Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

My Review

An indication that Hollywood has run out of ideas may be that they have produced a film pitting two popular superheroes against each other in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.” Director Zach Snyder (“300” 2007) does convince viewers to buy the premise that Bruce Wayne views Superman as a dangerous and unchecked threat to the human race, despite a weak screenplay and unfocused direction. Snyder and screenwriters Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer also create enough of a spectacle with non-stop action sequences to be a crowd pleaser.

Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman and Henry Cavill as Clark Kent/Superman do deliver in the performance department. This film is a Superman vehicle, as it seems to be a de facto sequel to “Man of Steel” (2013). Superman’s pals dominate the cast – Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor, Diane Lane as Martha Kent, Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent, Jeremy Irons as the butler, Laurence Fishburne as Perry White, Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, Ezra Miller as the Flash, Ray Fisher as Cyborg, Jason Momoa as Aquaman, and Holly Hunter as a U. S. Senator.

“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” was the seventh highest grossing film of 2016 for DC Entertainment, RatPac-Dune Entertainment, Atlas Entertainment, and Warner Bros. Pictures. It was filmed in Michigan, Illinois, New Mexico, and California. The film was nominated for seven Golden Raspberry Awards, winning four – Worst Screeplay, Worst Supporting Actor (Eisenberg), Worst Screen Combo (Affleck and Cavill), and Worst Prequel, Remake, Ripoff, or Sequel. A direct sequel would follow soon – “Justice League” (2017) – reuniting Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Cyborg, and Aquaman.