Why was Batman v Superman such a bad movie?

Rating: 7/10 (31 March 2016)

Batman, Superman & Wonder Woman on the big screen all at once is something comic book, and everyday movie fans alike have all been waiting for. This movie will end up being a box-office success and Warner Bros. will continue moving forward with the franchise. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice overall was a fun and enjoyable movie. It gives comic-book fans exactly what they've wanted and casual moviegoers the chance to become invested. It isn't without flaw, but contrary to popular belief, the good outweighs the bad. But why are the critical reviews so negative? Ultimately because the tone is untraditional dark, the ratio of story to action was unbalanced, and most importantly, people just don't know what they want when it comes to superhero movies.
The movie begins with a civilian's view of the destructive battle scene between Superman and General Zod in 2013's Man of Steel. The viewer is then taken into Bruce Wayne's point of view watching a local Wayne Enterprise building get demolished, as he tries to save them. Early on, this movie establishes the conflict between the two titular characters, and the tone of the film. The two heroes clash while Superman's character & actions are brought into question. We see a physically and emotionally battle-scarred Batman whose sole motive is protecting everyone from the threat that is a rogue Superman. The two join sides, team up with Wonder Woman, and lay the foundation for DC's Justice League franchise.
If this were a Batman solo movie, the overall reception would be more positive because he's a character that can get away with this darker, more grounded tone that Zack Snyder decided to go with. But Superman is the boy scout of superheroes, which gives viewers a very different version of Superman. The film's dark tone gives the viewers an interesting take on the Boy in Blue. Snyder and co. made a character with unbelievably, god-like abilities more human than viewers have seen since the CW's Smallville. The dark tone however, did work for Ben Affleck's Batman.
His portrayal of the Dark Knight exceeded expectations. Every scene with Batman/Bruce Wayne is one to remember. Affleck's acting, the camera movement and cinematography coupled with Hans Zimmer's score made for a mysterious, and downright scary interpretation of Batman. An idea that could have been fleshed out more was the foiling of Batman and Superman. Snyder attempted to use Batman's savage crime fighting methods and gruesome reputation, as a way to highlight Superman's supposed-to-be wholesomeness, which fell flat. Seeing Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman brought to life was exciting, but a bit of a let down in the movie. She was fun to watch, but her portrayal fell short of expectations because it wasn't as believable as her cast mates. Her role was small, but just enough doses for us to keep interest in what's to come in her own solo movie. Wonder Woman mainly acts as the bridge from Batman to the "metahuman" world, and setting up as one of the founding members of the Justice League.
Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luthor was interesting to watch. He brought a very different vibe to the character while still giving viewers the murderous masterminded villain that we know him to be. Like Henry Cavill's Superman, Eisenberg's Luthor is young and inexperienced in what he does. What ultimately drives Lex in this film is what has always driven him, knowledge and power. Those expecting Lex and Superman to be fully developed characters when this is the 2nd movie of a growing franchise are the one's who were let down by Dawn of Justice.
Man of Steel sparked debates that the true Superman wouldn't have fought so carelessly and end up destroying a big city, let alone kill an enemy. This Superman isn't one that fans are familiar with yet, and if Batman v Superman doesn't do anything for you, it should at least give answers as to why that route was taken. To build this hero up into one that Superman fans are conversant with. It poses the question that will linger on within these films; where do we as humans fit in this world filled with aliens and godly beings? The idea of gods amongst men and a very particular scene with Bruce Wayne teases that DC is going in the route of the video-game/comic book series story line, Injustice: Gods Among Us. Holly Hunter plays the front runner of the political subplot in the film as Senator Finch, who also, gives us the hopeful connection to Amanda Waller and the upcoming film Suicide Squad. This also gives the DC universe that grounded feeling they're trying so hard to achieve, which can be challenging when there are characters like Superman, Green Lantern, and Martian Manhunter that exists in this world. Hunter acts as the voice of reason and concern that most people would have when it comes to idea of a Superman.
A key reason people are let down is because fans and critics alike aren't sure what they wanted from this movie. People are forgetting that this isn't the seasoned Superman we know from the comics & TV shows. He's a new hero who is still unsure of himself and unsure of how he is supposed to help the world. I'm not saying this film is without flaw. There is indeed a lot going on in this film. The actual fight between Batman and Superman should have definitely lasted longer and the scenes of Aquaman, Flash, and Cyborg screams, "Hey, Justice League is coming! Look Marvel we can do it too!" The story did move a bit fast for the average person to follow. However, I saw this movie with two people with no prior knowledge and was still able to follow the movie fluently. But if you go in this movie expecting what the title promises and take it for what it is, you'll enjoy this experience.