BATMAN v SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE - 10 Main Characters Ranked From Worst To Best

Batman v Superman brings back familiar faces and introduces plenty of new ones, and here you'll find a ranking of ten of them from worst to best. And no, the character you're expecting to see at #1 isn't.

By JoshWilding - Mar 31, 2016 09:03 AM EST

Filed Under: Batman vs. Superman

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is a busy movie, so it's no surprise that a three hour Ultimate Edition is on the way. Whatever faults you may or may not believe it has though, I think it's fair to say that Zack Snyder does a good job of handling the ensemble cast, even though there are inevitably some characters who don't work quite as well as the rest. On the other hand, there are obviously those who really stand out from the crowd and are destined to become firm fan-favouites after this movie.

What you'll find here is my ranking of ten of Batman v Superman's leads. Not everyone is mentioned (as I said, this movie had a big cast, so some couldn't make it into the top ten), but those listed are definitely the ones worth highlighting. From the characters who disappointed to the ones who made their mark and will be talked about for a long time to come, this is a look at the worst and best the movie had to offer as well as why that might have been, whether it was down to the script or the performances delivered by the movie's cast. Needless to say, MAJOR SPOILERS do indeed follow.

10. Mercy Graves

If you've seen Tao Okamoto in The Wolverine and/or Hannibal, you'll no doubt be well aware that she's a pretty damn good actress.

The fact that she was a glorified extra in Batman v Superman is particularly frustrating then, as was Mercy Graves being killed off. In fairness though, that I can understand, especially as Lex has done the same thing in the comics and cartoons and her death would help him to avoid looking complicit with that explosion in any way.

However, even before that happened, Mercy didn't have any particularly memorable scenes other than telling Bruce Wayne where the bathroom is, a disservice to both the character and actress in an ultimately thankless role.

Don't get me wrong, Doomsday served his purpose in Batman v Superman and ended up being a great foe for The Trinity to combine forces against, but there's still some things which didn't work.

While he admittedly looked much better on the big screen than in that trailer, I can't help but feel as if just one more transformation was needed in order to make him look great instead of just ok. Another issue were those mostly unnecessary energy blasts; while they were used to signal a transformation as he became increasingly more and more powerful, it felt like they were only there to justify some added destruction.

So, a decent take on Doomsday, but one with room for improvement.

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8. Wallace Keefe

Scoot McNairy is a welcome addition to any movie, and while the decision to make him an entirely new character certainly didn't hurt Batman v Superman, giving him a name familiar to fans would have made it a little less easy to telegraph where things were going with Wallace.

I can't really fault his motivations because the movie did a good job of explaining them, but I definitely don't think it would have hurt to show more of his interactions with Lex Luthor, especially as going from a bit of grafitti on a statue to blowing up a courtroom full of innocent people is quite a drastic step forward.

Still, that's nitpicking, and the character ultimately served his purpose in an effective manner.

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7. Lois Lane

I almost feel bad for placing Lois Lane here. Almost. Honestly, I found her something of an annoyance in Batman v Superman, and her once again playing such a large role in the final act was a little too much like Man of Steel for me.

To give credit where it's due, Snyder and Terrio did find a fairly organic way of involving her in this part of the movie though, even if her somehow figuring out that the Kryptonite spear was needed felt a little bit too coincidental and convenient.

Ultimately, she was too often a damsel in distress, and while that did end up factoring into Superman's story arc, him needing to save her three times possibly wasn't the best use of the intrepid reporter in this movie.

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6. Perry White

Perry White had some of the best lines in Batman v Superman, but was definitely more of a jerk in this movie than in Man of Steel. Of course, that's part of his charm!

However, I think it's fair to say that he ultimately ended up feeling pretty bad about the way he treated Clark by the time his final scene rolled around and he looked at the tribute to the reporter in a freshly printed copy of The Daily Planet.

With Perry being an experienced newsman, it would have been nice to get a little more insight from him on The Batman, but he was an entertaining presence throughout. Plus, it was good fun seeing Clark butting heads with him, even if it did often feel like Perry was being unreasonable.

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5. Alfred

Jeremy Irons doesn't get a huge amount of screentime in Batman v Superman, but he sure as hell makes the most of it as Alfred.

This is the most comic book accurate version of the character to date, and whether we're talking about shots of him fixing the Batmobile, the Batsuit, or just providing intel to the Dark Knight while he's in the field, I would argue that he's the best Alfred to date.

Michael Caine was of course superb in the role, but was really just...well, a butler (who occasionally doled out the odd bit of advice). Irons' Alfred actually feels like a vital part of Bruce's war on crime, and you can bet your life that their interactions will be a highlight of that solo Batman movie.

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4. Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman was undeniably a highlight of Batman v Superman, but her role was still essentially just an extended cameo, so it would be wrong to place her higher than this.

However, what we did get to see of Gal Gadot as both Diana Prince and Wonder Woman should be a good enough reason to be very excited about what's to come in her solo outing next year. Snyder nailed the character anyway, particularly when it comes to her fighting style and the portrayal of the Amazonian's powers.

The visual of the Lasso of Truth glowing was very cool, and that shot of the hero smirking after being punched a few hundred yards by Doomsday may be the movie's most gif worthy moment.

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3. Batman

I bet you weren't expecting to see the Caped Crusader here, eh?

Don't get me wrong, Ben Affleck's Batman is the best live-action version oe the character to date, and while I'm still on the fence in regards to him killing the bad guys (even if most of them were somewhat indirect as Snyder has correctly pointed out), I really can't think of too many ways this interpretation of the character could or should be improved upon.

The upcoming solo movie will no doubt take what we got here and make it even better, but both the director and Affleck really nailed Batman's return to the big screen in this movie and managed to top Christian Bale's impressive take by sticking to the comic books.

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2. Lex Luthor

There's no denying the fact that Jesse Eisenberg's take on Lex Luthor has been divisive, but I for one can't wait to see more of the actor in this role.

His take on the classic villain may be quite a bit different to the comic books and what the vast majority of fans would have liked (a Bryan Cranston type), but both the actor's performance and this particular portrayal of the character were great in Batman v Superman.

Twisted, smart, and delightfully evil, this despicable version of Lex was smart enough to figure out the secret identities of both the Caped Crusader AND the Man of Steel, and after that scene with Batman in the prison cell, it will be great to see what comes next for Lex...

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1. Superman

I came out of Man of Steel not particularly fond of Superman. It had nothing to do with all that destruction or the fact that he killed Zod; I just didn't really perceive him as a particularly good hero (especially as he was like 30 by the time he finally suited up).

However, Batman v Superman completely redeemed him in my eyes. The sacrifice he makes to stop Doomsday is truly selfless, and his death is a moving and touching moment in the movie which makes it clear to both us and Batman that Superman is a true hero who will do anything to protect the world he loves.

Henry Cavill was also on top form here, with that scene he shares with Lex on the rooftop a definite highlight.

Do you agree with this ranking of the characters from Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice? Who was your favourite and least favourite? As always, let us know your thoughts below.

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172 Comments

1 2 3 4 5

batz11 - 3/31/2016, 9:03 AM

10, 9, 8, 7, 6...here comes the NEXT comments, LMAO

batz11 - 3/31/2016, 9:04 AM

I agree with your Doomsday, guess he could be back fully evolved, but disappointed he didn't look more like the comics, was so excited when he did the first evolution, then...F-me, that was it?

batz11 - 3/31/2016, 9:09 AM

Scoot, huge talent completely wasted imo...

ShinjaTurtle - 3/31/2016, 9:13 AM

I thought Michael Shannon's performance was great.

highwayman1985 - 3/31/2016, 9:15 AM

Affleck made that movie. Snyder's Superman is still missing something, and Lex was meh.

GhostDog - 3/31/2016, 9:15 AM

Scoot McNairy is a phenomenal actor who was wasted in a forgettable role.

He's AMAZING on Halt and Catch Fire

batz11 - 3/31/2016, 9:16 AM

@ComicsBornAndBred - H & C F one of the best shows on TV, wished more would watch, so glad it's getting a 3rd season! I know AMC believes in it...

MarvelDCfan18 - 3/31/2016, 9:16 AM

sorry but Eisenberg is getting a Razzie for his performance as 2016's Jar Jar Binks

DarthMoose - 3/31/2016, 9:16 AM

Borefleck vs SuperLAme : Yawn of Injustice

DoubleD - 3/31/2016, 9:16 AM

Doomsday has to be now the worst villain in Comic Book Movie History !

DCformers should be happy 29% right up there with Transformers Age of Extinction 19% but both are GREAT movies because they're making money. BvS still waiting to see if it makes money, will know this weekend

Bay and Snyder have a lot in common

MarvelDCfan18 - 3/31/2016, 9:18 AM

@DoubleD - i stopped reading after you said Transformers 4 was a great movie

1 2 3 4 5

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BATMAN v SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE - 10 Main Characters Ranked From Worst To Best

Batman v Superman brings back familiar faces and introduces plenty of new ones, and here you'll find a ranking of ten of them from worst to best. And no, the character you're expecting to see at #1 isn't.

10. Mercy Graves

9. Doomsday

8. Wallace Keefe

7. Lois Lane

6. Perry White

5. Alfred

4. Wonder Woman

3. Batman

2. Lex Luthor

1. Superman

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