Batman v Superman review round-up

Dawn of disappointment?

 

 

Last night reviews for hotly-anticipated superhero smack down Batman v Superman went live. In contrast to the effusive comments bombarding social media from fans who attended pre-screenings, the critics' opinion of Batman v Superman is nothing short of scathing, suggesting that this long-gestating grudge match between DC's big two is an indulgent, over-long and overwrought affair.

I've yet to see the movie for myself, but as someone who found Man of Steel to be a risible retelling of Superman's origin, these reviews have left me more anxious than excited to finally see Batman v Superman this Friday. My review will be up sometime next week, but before then let's take a look at what the critics are saying about this clash of titans.

Helen O'Hara pulls no punches in her review for GQ Magazine, stating this "astonishingly dumb" comic book movie "will make you hate Batman, Superman and The Justice League" and leave viewers questioning whether or not heroes really exist. The full review, which isn't nearly as scathing as the headline would suggest, is well worth a read, throwing up a few things that may leave diehard Batman and Superman fans scratching their heads in disbelief - it sounds like this iteration of the Batman has more in common with Marvel's right-wing recidivist The Punisher than the conscientious crime fighter we all know and love.

If you're looking for a slightly more positive take, head over to Variety and check out what Andrew Barker has to say. Like Helen, Andrew found Batman v Superman to somewhat unwieldy, a film whose inchoate plot elements never quite gel into a satisfying whole, but called the film a "pure visual spectacle." Total Film felt similarly, admitting that while the film's action scenes sizzle, it lacks depth and emotion.

Most reviewers, however, fall somewhere in the middle, conceding that while Batman v Superman has enjoyable moments, the resulting spectacle is too overstuffed and unfocused for its own good. Empire called the move "worthwhile" (talk about damning with faint praise) and awarded the movie 3 stars, while Andrew Pulver from The Guardian was left yearning "for the lighter touch of the Marvel films."

Not the most auspicious of starts for DC's cinematic universe, then. Now the professionals have had their say, it'll be interesting to see how audiences react to Zack Snyder's super-powered slug-fest, as well as how well it does at the box office.