Review of Batman v Superman

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice or BVS as I’ll call it for the rest of this review, is an enjoyable film and yes it does have its flaws and I will get to those momentarily but first let’s delve into the positives.

A big improvement was Henry Cavill as Clark Kent/Superman he seemed more comfortable in the role this time around than he did in Man Of Steel. He also didn’t drop his American accent in BVS or at least not that I could tell. In my opinion, Cavill has the potential to be the best screen Superman since Christopher Reeve should this current franchise keep going as long as DC Entertainment and Warner Brothers have planned. Physically he looks the part, but he also carries himself in both roles – classically, I really can’t put it any other way.

Ben Affleck as Batman/Bruce Wayne, haters and skeptics can just sit down because his Caped Crusader was the closest I’ve seen in a live-action film to the comic book version of the character EVER. To me, he nailed it.

Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince is a treat. I have to admit that in my mind Lynda Carter will always be Wonder Woman but Gadot’s performance as the character will certainly have a new generation of fans saying the same thing about her, I’m sure. Not only that, but Wonder Woman is a total bad ass in this film even more so than the big boys.

Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor, this one I doubted myself until I saw his whole performance. This take on the character fits right in with what someone would expect a quirky evil-genius would be like if they existed in today’s world. Thankfully, he’s not a real estate obsessed gangster in BVS but true archvillain who has the smarts to keep both Batman and Superman on their toes.

Visually, BVS is a masterpiece with a reference to iconic DC comic panels and covers in nearly every frame. The action sequences are quick, fast-paced and will definitely have you on the edge of your seat.

Now, about those flaws:
The main problem is that BVS can’t decide what type of film it wants to be, thanks to both multiple script rewrites and bad editing. The story just doesn’t flow and, at times, it seems like we’re being shown parts of 3 different DC movies poorly strung together. I wish I could go into more detail but that would mean spoiling the film.

Amy Adams as Lois Lane, while I adore this actress she simply doesn’t work as this character. Also, her and Cavill have zero chemistry together, even in one of the most emotional parts of the story it fell flat for me because of this reason.

The cameos of other DC Comics characters – Cyborg, Flash, and Aquaman seemed to be just thrown in at the last minute. None of these cameos add anything to the story.

Doomsday, its way too soon for this character and one comic story arc in particular to appear this early in the franchise. Especially when you’re trying to build a cinematic universe. This character should have been saved for a more direct Man of Steel sequel, possibly MOS 3. I will give away one spoiler, Doomsday does evolve into something that closely resembles the comic book version.

Bottom Line: The harsh reviews this film has received must be fueled by some twisted nerd love for the formula-tic, every hero has to have a quip, Disney brand and influenced Marvel movie. I do enjoy them but after eating some plain old chips for awhile, I start to crave a Dorito. Funny how the one thing fans feared is now the gold standard for superhero films.

Go see this film. Despite its flaws, it’s well worth the watch.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is now playing at theaters everywhere

Thoughts About C2E2 2016

The annual Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2) occurred last weekend at the South Building in McCormick Place. Here are my thoughts about this year’s event.

As a whole, large scale conventions in the Midwest (especially those in the Chicagoland area) have lacked presence and support from well-known publishers – Marvel, Image, and DC – for the past two decades, however C2e2 is usually always the exception but this year was a huge disappointment for anyone expecting elaborate presentations from any of those companies. I guess the big two already know with both having blockbuster movies and comic event books on the horizon that they’re gonna get our money, right?

Sure, there were some MINOR announcements from Marvel about their upcoming Civil War II story arc but hardly noteworthy and every writer and artist in attendance that are currently/reportedly/assuming still in DC’s employ were mum about everything even general questions like, ‘Hey fill-in-the-name, what can fans expect in terms of overall tone when Rebirth is launched this June?’ The unanimous answer reply was, ‘You going to have to wait for WonderCon to get an answer.’ Image Comics in earlier years at C2E2 have had a huge booth that hawked their wares; t-shirts, figures, and comics but this year, instead, fans were treated to literally what appeared to be a 16 sq ft display.

It’s obvious that Funko gives a damn about their Midwest consumers.

The overall lack of publisher prominence was certainly made up for by the presence of comic talent. My two examples shown below:

Art Baltazar of Aw Yeah! Comics

Legendary DC Comics Artist Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez

Bottom Line: Despite Reedpop continuing to put on one heck of a comic-con for the Chicagoland and the greater Midwest region which is accented by the tremendously courteous staff and volunteers at McCormick Place, this show and the fans who attend it deserve to be treated to bigger and more prominent interaction with most of their favorite comic book publishers and toy companies with exclusives announcements and merchandise because this is after all “The con Chicago needs. The con you deserve!”

C2e2 will happen again during 04/21/17 – 04/23/17  at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL