MOVIE REVIEWS FROM A MOVIE ADDICT

Finally, the movie poster prediction we saw in Times Square in I Am Legend, becomes reality! If you don’t like superhero movies, then it’s quite probable that Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will not make your top ten favourite movie list. But, as I have said before, I love them!

DAWN OF JUSTICE picks up a couple of years or so after our Man of Steel wreaked havoc on Metropolis, while bashing to death fellow Kryptonian, Zod. Henry Cavill (The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Immortals, Stardust) reprises his role as the superbly well-cast Superman (but would be perfect if he was a little taller like in the comics), and faces off against a seriously buffed up, and the best ever, Dark Knight (but would also be perfect if he was a little taller like in the comics), played by Ben Affleck (Gone Girl, Runner Runner, Argo). Amy Adams (Big Eyes, American Hustle, Trouble with the Curve), Diane Lane (Trumbo, Jumper, Under the Tuscan Sun) and Laurence Fishburne (Man of Steel, The Matrix Trilogy, Higher Learning) also reprise their Man of Steel roles in this much darker sequel that is supercharged with political issues, in particular, the current hot topic of terrorism.

DAWN OF JUSTICE takes a different look at terrorism, rather, accidental terrorism on Earth and its natural inhabitants by alien beings and super-humans. We have seen this topic raised in other superhero movies too. Do the positives of having such a powerful defense mechanism, exceed the negatives of the destruction they cause protecting us? Are these superheroes the reason Earth is a target for other extraterrestrials to use it as a battleground? Surely we can’t sit back and let these gods and mutants decide who to help, and when to act. It is because of these questions that the governments of the world decide it is time to govern these heroes to most, and villains to some. Director Zack Snyder’s sensational epic Watchmen, Marvel’s X-Men, and more recently, Captain America: Civil War, discuss this contentious issue. It is also portrayed more candidly, and cleverly in Team America: World Police (an absolute must-see classic!). Understandably, Superman cannot be everywhere at once to save all who require his help. And of course, those who are close to him will benefit more than others (the perks of being Lois Lane). Having a team of superheroes on call to do your dirty work is a wonderful thing, but where do you draw the line, and which countries would be ‘in the club’?

Gotham City’s favourite son, Bruce Wayne, is one of many that are outraged by the actions of Superman. He decides to rid Earth of its inadvertent protector, for fear of future extraterrestrial attacks looking to destroy our hero. Fuelled by a personal vendetta to seek revenge on Superman (after his friends and colleagues were killed and injured during the battle between Superman and Zod), Batman is angry! And, he’s not the only one. After some shady dealings with Senator Finch’s (Holly Hunter – The Piano, Crash, Thirteen) subordinate, CEO of LexCorp, Lex Luther (Jesse Eisenberg – The Social Network, Now You See Me, American Ultra) gains access to Zod’s body and the Kryptonian scout ship. Now, why would this obviously severely unstable nut-case, who owns a weapons manufacturing company, want access to alien intelligence? The answer can’t be good for anybody. And there lies the undertone for the climactic conclusion to this episode in the DC Extended Universe. As the title of the movie suggests, Lex Luther is brewing some crazy plot to get Batman to fight Superman with the hope that they’ll destroy each other, leaving him to continue has dastardly ways, without interruption. But he wasn’t banking on the immortal Amazonian warrior, Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot – Fast & Furious, Knight and Day, Triple 9) turning up now was he?!

Like all movies featuring Batman, a plethora of engineering wonders are thrust upon the audience, and DAWN OF JUSTICE is no exception. But of course, with the help of his trusted confidant and butler, Alfred Pennyworth (Jeremy Irons – Damage, Casanova, Beautiful Creatures), there’s nothing much that a few billion dollars and a genius like Bruce Wayne can’t create. And to fight Superman successfully, you can imagine that The Dark Knight would need to create something quite special, in order to prevent a being with god-like powers from simply evaporating him. Well, you’ll just have to watch the movie to see how, and why, he doesn’t die instantly.

DAWN OF JUSTICE definitely has the Snyder (Dawn of the Dead, 300, Sucker Punch) finger print. If you didn’t know he had directed this movie before watching it, there are several telltale signs that are unmistakably Zack. He has a clever way of telling a story using voice over that coincides with imagery, illustrating the message in a beautiful impactful way. This subtle style evokes a need to read further into the story in order to form a complete understanding of the plot, rather than the audience being told every detail. It is for this reason that all Zack Snyder movies must be watched more than once, which is why I love them so much.

If you like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, you might also like: Batman Begins (2005), 300 (2007), The Dark Knight (2008), Watchmen (2009), Sucker Punch (2011), The Dark Knight Rises (2012), Man of Steel (2013).

The Movie Lad rates this: Four out of a possible five mums called Martha.