The Batman v Superman saga has been a long, grueling road that left most fans disappointed and as we reach the end with the Ultimate Edition releasing this week, I feel we have all learned a lot from this experience, myself included. As I watched Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice The Ultimate Edition, I felt I wasn’t accurate in my first review. So here it is, after completing the Ultimate Edition these are my final thoughts and feelings on Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. (Scroll down to the end if you want to watch my video review.)
Batman V Superman was both a win and a fail at the same time. It primarily had only two goals. The first goal was to give us the two most iconic superheroes on the big screen while teasing the Justice League’s existence. The second goal was to appeal to average moviegoers and comic fans alike.
With the studio panicking over the long run time and forcing director Zack Snyder to cut it short, I think the studio failed in the sense that the ultimate version was obviously going to be the better film. However, if they wanted to cut things out they should’ve just cut out Doomsday.
And yes, I know, that would’ve meant Wonder Woman too. Honestly, I don’t think all of her scenes were needed. Why? Because this was a setup movie. When we saw that awesome trailer for BvS, we didn’t know Wonder Woman was going to be in it, and we LOVED it. She could’ve been teased like everyone else, and got us excited for her upcoming solo movie. Doomsday could’ve simply been teased.
Furthermore, I’ve been on record to say that Superman’s death was incredibly premature. Such an event is not something you cram in the last 20 mins of an already bloated movie. That could’ve been saved for Man of Steel 2 where we could’ve focused and cared more.
Now Snyder also failed in the sense that no one told him to make a 4 hour movie. (yes it was originally going to be 4 hours!) As a director your job is to tell us your story but do it effectively. It's reminiscent of when a teacher gives you a 5 page essay to complete, and you turn in 20 pages instead. You'll get either points off, or simply fail.
Now to be fair, both the studios and Snyder still win. The studio gets Geoff Johns (awesome comic writer) to supervise all of their projects moving forward as an executive producer. They also added Ben Affleck to direct and executive produce some of their films as well. (This way they can reel in Snyder if he goes off the reservation again.) Snyder wins because he gets a second chance to direct the Justice League movies.
So I should also clear this up. My previous rating of Batman V Superman is now going to be reduced to just a 7/10. I will chalk this up to “fanlexia” (watch the video review at the end of this article for a more detailed explanation.)
Phew, now that that’s not of the way let’s talk about the Ultimate Edition and why it's the better film, but in the end still has its flaws. (Mild spoilers ahead if you haven't watched Batman V Superman)
The Good:
Right off the bat, you’ll notice that the story makes way more sense. It’s told in a much more chronological and cohesive manner. You’ll also notice that many of the scenes were re-ordered in a much better sequence. The benefit of this was that the characters were developed in a much better way. We actually get a better sense of their motivations as well.
I appreciated Amy Adams (played “Lois Lane”) so much more in this version. She’s cracking cases like Sherlock Holmes and even reveals some insight as to why Superman couldn’t stop that bomb.
As for Superman/Clark Kent, we found out that he wasn’t so much of an emotional jerk after all. He followed up with the victims, and showed that he really did care. The theatrical version cut out many of the scenes that really dug into the moral dilemma of “who’s good or bad” and “What’s right or wrong”. When someone stated that Superman was a hero, we didn’t get to see much of the other side of that story questioning “Well who's hero is he really?” In a nutshell, the ultimate version made me actually care a little more about Superman’s character.
On to Lex Luthor…Jr? Well they did a much better job of showing us more of Lex’s plans and just how much he really was involved with the conflict between Batman and Superman. This definitely helped to add to his character’s motivations and devious nature that we’re all accustomed to. The scene where Lex is captured in the spaceship made way more sense as well, which was a much better setup for Darkseid’s speculated arrival.
If you had high hopes like me that there was going to be another intense action scene like Batman’s final fight scene, then I’m sorry to tell you it’s not happening. Many of the additional scenes were more so for the sake of filling in the plot, and not so much action packed visual delights.
I still think that Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex was a fail overall. There's suspicion that the film was using the alternate universe’s version of “Alexander Luthor” (from the Crisis on Infinite Earths comic series). If true, I don't think that's a good move at all since it's an awkward departure from the tradition depiction of Lex Luthor on screen for casual audiences. I completely understand (as told in the Bonus features) that Lex is just a modern day, silicon valley type of rich tycoon. However, it just doesn't seem to translate as well as they may have hoped in my opinion. Also, I think that Lex’s “insanity” would’ve made more sense had he simply gone crazy AFTER he started messing with the alien technology. (I HATE that jolly rancher scene)
Overall, I believe that this ultimate edition is what should’ve hit theaters regardless of its time length. There wouldn’t have been as much of a divide, in my opinion. Feel free to check out my video review of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Ultimate Edition below give it a watch and let us know what you think once you see the film.
Blu-Ray Bonus Features:
Thanks to Warner Bros. I also got an early look at the bonus features that will be included in the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Ultimate Edition, so to add to my final thoughts on the film here is a breakdown of what you will get with the Blu-ray special features and how it will enhance your experience. Here are the titles of the features and some brief thoughts.
Uniting the World’s Finest
We begin with an opportunity to take a look at some great previews of the rationale behind who the Justice League members are.
Gods and Men: A Meeting of Giants
We’re given some background as to how monumental it truly is to have Batman and Superman on the big screen for the first time. Additionally, we get a little more insight into why things like the why “Martha connection” may be more important than some may think.
The Warrior, The Myth, The Wonder
Probably one of my personal favorite features would be the short Wonder Woman documentary. If you loved Wonder Woman in the movie, then you’ll more than likely appreciate this documentary. Just seeing her evolution and the inspiration she had on generations and on women especially was a delight to see.
Accelerating Design: The New Batmobile
I didn’t care as much for the Batmobile special feature, but if you’re a car-fan, you’ll probably appreciate it more.
Superman: Complexity & Truth
We also get get to see just how deep Snyder’s love and intrigue for Superman goes when it comes to Superman's moral complexity. I think that this could've been developed more in a Man of Steel sequel, but that's just my opinion.
Batman: Austerity & Rage
Though it was just a quick look at the Batman, it was still nice to see why this version of Batman is so different than the traditional Batman we've been accustomed to for years.
Wonder Woman: Grace & Power
This was more of a nod for fans of Gal Gadot. You can see what the character of Wonder Woman meant to her, and all the work she put into making the character come to life on the big screen.
Batcave: Legacy of the Lair
This was similar to the Batmobile clip, except with a focus on the batcave. Can't say that this held my attention too much, however, it does give you deeper sense of appreciation for the little tiny details that we may take for granted while initially watch a film. Those set designs are incredibly intricate!
The Might and the Power of a Punch
For those of you who really want to nerd out, there’s a nice breakdown of the actual fight between Bats and Superman. However, it was a little disappointing in the sense that it ends a bit prematurely.
The Empire of Luthor
I was looking forward to something that could salvage Lex’s character, and didn’t find it in this segment.
Save the Bats
#BatsLivesMatter
Overall, I’d say that if you really loved the theatrical and the Ultimate Edition then you’re probably the best candidate to really appreciate what the special bonus features have to offer. While I did enjoy the Ultimate Edition, I didn’t feel wow’d by most of the special features, however, I did like some of the background information presented, and more of the commentary rationales by the show’s writers. At this point, I’d probably say that simply watching the Ultimate Edition is more than enough of a payoff for those somewhat disappointed with the theatrical version. However, the bonus blu-ray features simply are simply just that: a bonus.
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Amazon has the blu-ray and digital versions available if you're interested in buying either. The release date for the Blu-Ray DVD will be July 19, 2016.