Review: ‘Batman v Superman’ is a very serious comic book movie, but it’s a lot of fun

Posted on April 1, 2016

By MARK VIOLA

It may have arrived during the last weekend in March, but make so mistake, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” is the first true summer blockbuster of 2016. A lot was riding on this movie, not only as a follow-up to 2013’s “Man of Steel,” which once again re-introduced audiences to Superman, but also as a planned first step into a shared DC Comics cinematic universe as the company plays major catch-up to Marvel, whose own universe is just a month away from releasing its 13th installment.

So there was a lot of anticipation for “Batman v Superman,” the first time we would get to see DC’s two titans in the same live-action film. But there was also a lot of concern based on some of the things we’d seen in the trailer and the appearance that the filmmakers were trying to do too much too soon. We’ve seen time and time again that the easiest way to kill a superhero movie is to have too many characters or spend too much time laying the groundwork for future movies when you should be concentrating on the story at hand.

I personally went into “Batman v Superman” with more apprehension than true hope and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised to be proven wrong. I really enjoyed it and thought both the casting and the story held up quite well, a few plot issues notwithstanding.

That being said, like “Man of Steel” before it, this movie is very serious, and I separate that from Christopher Nolan’s “Dark Knight” trilogy, which were often quite serious as well, but also very grounded in reality. “Batman v Superman” is quite outlandish in the way we would expect a comic book adaptation to be, but it does take itself very seriously. There is very little in the way of comic relief, something we’ve seen even in Marvel’s most serious works like “Captain America: Winter Soldier.”

I can see that turning some viewers off, but again, the inherent enjoyment of seeing Superman and Batman in action all together produced enough of its own fun for me to not be bothered.

“Batman v Superman” is not a perfect film, and there are the usual plot holes that can be found in any blockbuster like this, but having gone into it with relatively low expectations, I left pleasantly surprised and entertained, and possessing for possibly the first time some genuine hope and anticipation for DC’s future slate of movies.

The film is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action throughout, and some sensuality.

(This is a abbreviated version of the full review available in our printed or e-edition papers.)

 

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