Ollie Ottoman delves into the new Ultimate Blu-Ray release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice has probably had more shit thrown its way than any other movie this year. And for good reason: its title alone reeks of inelegance and leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Even the cover is tedious and uninteresting: it’s the three main characters just standing there…looking at the viewer.
But dear readers I am here to tell you that inside this awful looking shell lies the creamy center of an interesting, smart, and highly underrated movie. Let me explain…
First of all, let me just clear the air here and assure you that I have not drunk the cool-aid when it comes to this movie. There are plenty of misfires in Dawn of Justice that are worth mentioning: the perplexing choice to play Alfred as someone full of contempt, the clown-like performance of Jessie Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor who comes across more like an idiot than a threat, and the fact that Wonder Woman’s presence is incredibly inconsequential to the events of this movie (really, the movie would play just fine without her). I could go on, but instead I’m more interested in all the themes Snyder got right like the concept of unchecked power, of human responsibility, xenophobia, and the idea of collateral damage. I remember watching Man of Steel and as those buildings were coming down during the final fight sequence thinking to myself, “What about all the innocent bystanders!?†Those are the real themes in Batman vs Superman. When the fate of the world lies in the hands of one individual who doesn’t understand the consequences of his actions, is there anything the rest of us can do? And in a world that’s grown to shun him, what sacrifices must Superman make for those he loves? Very powerful stuff, man.
These are all complex and interesting ideas tackled by Dawn of Justice which obviously would confuse and turn off an audience who was expecting 2.5 hours of just punching, tits and ass, and drinking Bud Lights. Basically, Fast and the Furious this is not, which is ironic because that’s the audience this movie was marketed to.
This ultimate edition is a nice package to the story as well with 30 extra minutes of story weaved into the theatrical release (although I didn’t find it to be that essential to the plot), and loads of special features on the development of the movie, the reimagining of the characters, the casting, and the design of the new Bat mobile. All are great compliments to the feature.
For a movie that’s supposed to kick off the DC franchise of movies, Batman vs Superman’s reputation got that avalanche off to a rocky start. But the reality is that Zack Snyder’s story is remarkable, and the good definitely outweighs the bad. Critics be damned, this is a damn good movie.
Get the Ultimate Blu-Ray release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice here!
