Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
Fearing the actions of a god-like Super Hero left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis’s most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman and Superman at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it’s ever known before.
Batman v Superman suffers from a bloated, incoherent plot that tries to cram too many storylines — the titular conflict, Lex Luthor's machinations, Wonder Woman's introduction, and a Justice League setup — into one film, resulting in tonal inconsistency and muddled motivations (the infamous 'Martha' resolution being a prime example). The acting is serviceable with Ben Affleck delivering a genuinely compelling Batman and Gal Gadot making a strong impression, though Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luthor is divisive and erratic. Cinematography under Larry Fong is occasionally striking with Zack Snyder's signature visual flair, but the relentless darkness and desaturation become monotonous. Novelty is low — despite the historic first live-action meeting of these icons, the execution is derivative, borrowing heavily from 'The Dark Knight Returns' without capturing its depth. The ending is a narrative mess: the contrived Doomsday battle and Superman's death feel unearned, sacrificing emotional weight for spectacle.