Review of Birth.Movies.Death.'s Review of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

"This is a very bad review."

Let me begin by saying that Devin Faraci thinking Zack Snyder hates Superman means that Devin Faraci doesn't understand Superman.  Or at the very least he hasn't read some of the comics that this movie sources and mirrors, namely "The Dark Knight Returns" which set the tone for the movie (receiving critical acclaim and winning Kirby Awards for Best Graphic Album and Best Art Team), "Superman: Earth One" (a DC Comics Essential Read which became #1 on The New York Times' Hardcover Graphic Books Best Seller List), "Superman: Birthright" (winning the Best Book for Young Adults award), and the Death of Superman storyline.

The mere notion that Snyder and his editors seem to have inserted scenes haphazardly tells me that Faraci didn't notice any of the thematic connections and parallels between scenes.  Each subsequent scene has a call back to previous scenes in some fashion, and we follow characters along similar paths until they finally diverge.

Faraci gives an example of this "poor editing" citing the scene of Perry White in the Daily Planet offices looking for Clark Kent asking where he is and if he clicks his heels three times and shows up back home in Kansas.  Not only is this a hint of humor that many critics claim the movie sorely lacked (fact is Clark CAN click his heels and show up in Kansas cause he's Superman), but its also a call back to Lex who made reference to the "Emerald City" earlier in the film.  And that is exactly who Lois' investigations are leading her to as she continues to dig for information in the following scene.  Furthermore the Daily Planet scene just before this one shows Clark looking at some photographs he received from Lex flaming the fire on Clark's judgement of Batman.  After seeing the photos he disappears off to go investigate Batman further which Perry doesn’t want him to do, which is why Clark isn't there when Perry looks for him.  It all fits together seamlessly so I'm not sure where Faraci is coming from.  Maybe it was too much for him to follow, but the film shouldn't be criticized for the viewer's shortcomings when there is nothing wrong with the film.

Faraci goes on to say the Knightmare scene has no bearing on the film.  It only has everything to do with the film!  This is the exact scenario that Batman fears for.  A world where Superman has absolute control and terrorizes everyone on it.  It is Batman's very motivation.  And it shows that this possible future is very real given Flash has come back to stop this very future from existing.

Moving past Faraci's inability to follow multiple character arcs, he goes on to criticize the fight scenes.  Many of the scenes in the fights are taken directly from the comic with acute accuracy and depicts realistic scenarios for these characters.  A mere mortal facing a God should take every advantage he can, even if it means throwing a toilet at him. 

Ironically Faraci claims the movie never find time to do any character work - another sign that this movie has gone over Faraci's head.  The whole movie is about character work.  It's about their inner struggles, about facing the world around them, about their growth in finding acceptance and absolution, about questioning their very place in the world.

Next up is the "stupidity of it all".  Faraci points out that Lex Luthor supplied his henchmen with experimental military bullets.  Not only does this make sense given LexCorp has developed this weaponry and he need only reach into his own company's supply of weapons, but it also ensured that Lex could not be implicated without the US Government being implicated giving him further protection from being exposed as the perpetrator behind the African incident as seen by Swanwick's refusal to go public with the information and Lois' inability to prove anything without the government's testimony.  This is just one the example about how Faraci is wrong about the "stupidity" of the plot. 

Faraci's attack on Cavill's performance is without consideration of body language and facial expression.  Cavill expresses more emotion in this movie than any other character.  Just because this is Superman’s second outing doesn’t mean this is a Superman sequel either.  Keeping Superman at a distance also facilitates the audience’s understanding of how Batman and the world feel about Superman from the other side of the mirror.  Superman is not struggling with the weight of his responsibility to the world as Faraci suggests.  He is struggling with his place in a world that is divided about his very existence and questioning if he even belongs when all the good he does is misunderstood or questioned.  He finds growth in owning who he is embracing with conviction the world as his own and knowing that doing right by his home is the only thing that matters.  Cavil has scenes with Amy Adams, Diane Lane, and Kevin Costner in which he deals with this conflict as well as scenes in which he is watching the news alone as he struggles with how to be.  In many ways it is a coming of age story for the Superman identity.

This is where Faraci proves without a shadow of a doubt that he did not understand this movie.  He states that Lex Luthor’s machinations are nonsense and unmotivated.  Right from the start we see Lex wanting to make a “kryptonite bullet”.  And what’s the point of a bullet if not to be shot?  He clearly wants Superman dead and gone.  Unfortunately the US Government as represented by the senators does not want Superman dead.  And although Lex warns there are more “metahumans” and that the “red capes are coming”, he does not garner the support to take these threats down.  Since the world is not thoroughly convinced that Superman is the threat Lex sees him to be, he sets out to make the world see him as he sees him so that when Superman finally dies he will not be a martyr.  And when it comes down to it, Lex will come out the hero for ridding the world of the Superman threat.

To address Faraci’s instances of Lex’s supposedly nonsensical and unmotivated machinations, let’s begin with his “dastardly plan” involving the jar of piss.  Not only does the jar of piss act as a distraction from Lex’s absence and the upcoming explosion, but it is a big “in your face” to Senator Finch.  In regard to the suicide bombing having no impact on the story, it furthers Lex’s plot to make Superman’s presence seem like a threat by showing that there is always danger surrounding him such as Wallace’s attempt to kill him resulting in very prominent collateral damage.  It also shows Superman’s failure to save people and to stop the explosion leaving it up to the public to decide if it was carelessness or disregard, both of which make Superman look bad.

I’ll save the explanation of how Eisenberg’s performance made total sense with the psychology and emotion of the character, and why Faraci is completely off base with his description of the Lex, and even the reasoning behind the creation of Doomsday.  There is plenty of content on the internet already which explains this movie thoroughly, though I doubt any haters won’t be too stubborn to read into.

It’s laughable when a critic resorts to complaining that there is too much hitting and action in a fight scene, especially when audiences cheered from Wonder Woman’s exhilaration of battle.  There is also complete disregard by Faraci to the subtle strategies implemented throughout the fight.  Doomsday’s existence in this movie is a result of Lex playing god with the birthing matrix established in Man of Steel in an attempt to destroy Superman, gives rise to a threat which forces Wonder Woman to reenter the world of man, gives Superman purpose to which gives renewed hope and inspiration to Batman and the world.

Devin Faraci has made it abundantly clear in his review of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice that he did not understand what all was going on.  Perhaps he wasn’t fully awake or distracted by something while watching the movie, but he seems to have failed at making simple connections and seeing obvious developments throughout.  The fact that he views Superman as an asshole, a pompous and condescending jerk who makes threats, tells me that Lex was successful in fooling him and I’d advise him to rewatch the movie in slow-mo since he obviously missed the bits where Superman was,….gee I know know….a hero!

It’s sad that we live in a world where people just don’t want to think, and as a result movies have to be dumbed down.  The fact that this movie was torn asunder by the critics actually strengthens the points set forth in the movie about how critical the world is of even good things.  I imagine if movies like “Gone With the Wind” or “The Maltese Falcon” had been released today they would have received equally scathing reviews: too long and too involved for modern audiences.  It is unfortunate that the world can’t appreciate a finely written and incredibly executed work of cinematography.

 Birth.Movies.Death. Review:

birthmoviesdeath.com/2016/03/22/batman-v-superman-review-zack-snyders-doomsday