Deus Ex Marthina

Rating: 6/10 (27 July 2016)

2016's most highly anticipated movie "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" followed in the formula of previous special effects-driven action films: good build-up and tension followed by CGI-ridden cartoonish shenanigans. Some films that have gone down this treacherous path are "The Matrix Revolutions," "Man of Steel," "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" and "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies." BvS squandered its usage of two of the most iconic and popular comic book characters in this middling adaptation filled with way too much CGI and one of the worst deus ex machina moments ever that all mounted up to make the film seem just as cartoonish, rushed and unrealistic as a Batman or Superman cartoon.
BvS started out pretty good. The film's analysis and interpretation of the whole Superman dilemma was handled very well. Characters debating about what should be done with the 'metahuman thesis' were done in a compelling and very believable manner. The Batman scenes were pretty cool and offered for a darker and more brooding Batman. As if he was not a dark enough character in "The Dark Knight" film series. The film's best moments were the debates over whether or not people needed a Superman, the build-up right before Batman and Superman fight, the fight itself, and the biblical philosophies regarding a Superman-like figure.
Now time for the many flaws this film had. First Zack Snyder focused way to much on CGI and action. The story was convoluted and incomplete. Some scenes were lacking or missing crucial plot points that were probably left out only to be seen in the Ultimate Edition. It also featured bizarre dreams that wasted valuable screen time with little to offer but hazy character motivations. Also the CGI action sequences were a bit cartoonish and did not offer any payoff, although the dark overtones in the story may overshadow the cheesiness in the action for some. Overall, the movie's action did not capture the same exhilaration, realism, and awesomeness as depicted in the previous "Dark Knight" films.
The performances in BvS fluctuated from unexpectedly good to expectedly annoying. Ben Affleck was a very good Batman and brought a different yet more malevolent feel to the character. Henry Cavill was solid as Superman yet nothing awe inspiring. The real talking point here is Jesse Eisenberg's flamboyant Lex Luthor. Eisenberg really goes all out with this performance but falls flat because he is downright annoying, and almost cringeworthy at parts. The scene that perfectly epitomizes this is when he introduces Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent at the party towards the beginning of the film. His high-pitched voice, awkward mannerisms, and weird acknowledgment of journalist Clark Kent (who no one should care about at that point in the movie) were just rubbish!
For all the flaws in BvS nothing could compensate for the absolutely terrible Martha scene that took place during the climactic Batman and Superman fight. Batman was ready to kill Superman yet stopped because his and Superman's mother share the same first name. Then all of a sudden they become friends. Like what the hell was that! They could have at least had a conversation that delved into how Lex Luthor was manipulating them to fight or how Batman realized in that moment he was turning into the villain he was trying to eradicate for the last twenty years. But no, the writers half-assed that whole scene and boy did it backfire. That scene's stupidity took away from the spectacle of the following scene where Batman kicks the holy hell out of some henchmen. Like honestly what were the writers thinking. Did they hire Tommy Wiseau to write that scene?
"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" had potential to be a good superhero movie. Never during the film's long runtime did it reach a state of awesomeness or pure cinematic spectacle. It had many good parts but were let down by bombastic action, an annoying villain, convoluted motivations and schemes, and finally by "Martha!" Hopefully DC can learn from this movie so we do not have to deal with the same absurdities in the upcoming DC films.