Cole’s Corner: Batman v Superman comes out swinging on opening weekend

Last Thursday night I found myself sitting down in a crowded movie theater only to find that the three year wait was over. A wait which found myself sitting on the edge of my seat and rearing to see the greatest pre-summer spectacle of 2016. What might this wait have been for you ask? Well, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (BvS) of course.

 

Back in 2013 when Warner Brothers Studios announced the movie, I was giddy with excitement and for some reason, that put me in this state of disbelief as the movie began.

 

All states aside, I can assure fans that… well, I can’t assure them anything really.

 

Currently sitting at a 28% on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer, BvS has polarizing reception so far. One thing is for sure. If you liked Zack Snyder’s 2013 Man of Steel (MoS), you are going to like this movie. Although, If you weren’t a fan of Snyder’s work then, I would advise entering the theater with caution.

 

A Snyder directed film, BvS brings a lot (and I mean a lot) to the table in every sense imaginable. The two and a half hour film sets up an entire expanded universe of films, but still manages to have a solid plot regardless.

 

The screenplay, originally penned by MoS writer David S. Goyer was re-written by academy award-winning screenwriter Chris Terrio, who builds an incredible world around incredible character in BvS.

 

The casting of Ben Affleck as Batman was one which brought a lot of upheaval initially, but he ultimately proved many people wrong in the end. Although different in his own right, this rendition of Batman epitomizes the caped crusader in every way. I don’t think there’s ever been a more convincing Bruce Wayne or Batman on the big screen.

 

The same goes for the majority of the heroes and villains in the film. They have their own special touches for this universe, but they ultimately paint a good picture of the characters they portray from the comics.

 

One thing about this movie though is that it’s “too big for little minds,” as Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor tells Amy Adams’ Lois Lane in the movie.

 

Yes, it’s understandable and quite frankly, I think the movie is well done for a general audience. But first and foremost, this is a comic book movie made for comic book fans.

 

It can be enjoyed by anyone, I’m certain of that, but knowing the mythos of the DC Universe before going into theaters gives the viewer that much of a leg up in understanding this film.

 

Ultimately, I walked out of the theater feeling like something was missing. And I’m starting to think it was the advanced level of comic book knowledge that made it this way.

 

While enjoyable in the moment, It almost felt like the brainchild of Snyder/Terrio/Geoff Johns was flying off comic book panels, right into a full length feature film. And for some reason, that almost feels like too much.

 

With time though, I’m certain I’ll be able to appreciate this film even more than I did when first watching. In fact, I still remember walking out of theaters borderline livid at my initial disgust of MoS in 2013. But with time, I certainly came to enjoy that movie.