Martha gives Lois a package that Clark had sent to Smallville. Surprise, it’s an engagement ring! Not only has Lois Lane’s love interest “died,” he was planning to propose to her and start a potentially happy life together. For the ladies in the audience, surely someone cried.
This tangent portion of the movie plot with the diamond engagement ring didn’t make up for the lack of strong female characters in the movie.
Instead of rehashing male superhero movies, why not introduce the world to strong female superheroes and right the wrongs of not including women in the idea that they can save the world too?
Contact Jacqui Atkielski at j.atkielski@thebaynet.com
