Let's Rumble...and Grumble!

Rating: 7/10 (25 March 2016)

(RATING: ☆☆☆½ out of 5)
THIS FILM IS RECOMMENDED.
IN BRIEF: A comic book fantasy that fancies itself a serious contender when it really needs to take itself less seriously.
GRADE: B-
SYNOPSIS: As the world comes undone, two superheroes, with opposing views about saving the world, battle each other.
￼Finally, the mystery is solved. That bothersome question that perplexed a nation comes to an end. Not since The Riddle of the Sphinx has a hypothetical query bothered so many and answered so few: In the ultimate battle between The Man of Steel and The Caped Crusader, who would rule victorious? In Zack Snyder's comic book blockbuster, both superheroes come to blows and the outcome is up there on the big screen in all of its CGI glory.
￼In Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the stage is set for this heroic showdown, although it takes over half of the film until the deed occurs. Just as our world has lost some of its innocence, so has this modern day retelling. Cynicism and despair seem to not only fester in our superheroes nowadays. It is obviously in our film directors and screenwriters as well. This is a darker vision, but aren't most action blockbusters? Comic book heroes are no longer comic. So follows our films, the essence of pop culture and pessimism with our popcorn.
As its story unfolds, Superman (Henry Cavill) is an unpopular anti-hero. While previously fighting General Zod (Michael Shannon) to save the world, he has also systemically destroyed Metropolis in his battle of good v evil. Much destruction and many lives were mere collateral damage during this war to end all wars. One of these victims viewing the cosmic free-for-all is Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck), who decides to take matters into his own hands. And the battle of egos begins...
￼On hand are many faces that doted the mythology of both superheroes. On one side are Lois Lane (Amy Adams), Mrs. Kent (Diane Lane), and Perry White (Laurence Fishburne), reprising their roles and on the other, loyal servant Alfred (Jeremy Irons), and assorted Bat-gear and nifty gadgetry, all the money can buy. Watching the match-up, with rapt interest are Diana Prince (an underused Gal Gadot) and megalomaniac Lex Luther (an oddly miscast Jesse Eisenberg, substituting triviality instead of menace). Let's rumble! Or, at least, grumble.
￼With the exception of the aforementioned Mr. Eisenberg, the cast acquits themselves rather nicely, giving their one-dimensional characters some depth. Both Mr. Cavill and Mr. Affleck fill their spandex with the right about of coolness and sex appeal, the former with a broad- shouldered charm and the latter wisely underplays the brooding millionaire playboy.
￼However, script-wise, the film loses its footing, in the most logical sense. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice mixes political issues like racial profiling (in this case, alien v human), vigilantism, violence, religion, terrorism, and evil capitalism with its populist message. It's heady stuff, even if the screenplay by Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer cannot bring together its own thought process with the numerous sub-plots that continually arise. The film relies on far too many dream sequences and flashbacks that only increase the film's length and confuse the main plot. Judicious editing would have only helped the film. Again, less is more.
￼But in the hands of its director, restraint is non-existent. He fills every inch of the screen with crashes, explosions, and in-your-face CGI. Mr. Snyder, not one of my favorite directors, I must add, throws in everything, including a kitchen sink. (It's true!) Still, this may be his finest film to date, He does keep things moving along, although it is hard to tell if the film's many action sequence are well staged on his part, due to the frenzied editing by David Brenner and blurry hand-held camera-work by Larry Fong.
With the film's superfluous multiple endings, justice may finally be served and a new sequel will arriving soon to a movie theater near you. (Many moviegoers in my audience wore Batman or Superman t-shirts and sat transfixed through the showing.) However, for this critic, the verdict for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is simply this: it may not be a misfire, but the evidence remains inconclusive. Call it a mistrial.
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