Movie date: Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice

MARS

This film has divided audiences like nothing I've ever seen.

Critics v fans. Fans v fans. Husbands v wives.

Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice is about conflict that has engendered conflict.

Am I the only one who finds this delightful?

I think so many can't agree on this movie because there's so much going on. We're all seeing different movies.

Overwhelmed by Snyder's blizzard of images, some will notice certain things and others will notice other things.

What we have here is a superhero phantasmagoria.

Snyder isn't a literal-minded film-maker, he's more of a poet.

He slips us into flashbacks and dream sequences with little concern for coherence.

The images he creates are grand and bizarre. He's not interested in concrete reality.

Some will find this uncomfortable.

They want a sensible story filled with sensible characters. That's not Batman V Superman.

Instead of telling us what's going on, Snyder allows us the privilege of trying to figure out what's going on.

He gives us the raw material and we piece together the movie in our heads as best we can.

I happened to love the film I think I saw.

VENUS

I have mulled over this for a week and I'm still not sure how I feel.

There are enough gems to make me applaud this ambitious undertaking. There are also many times I want to give Snyder a big kapow.

Firstly, this movie is way too long.

Snyder crams two movies into one and he isn't the person to handle such a huge undertaking.

To him, epic means over-the-top and meaningless explosions and destruction.

He also can't execute an ensemble film as both heroes' stories do not gel and are clumsily edited.

And would it kill to inject some fun? This is a superhero flick. Why does it have to be so serious?

Cavill, charming and handsome as he is, is not charismatic enough to play the mighty Superman.

He makes a great Clark Kent, but next to Batman, poor Cavill seems meek.

Affleck's tortured, morally-lost and nightmare-plagued Dark Knight is empathetic. He does a brilliant job right from the opening scene where the destruction of Metropolis is seen through the eyes of Bruce Wayne.

The best thing in this CGI-overloaded film is Wonder Woman.

Gadot's entry is only at the end, but better late than never.

This movie serves only to set up the Justice League films. To some extent, it works, as I can't wait to see Wonder Woman on screen again.

STARRING: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Jesse Eisenberg, Amy Adams

DIRECTOR: Zack Snyder

THE SKINNY: An angry Batman (Affleck) decides to eliminate Superman (Cavill), whose method of saving the world often leaves more destruction in its wake. Taking advantage of the fact that Superman is quickly becoming public enemy No. 1 is Lex Luthor (Eisenberg), who has his own dastardly plans.

RATING: PG13

THE CONSENSUS: Strictly for the fanboys. Fangirls will do better to wait for the Wonder Woman movie.

jjohnson@sph.com.sg

joannes@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on March 30, 2016.
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