‘Batman v Superman’ Review: We deserve better

At one point this spring break, you’re going to want to see “Batman v Superman.”

I know–I can’t stop you. So I’m not going to. But I’m here to do you a favor and lower your expectations. You’ll enjoy it more that way.

BvS was destroyed by critics. But a critic I trusted posted, “Don’t listen to the critics, go see the movie.” So I did.

I was blown away—by how a flimsy script could have been green lit by so many people.

Admittedly I am a Marvel geek, but I think by default that makes me an advocate for superheroes in general. I expected a 2-hour adrenaline-pumping escape into the superhero world. I’m a big fan of Batfleck and Henry Cavill and especially Jesse Eisenberg. I’m so in love with movies that I wholeheartedly want every movie I watch to be good, and my feelings towards BvS were no different. I wanted the movie to be awesome, I really did.

Unfortunately, BvS had overly ambitious mumbo-jumbo dialogue, a haphazard plot, depressing color palettes, one-too-many unearned dream sequences, an achingly slow first act, trite character motivations and ultimately, no stakes. The showdown between two of the greatest heroes of our time was based on something so trivial that filmmakers spent a good hour explaining/justifying reasons for their fight. That is why, as fantastic as the action sequences were, they didn’t really mean anything to the audience.

Now do all great movies need to have a coherent plot and 3D characters? No. But Superman is the emblem of America, and Batman is the self-made American hero. It’s only fair to expect more from a movie that brings together the most iconic characters in history.

So, if you can sit through a dull, sleep-inducing first (and second) act, you’ll at least be rewarded with some epic fight scenes in the third act, though it won’t mean very much. (Not to mention, there’s a plot device taken right out of the Avengers, but that’s a conversation for another time.) Just remember, their ultimate fight won’t wipe away the sins of the first half of the movie. BvS sets up the rest of the DC World–here’s to hoping that the heroes that we need can redeem themselves in the future, because, quite honestly, we deserve better.