Batman v Superman (SPOILER FREE)

[Benjamin]

(Spoiler free, until the rest of you see the film anyway.)

'Kay. I just feel I need to talk about this film because I was more more a DC guy than I was of Marvel so I felt that I have more invested in BvS than I am in an MCU film. So what did think of it overall? It was good, but not exceptional. Allow me to tell you my biggest problem with it: the pacing. Much like 2011's Green Lantern and Man of Steel before it, BvS tries to cram three films into one and often jumps all over the place to move the plot at a frenetic pace despite being two and a half hours long and I hate to say it, but despite the pace, it can be a brutal slog like the lesser MCU films. However, the last act was worth it to me. CGI Doomsday looked terrible, but I enjoyed the final battle more than MoS' climax and even said "Hell, Yeah!" when Wonder Woman showed up to kick some ass.

Some highlights for me:

• Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor. He seems to follow Gene Hackman and Kevin Spacey's portrayals of Luthor in the Donner and Singer films rather than the Clancy Brown and Mark Rolston portrayals in the DCAU and Young Justice. I know some people will hate it, especially a friend of mine who argues that a Superman film would be better if told from Luthor's point of view. However, despite his maniacal performance, Eisenberg's Luthor actually came off as a threat because of his borderline psychotic behaviour in the film.
  
• Again, Wonder Woman. Her character suffers from the film's pacing issues, but I really enjoyed seeing her in battle and when the trinity came together.
  
• Affleck as Batman did not turn out as badly as I thought. I thought he was better than Christian Bale because he did not go over the top with the "growly" voice. He plays the slightly burned-out veteran of a decades long crusade, driven to breaking point when the Last Son of Krypton shows up. Jeremy Irons was entertaining as Alfred, who was different from Michael Caine's version from the Dark Knight
  
• Seeing glimpses Aquaman, Cyborg, and the Flash was a delight.
  
• Do yourself a favour and do not stay past the credits. There is no post-credits scene. Marvel conditioned us to think that every superhero film has one. BvS does not.

I know critics are savaging this film, but part of me think it is because DC/Warner Bros is not using Marvel's formula. However, if DC/WB did copied Marvel, I am reasonably certain that the critics would tear it apart for being too derivative, so I place next to no faith in the reviews. Marvel's heroes were men, but DC's heroes were are gods and more elemental in nature. Is it a terribly flawed film? Oh yes, but a terrible film? No. It is not like Marvel has a clean record either. Iron Man 3 is one of the worst superhero movies I have seen, and Thor: The Dark World and Avengers: Age of Ultron were mediocre at best because they felt more like a checklist to get to the grand finale, Infinity War. In terms of atmosphere, I appreciate was DC is trying to do. They didn't quite get it right, but it was still a good effort.

[Yoshino Shurensuki]

I was told it was "A hot mess of garbage in the wake of a train wreck".

Also a spoiler-free review, and was kind of expected from the reviewer.

...and about what I expected too. >_>

[ Post made via Android ]

[Akurei Nagisa]

I like how everyone and their mom is dogpiling on Zack Snyder over this. You know he didn't write the damn thing, right, guys? Snyder is just responsible for the visuals and if you saw 300 or Watchmen or Man of Steel at all you know what he's about: spectacular background cinematography, red-hot slow-motion cut action sequences, and that's it. That's all he does.

No, the blame for this goes, at least in part, to exactly whom I suspected it would, David S. Goyer, who also penned Dark Knight Rises, a movie about which the best that can be said was "well Anne Hathaway is in a catsuit for some of it", which is a positive in the same way that you could sit through Brokeback Mountain for a glimpse of said actress' breasts; they're not the point and you are wasting your life.

Anyway, I ain't spending a dime to see this hot mess, sorry. >_>; To be fair, I'm not mad hype for Civil War, either. Let's hope they get a screenwriter who can sift something good from Mark Millar's general dreck?
But that trailer's focus on Iron Man punching Captain America whole VOs indicate a total reversal of positions from A Movie Ago, and that Spider-Man glimpse, do not make me wanna hold my breath. I think the best parts of the MCU might've left with Whedon (unless you count Jessica Jones.)

[Benjamin]

I don't consider Avengers: Age of Ultron Whedon's best work, but I suppose that can be attributed to interference from higher up. Civil War is going to be better than BvS, no doubt about it. It has the same writers as The Winter Soldier (I believe) and the Russo Brothers so I can expect similar quality. However, I would NOT recommend seeing BvS in theatres unless you were fan of the characters, or wanted to see Batman beat up Supes. Even as a DC uberfan, I give a five out of ten, or maybe a six if I'm feeling charitable.

It leaves me to wonder if we are reaching the saturation point with the superhero genre in film. Marvel has pretty much used up all the iconic characters they have the rights to, and I expect the MCU to run out of gas after Infinity War. I mean, Guardians of the Galaxy did gangbusters, but that was lightning in a bottle. Ant-Man did okay but not spectacular. Marvel is getting a bit overconfident if they think Black Panther, Captain Marvel, and Inhumans will be runaway successes, especially the latter two. They are really pushing the Inhumans because they don't have access to X-Men and Captain Marvel to keep their trademark. It's the same reason why they keep publishing Captain Marvel series despite lukewarm sales at best.

Personally, I'm not going to bother with Doctor Strange despite Benedict Cumberbatch in the lead role. Same with [Spider-Man because I'm not interested in seeing his origin told a third time.

At least I have the Flash on TV to offer me solace, and DC goodness.

[Akurei Nagisa]

I liked Age of Ultron a lot, but it's more Whedon I'm a fan of in general over any superheroes.

And yeah, I think we've hit "peak capes", really, as far as adapting the Big Names to the screen; it seems like hero movies are coming out nearly as regular as new comics. Which has been okay-ish, mostly...it's helped push sci-fi into the mainstream a little more, especially with really great little pieces like Guardians, but I'd be okay with dialing it back a little.

And man if I had one goddamn wish with regards to Spider-Man it'd be just do a movie where he already is Spider-Man. We ain't need to see Uncle Ben die again, and we certainly don't need to see if you can actually do worse than the Amazing movies.