In Defense of Batman V Superman: The Critics Need Critics
So if you have recently traveled the streaming digital airways known collectively as the internet, you’ve seen the endless vitriol directed at Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. The critics have spent most of their time tearing into the movie’s nuances while some pointed to popular websites like Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic to show how universally panned poor old Zack Snyder’s latest outing truly is. However, being the curious-to-a-fault fellow that I am, I had to go and see Batman V Superman. The critics couldn’t all be wrong, right? How could having Batman and Superman on the same screen even have a remote chance of messing up? In defense of BvS, I think the critics and I have seen different movies…or at least preconception forms a lot of what one might take from BvS.
So you’ve heard the complaints; the pacing is off, the movie is humorless, Superman can’t act, Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor, there’s too much stuff going on, the trailers showed everything, etc. etc. etc. until the freaking end of time. Considering how everybody has been echoing the exact same sentiment, I truly expected Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice to be awful…and I know what it is like to go and spend hard earned money at the theaters watching bad movies. I have the rather dubious distinction of having seen both the Dungeons and Dragons movie AND Wild Wild West in theaters. Don’t feel sorry for me though – I knew what I was getting in for and I was prepared in pretty much the same way for BvS considering what the critics have said. Imagine my surprise as the movie rolled on and BvS wasn’t as bad as they all had said…it was actually quite ‘normal’ in the sense of a superhero movie! I kind of felt like the Red Viper from Game of Thrones explaining to Tyrion all of the rumors he had heard about him…only to be disappointed. Seriously critics…you told me this movie sucked and it was far from it!
I don’t know how it exactly happened either. Suddenly Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice was being critiqued for some very minor things. Sure, the critics have some merit in their opinions but it is really, really minor – I felt BvS was a significant improvement over Man of Steel and far less bloated than Avengers: Age of Ultron which is all I really wanted out of the movie. I guess all of those clicks websites have been getting for saying ‘Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice sucks!’ helps them sleep easier at night. Have we forgotten why we go to movies in the first place? To be entertained?
Sure, Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice isn’t lighthearted or bright and shiny like the Marvel Universe – would you really want it to be? It works because it is a contrast, and having both DC and Marvel movies operating is best for all of us true fans. To even compare the two on more than a superficial level does a tremendous disservice to both. I only mention it because it seems like there is a small vocal minority that believes that there is a zero-sum game between the two companies and they tend to stir the proverbial digital pots. You wouldn’t judge the movie Zootopia the same way you judge A Scanner Darkly. “But look, they both used computer generated images!”
Honestly, I don’t understand the amount of hate Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice is getting. I thought it succeeded in establishing the DC Cinematic Universe. Was it the best movie ever? No. Was it the best comic book movie ever? No. Was it better than at least half of the stuff that’s out there for comic book movies? Most assuredly. Was it entertaining? Oh, hell yes.