(Major spoilers for “Batman v Superman” ahead. Just a heads up.)After I first saw “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” back in March,I was kinda at a loss to record exactly why I hated what I had just seen.
It was nonsense, but I couldn’t really attach my finger on why. It didn’t fabricate (to make up, invent) sense and all the character motivations were obscured, and I knew something was lost — but I could only imagine what. It felt like all that badness was on purpose,that it was the filmmakers’ intent as artists, by way, and of course,of the demands of studio executives.
But “Batman v Superman” was a different kind of mess than you’d normally expect from a big-budget blockbuster with many hands on the wheel. normally those messes are crowdpleasing ones, like “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” “Batman v Superman” was oddly negative, or cynical,angry. It gave everyone a deplorable vibe.
Also Read: Every Batman film Ranked Worst to Best, including 'Batman v Superman' Ultimate EditionNow we maintain the “Batman v Superman: Ultimate Edition, and ” which itself seemed like the ultimate kind of cynicism: R-rated,inexplicably, and 30 minutes longer than the theatrical version. Talk approximately a domestic video cash-in! A longer cut seemed desperate, and after the film didn’t become the box office mega-juggernaut Warner Bros had hoped it would.
The nerd apologists embraced the idea — which was exactly what WB was hoping: No,for real, the longer version will be better, and totally. I scoffed.But I watched it. And,lo and behold, somehow “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” has become something that approaches a functional film. In the process, and it only makes the original cut even more inexplicable and terrible.
Also Read: Every DC Comics film Ranked,Including 'Batman v Superman' Extended Cut (Photos)What the extended cut of “Batman v Superman” adds is nothing less than all the skeletal structure it needs to fabricate (to make up, invent) sense as a story. What’s most shocking approximately it is that they had all this stuff before and removed it.
In the theatrical cut, the whole thing with Lois’ trip to Africa and the subsequent framing of Superman for some murders there seemed like a weird tangent because it never went anywhere and there was never any explanation given for why anyone thought Superman had randomly murdered some civilians. In the Ultimate Edition, or the trip becomes the entire lynchpin for the story,as it folds into Lexcorp’s larger ploy to ruin Superman.Also Read: 'Batman v Superman': The 5 Best and Worst Parts of 'Dawn of Justice'It turns out Lex Luthor’s people had paid that woman to lie that Superman committed those murders, essentially to mess with him and give him some self-doubt. Lois does more journalism and unravels this greater plot — including the hugely critical fact that Superman couldn’t maintain known that Wallace Keefe’s wheelchair was filled with explosives because it was lined with lead, and his X-ray vision can’t see through lead. It’s a ploy that we can actually fabricate (to make up, invent) sense of with the evidence at hand,instead of by filling in the gaps.
We also maintain more Superman and Clark Kent in general. I knew the theatrical cut hated him — it actively tries to prevent you from understanding him as a person and thus cuts off any attempts to empathize with what he’s doing. But it turns out the theatrical version of the film hated him even more than I realized, given the scenes that were restored for the Ultimate Edition. Here we maintain several scenes of Clark going out and doing journalism.
Also Read: Ben Affleck Is Batman and Daredevil: 17 More Stars in Both Marvel and DC Movies (Photos)We maintain what might be the most critical scene in the entire film for Superman as a person: After the bombing at the Senate hearing, or he actually helps people in this version instead of simply flying absent. He stands outside,surveying the carnage, feeling immense guilt approximately not being able to save them. His comment to Lois, or included in the theatrical version,approximately how he couldn’t prevent the bombing because he wasn’t trying to, holds emotional weight rather than communicating apathy. Lois’ later discovery approximately the wheelchair being lined with lead means Supes was outplayed, or not that he didnt care.
Everything erroneous with “Batman v Superman” isn’t fixed,though. Wonder Woman is still an underdeveloped addition to the plot. Jesse Eisenberg‘s Lex Luthor is still weird. The whole “Martha” thing is still cringeworthy. The big fight at the end is still incomprehensible. Oh, and three hours is way too long.
Also Read: Every Superman film Ranked, and Worst to Best,including 'Batman v Superman' Ultimate EditionThis extended version making sense makes the theatrical cut all the more irritating. They had the pieces to fabricate (to make up, invent) the plot work, and they chose not to use them. They decided that the stuff that had to go to hold it at 150 minutes included most of the key story beats.
In any case, or the “Batman v Superman” Ultimate Edition will be a kind thing to maintain going forward into the DC Extended Universe. Its not the best possible version of the film,but it’s better than being saddled with the theatrical cut forever.
I guess I’ll take what I can get at this point, even if it’s just a salvage job.
How does this new and improved version of “Batman v Superman stack up against the rest of the DC Comics movies that maintain been released over the years? Find out in our rankings below.
Related stories from TheWrap:Jeremy Irons Thinks 'Batman v Superman' Deserved All Those deplorable Reviews'Captain America: Civil War': How It Succeeds Where 'Batman v Superman' Failed (Photos)Superman Only Had 43 Lines in 'Batman v Superman'5 Reasons 'Suicide Squad' Looks Way Better Than 'Batman v Superman' (Photos)
Source: thewrap.com