A clash of titans! A battle for the ages! Or so they said. Get ready for a cinematic event that promised to redefine superhero cinema! Two of the biggest names in comic book history, the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight, finally go head-to-head on the big screen! Will they save the world, or will they just spend two and a half hours looking grim and flexing?
In a world still reeling from the collateral damage caused by Superman’s last little tussle, a new kind of hero, or perhaps, a very old kind of grumpy vigilante, rises to challenge the alien god among us. Meanwhile, a certain eccentric tech billionaire is pulling strings faster than a puppeteer on Red Bull, setting the stage for a confrontation that will determine the fate of humanity. So, grab your popcorn and prepare for an epic showdown where capes are torn, buildings crumble, and the plot gets thicker than a New York cheesecake.
Review by Ben Dover
Alright, let’s talk about Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Ultimate Edition. First off, let me get this straight: if you watched the theatrical cut and thought, “Man, I wish this was longer and made slightly more sense,” then congratulations, you got your wish! This “Ultimate Edition” adds about 30 minutes of footage, and while it does fill in some of the gaping plot holes, it also makes you realize just how much they cut out to make it digestible for the masses. It’s like serving you a half-eaten pizza and then offering the missing slices later. Thanks, Hollywood, real thoughtful.
Now, Ben Affleck as Batman. You know, when they announced this guy, I thought, “Oh great, Gigli Batman.” But I’ll admit, he’s a pretty good Dark Knight. He’s older, he’s angrier, and he’s clearly been working out. He’s got that grizzled, “seen-too-much” look down pat. He’s just so mad at Superman for, you know, existing and accidentally leveling a city. I get it, property values tanked, but come on, the guy saved the world. And Superman, played by Henry Cavill, still looks like he’s auditioning for a Calvin Klein ad while brooding about how hard it is to be a god-like alien. Kid, try paying taxes and dealing with these youngsters and their TikToks, that’s hard.
And then there’s Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor. Good grief. I’m all for new interpretations, but this guy was less a cunning super-villain and more like a twitchy, millennial Silicon Valley CEO who just chugged five energy drinks. He’s annoying. He’s rambling. He’s just… too much. It’s like they told him to be “quirky” and he interpreted that as “act like you just discovered caffeine and haven’t slept in a week.” And the whole “Martha” thing? Don’t even get me started. It’s the most contrived plot device since that dog saved Timmy from the well. My wife’s name is Martha, and if someone used that to stop me from beating someone senseless, I’d probably just punch harder out of sheer principle.
The action scenes, when they happen, are loud and explodey. Lots of CGI, naturally. Buildings fall, things get punched through other things, and it all looks like a video game. I suppose that’s what these kids want nowadays. But after a while, it just becomes a blur of gray and rubble. And then Wonder Woman shows up! Gal Gadot, she’s actually pretty good. She struts in, gets a rocking guitar riff, and suddenly the movie has a pulse for about five minutes. Too bad she’s not in it more. Honestly, they should’ve just made a Wonder Woman movie first. At least she knows how to handle herself without whining about her mommy.
Overall, this “Ultimate Edition” is a slight improvement over the mess that was released in theaters. It’s still a convoluted, overly grim spectacle, but at least the pieces fit together a little better. It’s got some decent moments, mostly from Batman and Wonder Woman, but it’s bogged down by its own self-importance and a villain that makes you want to fast-forward through his scenes. If you’re a die-hard fan, sure, give it a shot. Otherwise, go watch Dirty Harry or something, that’s a real hero.
Starring
- Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne / Batman: A grizzled, older Bruce Wayne, haunted by his past and convinced that Superman is an existential threat to humanity. He’s been operating as Batman for 20 years in Gotham.
- Henry Cavill as Clark Kent / Superman: The last son of Krypton, struggling with his place in a world that fears and idolizes him after the events of Man of Steel. Still trying to figure out what it means to be a hero on Earth.
- Amy Adams as Lois Lane: The tenacious reporter for the Daily Planet and Superman’s love interest, who constantly finds herself in danger and uncovering Lex Luthor’s machinations.
- Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor: The eccentric, manipulative CEO of LexCorp, obsessed with destroying Superman and seemingly orchestrating the conflict between the two heroes. His portrayal is… unique.
- Gal Gadot as Diana Prince / Wonder Woman: An enigmatic antiquities dealer who is secretly the Amazonian warrior, Wonder Woman. She shows up when things get really out of hand and proves she’s the toughest one in the room.
- Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth: Batman’s loyal butler and technological support, providing dry wit and a much-needed dose of sanity.
- Diane Lane as Martha Kent: Clark Kent’s adoptive mother, whose well-being becomes a crucial point of conflict.
- Laurence Fishburne as Perry White: The no-nonsense editor-in-chief of the Daily Planet, trying to keep his reporters focused on actual news amidst all the superhero chaos.
- Holly Hunter as Senator June Finch: A senator determined to hold Superman accountable for the destruction he causes, unknowingly becoming a pawn in Luthor’s schemes.
Special Effects
The special effects in Batman v Superman are, as you’d expect, massive. Buildings crumble, explosions are constant, and the fight between Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Doomsday is a CGI-heavy slugfest. They put a lot of work into making the digital doubles of the actors look realistic, especially for those close-up shots in IMAX. There’s a lot of green screen work, and it’s certainly big and loud. Does it always look real? Eh, sometimes it looks like a very expensive video game cutscene. But they throw enough stuff at the screen that you’re probably too busy trying to figure out what’s happening to care.
Music
The score, composed by Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL, is as brooding and intense as the movie itself. Zimmer’s signature deep, thrumming bass and orchestral swells are all over this thing. You’ve got Superman’s heroic-but-melancholy themes, and a new, more industrial, almost tribal sound for Batman that fits his older, grittier persona. The standout, though, is easily Wonder Woman’s theme, “Is She with You?” When that electric cello kicks in and she jumps into the fight, it’s the most exciting piece of music in the whole darn film. It makes you want to go out and wrestle a bear. The rest of it is just… a lot of boom-TISH-boom-TISH that blends into the background after a while.
Rating
3 out of 5 stars: so much better than the theatrical cut, but still has its problems.
Synopsis and Plot Breakdown
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Ultimate Edition picks up roughly 18 months after the events of Man of Steel, with the world still reeling from the devastating battle between Superman and General Zod in Metropolis. Bruce Wayne, aka Batman, witnessed the destruction firsthand from the streets of Metropolis and blames Superman for the immense collateral damage and loss of life. He sees Superman as an unchecked alien threat with god-like power.
Meanwhile, Clark Kent, in his civilian identity, is attempting to use his journalistic skills at the Daily Planet to expose Batman’s brutal vigilante methods in Gotham City. He believes Batman is an irresponsible and dangerous force, operating outside the law.
Enter Lex Luthor, a young, eccentric, and manipulative billionaire tech mogul. Luthor views Superman as a false god and an inherent threat to humanity. He begins orchestrating events to turn public opinion against Superman, while simultaneously fueling Batman’s fear and paranoia about the Man of Steel. Luthor illegally imports Kryptonite, the only substance that can weaken Superman, claiming it’s for defensive purposes against potential Kryptonian threats. Senator June Finch, however, refuses to grant him import licenses, seeing through his thinly veiled intentions.
Luthor’s schemes unfold: he funds an expedition to Zod’s scout ship and secretly conducts experiments on Zod’s corpse, using both Kryptonian technology and his own DNA. He manipulates a congressional hearing, blaming Superman for a massacre in Africa that was actually orchestrated by Luthor’s mercenary, Anatoli Knyazev. When Superman appears before the hearing, a bomb planted by Luthor detonates, killing everyone inside except Superman. This further isolates Superman and fuels public distrust.
Batman, now convinced that Superman must be stopped, breaks into LexCorp to steal the Kryptonite. He begins building a powered exoskeleton and Kryptonite-based weaponry, preparing for a confrontation.
Luthor, still pulling strings, kidnaps Martha Kent, Superman’s adoptive mother, and Lois Lane. He forces Superman to confront Batman, giving him an ultimatum: kill Batman, or Martha dies. Superman tries to explain the situation to Batman, but Batman is too far gone in his rage and fear. Their brutal fight culminates with Batman subduing a weakened Superman using Kryptonite gas. As Batman prepares to deliver a killing blow with a Kryptonite spear, Superman weakly pleads with him to “save Martha.” This shared maternal name shocks Batman, breaking through his vengeful mindset as he realizes Superman isn’t the monstrous alien he imagined. Lois Lane arrives and explains Luthor’s manipulation.
Realizing they’ve been played, Batman and Superman form an uneasy alliance. Batman rescues Martha Kent from Knyazev, while Superman confronts Luthor. Luthor, however, unleashes his “backup plan”: a monstrous creature genetically engineered from Zod’s corpse and his own DNA, which turns out to be Doomsday.
The battle against Doomsday begins, with Batman and Superman struggling against the powerful, evolving creature. Just as things seem dire, Wonder Woman arrives, having been investigating Luthor and reclaiming an ancient sword. The three heroes unite against Doomsday. They eventually realize Doomsday’s vulnerability to Kryptonite. Superman, already weakened, makes the ultimate sacrifice, using the Kryptonite spear to impale Doomsday, killing the monster but dying in the process.
The world mourns Superman. Lex Luthor is arrested and sent to Arkham Asylum, where Batman visits him, only to hear Luthor gloat about greater threats coming now that Superman is gone. Bruce Wayne and Diana Prince meet at Clark Kent’s funeral, acknowledging the need for more metahumans to protect the world, hinting at the formation of the Justice League. The film ends with a faint sound of dirt lifting from Superman’s coffin, implying his eventual return.
Famous Quotes
- “Tell me. Do you bleed? You will.” – Batman (to Superman)
- “The red capes are coming! The red capes are coming!” – Lex Luthor
- “He’s a one-man reign of terror. He’s not a god. He’s just a guy.” – Senator June Finch
- “That’s how it starts. The fever. The rage. The feeling of helplessness that turns good men cruel.” – Alfred Pennyworth
- “A beautiful lie.” – Bruce Wayne
- “I’m not a lady, I’m a journalist” – Lois Lane
- “Which lives count and which do not” – Batman
Notes
- This “Ultimate Edition” runs for 182 minutes (3 hours, 2 minutes), restoring about 30 minutes of footage cut from the theatrical release.
- Ben Affleck’s casting as Batman was initially met with significant backlash from fans, but his performance ultimately earned praise from many.
- The film marked the first live-action cinematic appearance of Wonder Woman, played by Gal Gadot, whose portrayal was widely praised.
- The “Martha” scene, where Batman halts his fight with Superman because both their mothers share the same name, became a heavily memed and debated moment due to its perceived contrivance, and also because it is possibly the greatest McGuffin of all time.
- Director Zack Snyder intentionally drew inspiration from iconic comic book storylines like The Dark Knight Returns for Batman’s characterization and The Death of Superman for the film’s climax.
- It’s kind of strange in this universe how Lois always knows Supermans secret identity.
- It also strikes me as strange how Gotham is like a suburb of Metropolis in this universe.
- It’s kind of funny how Batman justifies his violence but when Superman is violent its an issue for him.
- Superman is so calm as thousands die I kind of thought he was Bella for a minute.
- The Iron Bat vs Superman fight IS cool
- This movie has 2 and a half hours of greatness ruined by 30 minutes of stupidity and the greatest McGuffin of all time.
- The best part of this movie is Wonder Woman coming in and absolutely being the hero of this film.
- Of course its all good in the end except for the fact that Superman dies.