EDITORIAL: 5 Ways BATMAN V SUPERMAN Can Improve On MAN OF STEEL

I’m gonna get this out of the way quickly- I hated Man of Steel. In my opinion, it was a bloated, pretentious, preachy mess of a film that butchered the legacy of the original superhero. And while many do no share my opinion of this film, it definitely underwhelmed. Despite opening to $130 million, it failed to puncture the $700 million mark- and while this does not make it a flop by any means, WB were expecting it to break the $1 billion mark with ease. This is Superman we’re talking about.
Thankfully, DC have a chance to redeem themselves with Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. And with that in mind, I’ve put together a list of 5 things WB/DC can do in order to ensure BVS:DOJ tops Man of Steel.

5. Properly Establish Superman’s Character
One thing I think MOS failed to do was actually show us who Superman is. We never really learn much about his character, other than he likes to save people and being an alien is tough. For a movie that was supposed to focus on re-introducing Superman to modern audiences, they never really gave us a proper insight into his character. But in this movie, they have a great opportunity to showcase his character by contrasting him with Batman. Supes and Bats are at opposite ends of the spectrum- whereas Superman embodies hope and optimism, Batman is a dark, brooding vigilante who is utterly ruthless and isn’t above bending the rules to help in his crusade against crime. By showcasing their differing methods, the filmmakers have an opportunity to truly explore who Superman is and why he chooses to fight against crime in a way Man of Steel didn’t.

4. Play To Zack Snyder’s Strengths
We know Zack Snyder is capable of making good movies. Watchmen, 300, Dawn of the Dead- all of these were great. So what went wrong in MOS? My theory is this- Snyder is at heart a visual storyteller. Hell, I hated Man of Steel, and even I have to admit it was visually stunning. The effects and production design were top notch. And BVS looks to be just as good- the costumes for Supes, Bats and Wonder Woman are all excellent. Snyder is a very talented filmmaker- but in order for Snyder to make a good film, he needs a good script behind him, which is why I’m excited they’ve got Chris Terrio, the Oscar-winning writer of Argo, to help out the misfiring Goyer. What the studio need to do is allow Snyder to do what he does best- tell stories visually, and leave the dialogue to Terrio and Goyer.

3. Lighten the Mood
The dark, brooding style of film-making works for some heroes and not for others. It works for Batman, but really doesn’t for Superman. This means that they’re going to have to find a happy medium between dark, gritty realism and a more light-hearted ‘comic-booky’ tone. I suggest they look to Captain America: The Winter Soldier for inspiration. That movie struck a great balance between light and dark, balancing real-world grit with more light-hearted superhero fare. Thing is, this movie marks the official start of the DC Cinematic Universe. They’re going to be introducing characters like Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Green Lantern etc, who just don’t fit into the brooding, realistic vibe DC seem to be struggling to uphold. So a change of tone is necessary if WB/DC are serious about their Cinematic Universe.

2. Stay True To Wonder Woman’s Origins
As well as marking the first time Batman and Superman have appeared on screen together, this film also marks the first live-action cinematic appearance of Wonder Woman. (Her first cinematic appearance was actually in The Lego Movie.) I’ll freely admit that I don’t like the choice of Gal Gadot for the Amazing Amazon, but hey- maybe the production team say something I didn’t. I guess we’ll find out when the movie actually arrives. There have been a few rumours that WB/DC intends to change her origin- who can forget the infamous ‘Wonder Woman is Kryptonian’ rumour?
It’s crucial that the film-makers stay true to Wonder Woman’s classic origins. Her origin is a crucial part of who she is. It sets her apart from the other ‘scientific’ super-heroes in DC. Trying to ground her in science just takes away everything that makes her such a powerful and unique character. She gets her powers from the Greek gods. She regularly faces magic-wielding foes and even fights gods from time to time. She is a heroine born from magic, which is what sets her apart from the other heroes of the Justice League. Let’s keep it that way.

1. Build Your World- But Do It Right
DC haven’t been shy about their ambitions for the DCCU. Many people complain about the movie being overstuffed, but come on- some of the very best CBMs (DOFP, GOTG, CA:TWS) had heaps of characters in them, and they turned out alright. The problem is, we know that having the weight of a franchise on its shoulders can bring down a superhero movie (Amazing Spider-Man 2 being the latest culprit).
What DC needs to realise is that there is a fine art to world building. Simply shoving in tons of characters and subplots for the sake of setting up future films does not a good movie make. Focus on a handful of central characters and have the rest be cameos and minor roles if needs be. The central dynamic needs to be Bats and Supes- maybe have Wonder Woman play a similar role to Black Widow in Iron Man 2.
So there you have it- my top 5 suggestions for how WB/DC should handle Batman V Superman. Disagree with my suggestions? Have any of your own? Let me know in the comments below?
Live long and prosper!