I'm a big fan of Superman so was happy when I learnt of The Man of Steel (and started the thread about it to boot!). I loved the beginning but my main criticism was that it turned into one big action sequence and we never got to know Clark Kent or know Superman/Clark's character. Zac Snyder was strong on action but bad on the human side. He was clumsy telling with the Jesus allegory, for example Superman in church with the stain glass window of Jesus behind him.
So on a whim I booked to see Batman Vs Superman today and after the reviews proclaiming this to be bad I was fully expecting it to be shite - it wasn't. I went in with low expectations and as it started and things started happening I kept feeling more and more relieved that it wasn't terrible! It was actually quite decent in setting up the story and going into the action. The Batman origin story told yet again seemed unnecessary yet explains his motivation. Ben Affleck was a good Batman! Gruff with humanity and I warmed to him far more than Christopher Bale.
What I really hoped to see was more of Clark (the man) and whilst we saw Clark at The Daily Planet and some integration with his mum he still felt like a stranger, he only ever spoke about plot-related matters, there was no glimpse of the man behind the costume. The big problem with this movie is that you see characters but you never see them in their ordinary life, you just see them taking part in the action plot of the movie, you never see their private life, at least not much. After watching this I felt I knew Affleck's Batman far better that Cavil's Superman, not because of a lack of acting ability but because the role has been underwritten. The whole reason for the Versus in the movie title did seem contrived but i thoroughly enjoyed seeing the two come to blows.
Gal Gadot looked great as an Amazonian woman, athletic, pretty, clever and she wore an evening dressed that cleverly teased her other outfit. It was a great decision not to hire a standard blue-eyed American actress and that Warner Bros. instead went for Israeli Gadot, she's not greek but she more truthfully represents Diana Prince's ethnicity then an alternative Jennifer Lawrence type. She showed character in her interactions with Bruce Wayne but there was not enough dialogue to tell how strong a fit she is but I think she will be marvellous fully fleshed out in her own movie. Lex was bad and this version of Doomsday weakened the origin.
Honestly, this is not a bad or broken movie at all. Whilst the characterisation is lacking and underwritten the action and story are fast paced and despite the long running time keep your attention and the action at the end gets appropriately intense. I enjoyed it, I was never bored, but don't expect to come out of the movie knowing Clark Kent any better.
I look forward to seeing DC movies by other directors.
A couple of minor spoiler talking points / questions.