The epic showdown between Batman and Superman has to be this frustrating to endure.

Rating: 5/10 (26 March 2016)

Back when I was a kid, I truly wished for DC Comics' prime superheroes, Superman and Batman, to clash together. I got the cartoon but I truly wanted for them to meet in real life. And as we finally get a titanic clash of two of the greatest superheroes, what I get...is a mixed bag.
Okay, to be honest, it is a noble task for "300" director Zack Snyder to set up a cinematic universe from the divisive "Man of Steel". Of a flawed telling of Superman's origins, there needs to be corrections be done to justify a setup for a "Justice League" movie. Too bad the same mistakes are done in this effort, from its dark and gritty tone to its plot excesses. However, you can forgive them as they tend to highlight the epic showdown between DC's greatest properties; if not too much.
As for the plot, there are times that it feels forced or designed to set up DC's other properties. For it is easy to tell a growing rift between the Son of Krypton and the Bat of Gotham, it is baffling that the execution is flawed. The best storyline comes from Bruce Wayne/Batman. Ben Affleck does an impressive performance as Wayne and his alter ego, with Jeremy Irons' Alfred Pennyworth in full support. And although I commend Affleck for impressively embodying Batman, his performance is tad too similar from his predecessors and his motivation goes south.
The supposed backbone of the movie, Superman's subplot, fails to fulfill the personality missing from "Man of Steel". As both Clark Kent and Superman, Henry Cavill was able to pull off a fine act but he was given no room to develop more for both identities. And his storyline feels a little constrained to learn of his character journey to justify "Man of Steel". At least Amy Adams' Lois Lane is given further credit, more than she was previously.
The true breakout and delightful surprise comes from Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince. While the Amazon warrior princess feels phoned in, she makes a striking impression from her limited screen time. Gadot is impressive, making me wish for more room for her to shine.
While I can post more compliments, I cannot but feel frustrated as to how disappointingly this "Justice League" setup was staged. Some scenes are thrown in like pies. The action scenes were hard to follow. The pacing is flagging. The main villain, Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor, is a balance between witty and exasperating. The Easter eggs end up too visible like billboards. The introductions to other DC characters are too much forced. And the showdown that the movie truly sells isokay. And expecting an okay reaction from a showdown between Batman and Superman is not okay.
After a preview, I heartbreakingly realized that a trailer for "The Lego Batman Movie" made a better impression than the actual movie itself, making this one of the most frustrating movies I could ever review. All the while, I was still hyped to see where Snyder and company will go from this one. And I hope it is not surely a recollection of what the movie was. Now, we can all lay our hopesto the "Suicide Squad".