The Good:
The Performances-
Ben Affleck: This movie was dividing fans from the outset. Especially with the casting choices that were being made. When Ben Affleck was cast as Bruce Wayne/Batman, there were some very outspoken individuals (to say the least). I feel comfortable saying, having watched the movie, that Ben was one of the highlights, if not the highlight of BvS. As Bruce Wayne he is resorceful and determined and as Batman he is as brooding and vicisous as you'd hope. It was equally enjoyable to watch him paste thugs and sneak about Lex's home.There were some changes made to the Bat that some people will not like, so that should be noted. I am not sure if they will carry on throughout these films.
Gal Gadot: A casting choice that was met with about the same amount of outcry as Affleck's was Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman. Though she is not given much to do in the film, I think she did a good job with what she had. She managed to come off as mysterious when infiltrating Lex's mansion and badass when fighting Doomsday.
Henry Cavill: Though Superman seems to be incapable of defining who he is for himself, I really do like Henry Cavill in the role. He looks the part and, when given the chance, really shows that he knows what the character is all about. Those chances are few and far between, lately, but I am still hopeful and excited to see him show up again!
The Rest: As was the case with MoS, Lois Lane felt a bit out of place. Amy Adams is by no means wrong for the role, in my opinion, but she just feels out of place in a plot that attempts to be so huge. Lois not withstanding, the supporting cast was great and given just the right amount of things to do. Jeremy Irons played the part of Alfred extremely well and Laurence Fishburn makes for an engaging Perry White.
The Visuals- With Snyder, the least we can expect are some amazing visuals. We certainly got them in BvS. I won't go over them all, but the breaking of the pearls was stunning, seeing Batman dart around a decrepit building, scaring the life out of criminals and cops alike, was amazing and several moments from the titular fight were ripped straight from the comics.
The Bad:
The Editing- One of the first criticism I heard for the movie was that the editing was sloppy. During the opening credits and ensuing Metropolis scene, I didn't understand where they were coming from. The intercuting scenes at the Wayne Funeral were great. Then, like Superman plowing a terrorist through a wall, it hit me. We jump from Africa, to a Senate hearing, to Metropolis. Rather than a cohesive string of scenes, I felt as though I were just watching a few losely connected moments being pushed together.
Lex Luthor- Now, you might've noticed that I didn't mention Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor, when covering performances. While I feel that Jesse did well in some scenes (his father's study, the rooftop), I do not think he was right for the role. His eccentricity was awkward and his motives were vague at best. Apart from the casting, I think those aforementioned problems for Lex would've been alleviated with more screen time. But, asking the audience to sit in the theater for too long is not a good idea.
Doomsday- Why was he in the movie? I know that the argument can be made (especially since I have made it) that Doomsday is a one-trick-pony. He was made expressly to kill Superman. However, his pressence just further undermines the flimsy conflict that occured between Batman and Superman.
The Why- WB had something potentially very special. The idea of Batman going after Superman because of what he saw in Metropolis was great. It allowed them to utilize the criticisms of MoS and give Batman a believable reason to hate Superman. Equally as great was the idea that Superman would go after Batman because of his methods. It showed that Superman had matured from MoS and was no longer willing to make mistakes. But Superman still does make mistakes. He doesn't want to fight Batman, even when they do fight. The closest we get to him going after Batman alone was when he wrecked the Batmobile. Their fight was glossed over and resolved way too quickly.
Closing:
In the end, I enjoyed Dawn of Justice. I wanted to love it, but I just can't say that I did. It had so much to live up to and it fell short. That being said, I am still excited to see what the DCEU has to offer. Let's hope that, come August, we find that this universe can be strong.
