moviebuoy’s review published on Letterboxd:
EDIT:
(BvS: Ultimate Edition * * * * review
The question is not so much the quality of content (which is superb), it's the execution of it which drags the film down. Having seen the "Ultimate Edition" (whatever that means), a version widely considered more comprehensible, you have to question the construction of the theatrical release. When you're throwing your two biggest IPs on screen in a thoroughly ambitious way, you better be certain you have the infrastructure to support it. WB did not, and the film suffered because of it.)
______
Well. That was certainly ambitious.
The critical reaction so far to Batman v Superman is symptomatic of the fundamental problems I have with this obsessive review culture. Film, when done well, should be something that stays at the forefront of your mind for hours, days, weeks afterwards. The audience ratings will go up and down as more people see the film and more people reflect on it – the critical response will not. Their deadlines have long since passed and they’ve moved on.
I saw the film at 00:01 Friday morning, and here, 60~ish hours later, are some incoherent thoughts you may find to be of interest.
• Does BvS live up to the extraordinary hype? I'm not sure. Hype machines are terrible things with mostly negative consequences. It's a fractured film that probably deserves its fractured reception.
• Marvel were the first to risk a shared cinematic universe, and are so rightfully reaping the benefits of such. Whilst BvS undeniably tries to kick-start the DCEU, the more organic progression of the MCU ultimately works much better.
• That said, BvS doubles down and refuses to spoon-feed the audience. There are character histories alluded to, motivations hinted at, plot points not shown; some people will love filling in the gaps themselves (I would venture to say the more comic book orientated viewers), whilst others will cry out “plot hole!”.
• It has, to me, the feeling of an 'Event comic'. Which is to say I've read the core title in BvS, and now want to go read the tie-in issues.
• I can't stress how important it is that you buy into this universe. Remain open minded and understand that the characters you know might be at a different part of their hero's journey than you're used to seeing.
• Previous Superman films were always criticised for not being action packed enough (Brandon Routh never throws a super punch) - the 45 minute slug fest in MOS was Zack Snyder's (over)reaction to that. The same can be said about Synder's Batman - BvS spends probably the first 90 minutes fleshing out Batman in ways that we haven't seen before; he is a detective, a strategist, a horribly wounded man with a singular drive. And yes it is LONG. It is terribly indulgent. But is it boring? Not a chance. Ben Affleck has championed the most compelling, visceral, frightening Batman so far, and a hauntingly sad Bruce Wayne.
• However, for all the time the film soars, it comes close to sinking. Whilst Gal Gadot is all kinds of yes, Amy Adams' Lois Lane is demoted to the B-plot sideline - which I found especially strange given her strong performance in MoS.
• Gone is the levity of the Nolan trilogy – which whilst a good thing, makes the entire film endlessly dark and depressing. The sheer amount of content stuffed into the plot makes for an absolute breakneck narrative pace, which doesn’t allow the audience to settle in with any character not named Batman. But perhaps the strangest part? That a near 3 hour film feels rushed.
• And DC, please fix your continued 3rd act problems.
• However, it is problems like these that make me realise that there is real quality in the DCEU, as I spent the entire film absolutely giddy. In spite of all its problems, I genuinely enjoyed every indulgent minute, every weird plot direction, and especially every single frame of every single action piece. It was certainly ambitious, probably too-ambitious, but in reaching for the moon it definitely landed if not in the stars, then at least star-adjacent.
And a secondary point whilst I think of it: remember that 90% of studio directors do not have control over the content of their trailers. They are often outsourced to companies who specialise in marketing/promotional materials, and who don't have the inclination/prerogative to consider an audience's (or the director's intended) viewing experience. From what I understand, the onslaught of BvS trailers over the past few months have only hurt the film’s reception.
In summary: stay away from trailers kids.