You may noticed, or maybe not, that the latest episode of Pop Culture Cinema was released on Friday, but it took till Monday to post on the blog. That can happen from time to time. However, if you are subscribed to the podcast, you will already know it. Maybe – just maybe – you already heard it. The part two of my discussion of the Zack Snyder trilogy of DC Cinematic Universe. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
The episode itself is a bit shorter than Man of Steel. However, much of my criticism for this movie does play into Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Although, I believe that the criticism of this film is something along the line of how the initial reaction to the film. The film was too long to tell what he was setting up for his two-part Justice League films. It was a natural expectation that they could split up a major franchise film into two-parts. Even Marvel told Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame in two parts.
After the release of Batman v Superman, many DC fans were criticizing Warner Bros for ruining such an easy money grab. A convoluted plot, a random CG third act fight, and killing off the main character in his second outing. Let us not forget that they crammed Wonder Woman into the movie, which illustrated great disrespect for the character. Someone who is considered part of the “Holy Trinity” of DC Comics.
Batman v Superman is a lesson in smaller stories are better
When I initally saw the film, I always felt as if there was something missing. It felt as if something was off. It was the longest two-and-a-half hours of my life. When the release of the “Ultimate Edition”, which featured the theatrical and an expanded “director’s cut” at three hours, it made sense. The longer edit filled in many of the holes I felt it created. Again, confirmed my theory that he doesn’t know how to tell a story. Which was interesting, because Man of Steel was a complete story.
Muhc of the film itself was bloated with ideas and concepts that we would never got to see. Either in the next film or the film after that. Snyder said that the studio required him to cut the run time to allow for more screenings a day. There were so many things he could’ve cut down and restore it in a director’s cut.
I believe this movie would’ve been better if it was a simple story about Lex getting Batman to take down Superman. Remove that whole third act with Doomsday. It wasn’t earned. Crammed into the movie for a big CGI fight scene. The death of Superman was completely unearned.
However, more criticism will be explained in next week’s episode featuring Zack Snyder’s Justice League.