Batman v Superman: The Dawn of Justice starts on a high, but bring your overnight bag and toothbrush cause it goes on forever. Henry Cavill is a dashing Superman and Ben Affleck is an exciting, understated Batman, but these two specimens of male pulchritude cannot carry this turkey. Cavill's body wins the contest, but Affleck's acting trumps Cavill's. Their fight is a bore.
The plot of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is that Metropolis has been raised to the ground and Batman believes Superman is responsible. Alas Batman sets his sites on getting Superman and bringing him down to seek justice for the chaos Superman has created on earth. Batman fears a future for the world with such a power left ungoverned.
As to the cast, Amy Adams is a great beauty as Lois Lane, her acting is flawless. She is a real highlight as she does not miss a beat. But Jeremy Irons as Alfred only makes one miss Michael Caine who today is 83 and would have added a much needed gravitas to this lemon. While Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luther is totally inappropriate because he lacks a menacing quality and instead adds a quirkiness which could be considered interesting, but quirkiness is not a character trait of Lex Luther. The ability to terrorize is. . There was some clever, powerful agenting here to give Eisenberg this role. There is no reason to be afraid of Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luther. Oh where oh where was the Gene Hackman, now 86, whom we all loved and who could have made Lex Luther a monster. A real monster. And if Hackman has retired, certainly there is a more skilled and appropriate actor who could have played Lex Luther.
Meanwhile the ending of this fiasco is just silly and goes on forever and then some.
It is a bit of an irony that the Belgium attack happened the night before seeing this screening about a comic book attack on a city. But watching CNN was far more terrifying as it would and should be, and only left me with the thought that had the writers, directors and producers made the story line more plausible, a good and meaningful film could have been made. Granted Batman vs Superman is a comic book invention, but if it had been more rooted in reality, it would have made for a better film. Even a meaningful film.
Kevin Costner is a real treat as Superman's father and acts his way out of a paper bag with only a few moments as he illustrates the importance of an actor taking his time and reflecting as does that great beauty Diane Lane as Superman's mother, but the dark lighting is so unfair to her. While the dark, dark look of the film was right for the 'testosteronic' atmosphere, it destroys women especially Diane Lane, unnecessarily so. The lighting did not have to victimize her, only the script. Holly Hunter also suffers the same, 'let's light her in an ominous foreboding light' and this is so unfair. Also her acting is not directed skillfully by Zack Snyder (Man of Steel) as she mugs in her key scene and she is a fine actress but not in this film.
Give yourself a break. Save your money, boycott this $250 million dollar Superman v Batman: Dawn of Justice and watch the news if you want to see terror.