"SUICIDE SQUAD" Showdown

"SUICIDE SQUAD" SHOWDOWN

The 2016 D.C. Extended Universe (DCEU) film, "SUICIDE SQUAD", featured an interesting post-credit scene between A.R.G.U.S. Director Amanda Waller and billionaire Bruce Wayne aka Batman. In the wake of Task Force X aka Suicide Squad's confrontation with former team member, the sorceress Enchantress, Ms. Waller requested a meeting with Bruce for a special favor.

Apparently, Ms. Waller found herself in hot water with the U.S. Department of Defense, due to the Enchantress' attempt to wreck havoc upon the world and rule it. After all, the sorceress was known to be a former member of the Suicide Squad. Ms. Waller met with Bruce in order to use his Washington D.C. connections to protect her from the backlash against her role, as Task Force X's creator, in the Enchantress' rampage. In return, she provided him with government files files on the expanding meta-human community . . . along with documents on both Barry Allen aka the Flash and Arthur Curry aka Aquaman. Following Bruce's agreement to help Waller in exchange for the files, the pair had this little conversation:

Amanda Waller: There’s the difference between us. You believe in friendship, I believe in leverage.
Bruce Wayne: Good night.
Amanda Waller: You look tired. You should stop working nights.
Bruce Wayne: You should shut it down, or my friends and I will do it for you.

When Ms. Waller had first hinted that she knew Bruce was Batman, his first response was to warn her to shut down the Task Force X team, also known as the “Suicide Squad”. When I first saw the movie, I had taken Bruce's warning at heart. Especially since she had asked for him to protect her from facing the consequences of using Dr. June Moone aka the Enchantress as part of her Task Force X. And the recently formed Justice League would be more than capable of physically breaking up the squad and keeping its members behind bars. In the end, it took me a while to realize that on a deeper level, Bruce’s warning was hollow. It was just as hollow as Waller's insinuation that she knew he was Batman.

One, the formation of Task Force X "Suicide Squad" was not illegal. It was sanctioned by the Department of the Defense and the White House. With the exception of Task Force X leader Colonel Rick Flagg and his bodyguard, Tatsu Yamashiro aka Katana, the other members were convicted criminals. Which meant that Waller or any other member of the government or law enforcement had the right to “recruit” them to work in the interest of the country/community. The Thirteen Amendment (1865) of the U.S. Constitution abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. Which meant that convicted and imprisoned criminals can be used as forced labor. And this is exactly what Waller did when she had nano bombs implanted in their necks and coerced them into working on behalf of the government . . . with the threat of death if any Suicide Squad member did not cooperate.

Two, if Batman and other future members of the Justice League had interfered with any of the Task Force X’s operations, they would find themselves in legal trouble. Especially since the Task Force X is a legally sanctioned intelligence unit. And when Bruce had issued his warning about the squad, he should have remembered that Ms. Waller not only knew about his identity as Batman, she also knew about secret identities of the Flash and Aquaman. After all, she was the one who had provided Bruce with information about the pair. Considering Ms. Waller’s talent for acquiring information, it would have been a matter of time before she discovered Diana Prince's identity as Wonder Woman, Victor Stone 's identity as Cyborg and Clark Kent as Superman. If she does not know the truth about them already. After all, Lex Luthor does.

Three, Waller's insinuation that she knew about Bruce's identity as Batman struck me as equally hollow. Even if she had exposed him as the Dark Knight, chances are Bruce would not hesitate to find a way for her to face the consequences of her role in the Enchantress' rampage. If he could not personally achieve, Bruce would probably arrange for his security chief, Alfred Pennyworth to expose Ms. Waller on his behalf.

Perhaps it would have been best for both Bruce and Ms. Waller to realize that when it came to secrets and protection, they were in a standoff. Waller should have never made such a useless threat. And Bruce should have realize there would be legal consequences if he and the other members of the Justice League had interfered with Task Force X. And both should simply consider leaving each other alone.

My Ranking of the Movies in the "DIE HARD" Franchise

Below is my ranking of the five movies in the "DIE HARD" movie franchise that starred Bruce Willis as John McClane: 

MY RANKING OF THE "DIE HARD" MOVIES

1. "Die Hard" (1988) - The first movie is not always the best. But in the case of this particular movie franchise, it is for me. While visiting his estranged wife, New York City detective John McClane is trapped inside a Los Angeles skyscraper during a Christmas Eve heist led by former German terrorist Hans Gruber. Alan Rickman, Reginald VelJohnson and Bonnie Bedalia co-starred.





2. "Live Free or Die Hard" (2007) - John McClane is ordered to escort a suspected hacker targeted by cyber terrorists led by former Federal tech employee Thomas Gabriel trying to steal from the U.S. government in this surprisingly well-made film. Justin Long, Timothy Olyphant and Mary Elizabeth Winstead co-starred.





3. "Die Hard With a Vengeance" (1995) - McClane and a Harlem electronics storekeeper named Zeus Carver are forced to play mind games by terrorist Simon Gruber (brother of Hans), while he plots the robbery of the Federal Reserve Bank in New York City. Samuel L. Jackson and Jeremy Irons co-starred in this first-rate action film, marred only by an anti-climatic ending.





4. "A Good Day to Die Hard" (2013) - McClane finds himself helping his son Jack, a C.I.A. operative, protect a Russian ex-millionaire from terrorists who want to use him to access a source of valuable weapons-grade uranium. Jai Courtney, Yuliya Snigir and Sebastian Koch co-starred in this movie with a first-rate and original narrative that is marred by a running time shorter than it should have been.





5. "Die Hard 2: Die Harder" (1990) - McClane ends up clashing with former Special Forces mercenaries at Dulles Airport on Christmas Eve, while waiting for his wife’s plane to land. William Sadler, John Amos, Dennis Franz and Bonnie Bedalia co-starred in what I believe is an entertaining film. But . . . I thought it tried too hard to copy the success of the 1988 movie.

"JUSTICE LEAGUE" (2017) Review

"JUSTICE LEAGUE" (2017) Review

The D.C. Comics Extended Universe (DCEU) released its fifth film utilizing several characters that were either featured or hinted in its previous four films during the fall of 2017. Directed by Zack Snyder (well, most of it), "JUSTICE LEAGUE" proved to be an even more controversial entry than two of its previous films. Only for different reasons. 

Set some time after the present-day events of "WONDER WOMAN", "JUSTICE LEAGUE" begins with the Gotham City costumed vigilante Batman aka Bruce Wayne attempting to arrest a thief. However, his efforts are interrupted by the arrival of an alien creature known as a parademon. Realizing that he had dreamed of a similar creature in "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE", Batman realizes that Earth is about to face another alien threat. Before he can summon Wonder Woman aka Diana Prince, she learns of an even bigger threat from her mother, Queen Hippolyta of Themyscira. A former foe known as Steppenwolf has arrived on Earth to acquire the three Mother Boxes, sentient, miniaturized, portable supercomputers from his homeworld of Apokolips. One of the boxes had been guarded by the Amazons of Themyscira for thousands of years. The pair decides to find the other metahumans - Barry Allen aka the Flash, Victor Stone aka Cyborg (whose body was cured by a Mother Box) and Arthur Curry aka Aquaman - and form a team to fight against Steppenwolf. Bruce manages to easily recruit the Flash, but is unable to recruit Aquaman. And Diana encounters difficulty in recruiting Cyborg. But when Steppenwolf manages to acquire the second Mother Box in Aquaman's world of Atlantis, the "King of the Seven Seas" decides to join the newly formed Justice League to defeat the alien from Apokolips. However, it is not long before the League realizes they need a sixth member to help them defeat Steppenwolf - namely the recently deceased Superman.

Ever since the release of "MAN OF STEEL" in 2013, critics and some moviegoers have been highly critical of the DCEU. With the exception of "WONDER WOMAN", the franchise's movies have either received mixed reviews or panned. In the case of "JUSTICE LEAGUE", it has been panned . . . perhaps even more so than the other four films. Personally, I have been a major fan of the DCEU films before "JUSTICE LEAGUE". Do I believe the movie deserved to panned? Honestly? No. But I do feel that "JUSTICE LEAGUE" is probably the first DCEU film toward which I felt some disappointment.

There was a good deal from "JUSTICE LEAGUE" that I enjoyed. The creation of the Justice League began when Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman formed a team to battle Lex Luthor's creation, Doomsday, in "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE". This creation continued with Bruce Wayne and Diana Prince's recruitment of the Flash, Cyborg and Aquaman. And if I must be honest, I enjoyed how the movie's screenplay took its time in fusing these characters into the League. I found this especially satisfying, since both Cyborg and Aquaman proved rather difficult to recruit. What finally drove them all together as a team proved to be the threat of Steppenwolf. 

This leads me to something else I enjoyed about the film. Steppenwolf's acquisition of two Mother Boxes provided some first-rate action sequences featuring the Amazons on Themyscira and the Atlantis inhabitants' efforts to stop him. And they did not make it easy for him. I especially enjoyed the sequence featuring Steppenwolf's theft of the Mother Box on Themyscira. There were other action sequences that enjoyed. One of them included the League's first encounter with Steppenwolf inside an abandoned facility near the Gotham City Harbor. I also enjoyed the League's second attempt to defeat Steppenwolf and his Parademon army at a small Russian village, where the Apokoliptian planned to fuse the three Mother Boxes and terraform the Earth's surface. I also enjoyed an early action sequence that featured Wonder Woman's confrontation with a group of terrorists in London. But for me, my favorite action sequence featured the League's confrontation with a recently resurrected and amnesiac Superman. Although I found it rather scary, thanks to Henry Cavill's chilling performance, there was a comedic moment that I found very funny.

As much as I enjoyed most of the film's action sequences, I found a good deal of its comedic and dramatic moments even more satisfying. It seemed pretty obvious to me that the film's two comedy relief characters were Barry Allen aka the Flash and Arthur Curry aka Aquaman. And I found both characters more than satisfactory, thanks to Ezra Miller and Jason Momoa's performances. Miller's Barry Allen was an extroverted and nervous personality that was at odds with his inability to easily befriend others. This was especially apparent in one scene that featured the initial meeting between Barry and Bruce Wayne at the former's abode and his attempts to befriend Victor Stone aka Cyborg. But the one scene that truly made me appreciate Miller's comedic talent occurred when the League clashed with a resurrected, yet amnesiac Superman and the Flash attempted to attack the Man of Steel from behind . . . and failed. Jason Momoa's portrayal of Arthur Curry also provided a good deal of the movie's comedic moments. Momoa's portrayal of the blunt and cynical King of the Seven Seas practically had me in stitches. But I especially enjoyed that moment when Aquaman unexpectedly went into a comedic spiel about fighting Steppenwolf and his appreciation for Wonder Woman . . . unaware that he was sitting on her Lasso of Truth.

However, there were many dramatic moments that made me happily realize that "JUSTICE LEAGUE" was not all comedy and action. The movie's opening credits featured a poignant montage that revealed the world's grief over Superman's death. One particular scene - a homeless man holding a "I TRIED" sign next to him - really resonated within me. I thought Martha Kent's visit to Lois Lane in Metropolis and the two women's shared grief over Clark/Superman's demise was particularly poignant, thanks to Diane Lane and Amy Adams' performances. I particularly enjoyed one scene that featured a tense conversation between Cyborg and his father, Dr. Silas Stone over the latter's decision to use a Mother Box to save the former's life. May I be frank? Both Ray Fisher, who portrayed the superhero and Joe Morton, who portrayed his father, really knocked it out of the ballpark in this scene. I was not that impressed by the CGI used for the Steppenwolf character. But I must admit that I enjoyed Ciarán Hinds' voice performance for the villain. The actor projected a good deal of style and menace into the character. 

I enjoyed Clark's reunion with both Lois and Martha. Although I feel that it was a bit too brief for my tastes, I cannot deny that I found it emotionally satisfying. And I enjoyed the tense conversation between Aquaman and future love interest, Mera of Atlantis. The scene seemed to give audiences a preview of the screen dynamics between Momoa and Amber Heard, who portrayed Mera. But if I had to pick my favorite dramatic moment in "JUSTICE LEAGUE", it would have to be the scene that featured Bruce Wayne and Diana Prince's conversation regarding his continuing guilt over his past attempt to kill Superman and her lingering grief over the death of her former lover/colleague, Steve Trevor. Thanks to superb and subtle performances from Ben Affleck and Gal Gadot, the scene was a tense and angst-riddled moment that I truly enjoyed.

Zack Snyder had collaborated with cinematographer Larry Fong on four films - "300" (2007), "WATCHMEN" (2009), "SUCKER PUNCH" (2011) and especially, "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE" (2016). For "JUSTICE LEAGUE", Synder ended up collaborating with Fabian Wagner, who had previously spent most of his career in television - especially HBO's "GAME OF THRONES". However, I am not that familiar with Wagner's previous work. But I must admit that I was impressed by his work in "JUSTICE LEAGUE". His work proved to be a bit brighter than Fong's work in "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN". This is not that surprising, considering that the movie's narrative is slightly less angsty than the 2016 film. But I was especially impressed by his photography of the film's protagonists, as shown below:







One would be inclined to wonder why I had regarded "JUSTICE LEAGUE" as something of a disappointment, due to my positive comments on it. Well . . . I had problems with the film. Hell, I have expressed quibbles for about every comic book movie I have seen. My first problem with "JUSTICE LEAGUE" there were times when it seemed I was viewing a movie with two directors . . . with two different styles. Well of course the movie seemed to possess two different director. As everyone knows, Zack Snyder had experienced a family tragedy while dealing with the film's post-production. Unable to continue, he asked Joss Whedon, who had directed the two Avengers films for Marvel/Disney, to complete the post-production reshoots, using his notes. Well . . . Whedon did more than that. At the behest of the Warner Brothers executives, he chopped out a good deal of Snyder's work, re-shot and re-wrote at least 30 percent of the movie in a similar style he had used for the Avengers films. In the end, there were times when "JUSTICE LEAGUE" seemed like a DCEU film trying to look like a Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie. I found this very confusing - especially in the film's third and final act. 

One of the results of this hack job by Whedon and Warner Brothers, was the decision to change the film's composer. They tossed out Junkie XL (who had co-written the "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN" score with Hans Zimmer)'s score and hired Danny Elfman to replace it. Now . . . I have been a fan of some of Elfman's work for years. But what he did for this film's score? As far as I am concerned . . . nothing. Elfman fell back on the nostalgia factor by utilizing his old score from the two Batman films directed by Tim Burton. Worse, there was a moment following Superman's resurrection - I do no know if this happened or not, but I could have sworn that right after the resurrection or when the Man of Steel confronted Steppenwolf for the first time - Elfman even used a few bars from John Williams' score for the 1978 film, "SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE". All I can say that it was a very cringe-worthy moment for me.

Speaking of Superman . . . what in the hell happened? Granted, I really enjoyed the sequences featuring his resurrection, his clash with the League's other members and his reunions with Lois and Martha. But once Superman joined the League's battle against Steppenwolf . . . I just do not know what happened. It seemed as if someone - I suspect it was Whedon - tried to transform him into Christopher Reeve's version of the Man of Steel. Ugh! Look, Chris Reeve's Superman was fine for the late 20th century. But we are nearing the end of the 2010s. Henry Cavill had managed to establish his own version of Superman. There was no need to force him to copy another actor's style. One other fact bothered me. I am referring to the questionable CGI that tried to hide the mustache he was sporting, while filming "MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - FALLOUT". Apparently, Paramount Studios refused to allow Cavill to shave the moustache for the "JUSTICE LEAGUE" re-shoots. Between the cringe-worthy grinning, the cheesy dialogue and that ridiculous race against the Flash in the first post-credit scene, I simply found myself feeling sorry for Henry Cavill. In fact, either Snyder or Whedon (I suspect the latter) tried to lighten up Affleck's performance as Batman by forcing the latter to spew some pretty lame jokes. Poor man. In their attempt to transform the movie into an Avengers film, the Warner Brothers suits damn near sabotaged both the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight.

But for me, the real problem proved to be the film's last act. It brought back bad memories of the last act of the 2015 movie, "THE AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON". The entire sequence featuring the Justice League's battle against Steppenwolf and the latter's parademon army at some Russian village struck me as simply confusing. It was beyond confusing. Between the questionable editing, the unattractive lighting, and the rushed action, I simply found the entire sequence hard to swallow. I can only thank God that Russian village was not rising in the sky, while the Justice League battle Steppenwolf. That shit would have been even more difficult to swallow. The first post-credit scene featuring Superman and the Flash's race to see who was the fastest did not help. Why is it so damn important in a D.C. Comics movie or television production to show a Kryptonian (whether it was Superman or Supergirl) in a race with the Flash? I disliked it in this movie and I disliked it in a Season One episode of the Arrowverse's "SUPERGIRL". Fortunately, the second post-credit scene nearly made up for the film's last thirty minutes or so. I will say that it involved Lex Luthor and one of Batman's former foes, Slade Wilson aka Deathstroke. It proved to be a great surprise.

So, there you have it. Do not get me wrong. "JUSTICE LEAGUE" provided some great action scenes and dramatic moments. It also featured some excellent performances, as well. However, it is quite obvious that the Warner Brothers executives and Joss Whedon made a serious mistake in ignoring Zack Snyder's post-production instructions and trying to transform the movie into their own version of a Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film. In a way, they did. "JUSTICE LEAGUE" strongly reminded me of Marvel's 2015 movie, "THE AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON" - both the good and the bad.

"JUSTICE LEAGUE" (2013) Photo Gallery

Below are images from "JUSTICE LEAGUE", the fifth entry in the DCEU franchise. Directed by Zack Snyder, the movie starred Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot and Henry Cavill: 


"JUSTICE LEAGUE" (2013) Photo Gallery

"BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE" (2016) Review

"BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE" (2016) Review

Following on the heels of the success of 2013's "MAN OF STEEL", I had expected the Warner Brothers Studios to follow up with another movie about Superman, starring Henry Cavill. To my surprise, the studio had announced another movie featuring Superman, only the comic book character would be sharing top billing with another from the pages of D.C. Comics. 

Warner Brothers surprised me with the announcement that their next comic book movie would feature Superman aka Clark Kent co-starring with none other than Batman aka millionaire Bruce Wayne. And the latter would be portrayed by Ben Affleck. Needless to say, I was not pleased by this announcement. I saw it as a personal insult to Cavill, who had really impressed me as the Man of Steel. And I felt that Warner Brothers could have given Affleck his own stand-alone film about the Caped Crusader, before rushing into some attempt to rush into a "Justice League of America" situation, similar to the one featuring the Avengers for Marvel Films and the Disney Studios. About a week before "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE" was due to be released in movie theaters, I read a series of reviews that literally bashed the film. Now, I have never been a major fan of director Zack Synder in the past. And I was pleased that he did not go overboard with the angst factor in "MAN OF STEEL" as he has done with his previous films. But after reading so many negative reviews . . . well, I did not expect to like this movie. However, I had to see it just to satisfy my curiousity.

"BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE" began during the last events of "MAN OF STEEL". It began with billionaire Bruce Wayne aka Batman arrival in Metropolis to assist Wayne Enterprises employees caught up with the city's citizens in the destruction caused by Superman's battle against fellow Kryptonian General Zod. Unfortunately for Bruce, one of his top executives is killed and the legs of another employee named Wallace Keefe are permanently damaged from falling debris. Due to these events, Bruce begins to view Superman as a destructive threat to Earth and desires to find a way to bring down the Man of Steel. Nearly two years later, Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane is visiting a North African country to interview a political figure believed to be a terrorist. However, her interview is cut short when the men who had accompanied her kill the terrorist's men and many local villagers. Superman aka Clark Kent manages to rescue her from the terrorist, but Lois ends up feeling very disturbed by the event. But she is not the only one. Many people, including a Kentucky senator named June Finch blame Superman for the incident and like Bruce, begin to view him as a threat. Many are unaware that Metropolis' top billionaire, Lex Luthor, was behind the incident in Northern Africa. Like Bruce, he began to view Superman as a threat . . . but to his own plans and his sense of worth. Unlike Bruce, he commences upon a plan to exploit the distrust of Senator Finch and others to bring down Superman and other meta-humans of whom he has become aware.

When I first learned that Warner Brothers had decided to follow up "MAN OF STEEL" with a movie in which Superman was to share top billing with Batman, I was not thrilled. In fact, I had hoped they would do a second Superman movie. And while the movie was being shot, I was more than determined not to like this film. Reading the movie's negative reviews made me believe that disliking it would come very easy to me. And then . . . lo and behold! I ended up leaving the theater with a positive view about the film.

Mind you, "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE" was not perfect in my eyes. I had two problems with it - one major and the other minor. My minor problem with "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN" has a lot to do with my virulent dislike of Snyder's 2009 movie,"THE WATCHMEN". The director utilized a device that he had carried over from the 2009 movie - namely the use of graffiti in some scenes. I thought he had overused it in "THE WATCHMEN" and continued to do so in this film. And the graffiti only brought back unpleasant memories of the 2009 film. 

My major complaint against "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE" has to do with the relationship between Batman and Lex Luthor. In one scene during the film's last half hour, Luthor revealed to Clark that he had created situations not only to slowly direct public opinion against the latter, but also Bruce Wayne, whom he knew to be Batman. Luthor figured that Batman would go after the Man of Steel and the latter would eventually kill the former. I must admit that I found this very confusing, considering that the movie never hinted that Luthor was interested in killing Bruce in the movie's first half. In fact, the Luthor Corp. files that Bruce had uploaded and Diana Prince aka Wonder Woman had stolen did not even contain any information on Batman. I had assumed that Luthor only became interested in killing Batman . . . after the latter had stolen the Kryptonite his people had discovered in the Indian Ocean and destroyed a LexCorp lab. And the movie that I had seen in a theater seemed to verify my assumption. Like I said . . .confusing!

So . . . what did I like about "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE"? Well, the story. Okay, I really enjoyed it. I liked the fact that the movie eventually promised what its title had hinted . . . a conflict between Superman and Batman that eventually led to the promise of the Justice League of America. And screenwriters Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer presented this development with a very emotional and complex tale. What I found particularly interesting is that nearly everything in this tale is a direct result of the events from "MAN OF STEEL". This was especially the case for both Bruce Wayne and Lex Luthor's hostility toward Superman. In fact, Luthor used the dead body of General Zod (courtesy of the U.S. government) to not only study Kryptonian physiology, but also create the monster Doomsday, which would prove to be a threat in the movie's final action sequence.

The movie also featured some excellent emotional development for the main characters. Again, this seemed to be the case for Clark Kent's growing despair from the public and the government's reactions to the events in Northern Africa; his disapproval toward Batman's more violent vigilante activities; the latter's anger towards the events from "MAN OF STEEL" and the heady mixture of paranoia and ego that drove Lex Luthor to investigate other meta-humans and plot against Superman.

For a movie heavy on action, it featured some interesting dramatic moments. My favorites included Clark's clashes with Daily Planeteditor-in-chief Perry White over investigating Batman's activities in Gotham City; the first meeting between Clark, Bruce and Diana Prince at a party held by Luthor in Metropolis; Bruce's lingering anger over what happened in "MAN OF STEEL"; Luthor's clashes with Senator Finch over his plans to deal with Superman; Clark's conversations with his adoptive mother Martha Kent about his activities as Superman and with the ghost of his adoptive father, Jonathan Kent; Lois Lane confrontation with Luthor before the final action began; and also, Diana and Bruce's comments on the public's fickle attitude toward Superman. The movie also featured further development of the relationship between Clark and Lois, which culminated in a very charming and sexy moment in a bathtub. I thought Sndyer handled these scenes very well, which is not surprising. He has always managed to get great performances from his actors . . . even in his movies that I dislike. 

However, first and foremost, "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE" is a comic book hero film . . . an action-adventure film. And Snyder was certainly in his element as a director. This especially seemed to be the case in those scenes that featured Lois and Superman's adventures in northern Africa, Bruce's dreams about leading a group of rebels against Superman, Batman's attempt to steal the kryptonite from Luthor, his rescue of Martha from Luthor's henchmen, and the attempt to rescue both Metropolis and Gotham from Luthor's newly created monster, Doomsday. 

However, one half of the movie's title is called "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN". Many movie fans and critics had dismissed the idea of an effective battle between the Man of Steel and the Caped Crusader. So did I. After all, Batman was not really a meta-human - someone with super abilities - merely a highly trained costumed crime fighter. The movie made me realize that many of us had forgotten that Bruce Wayne also had brains. Through his investigation of a Russian weapon-trafficker named Anatoli Knyazev, he learned that Luthor was not only investigating meta-humans, but had found a possible weapon against Superman. Kryptonite. By creating weapons from the kryptonite he had stolen from Luthor Corp. and a powered exoskeleton suit, Batman was able to put up a good fight against the Man of Steel. And surprisingly, their battle proved to be very effective to me . . . even if many still believe otherwise.

The other half of the movie's title was "DAWN OF JUSTICE", which hinted the beginning of the Justice League of America aka the Super Friends. I found it interesting that Bruce Wayne and Lex Luthor's reactions to the events from "MAN OF STEEL" not only led to their fear of Superman and attempts to find a way to destroy the latter, but also to hints of the forthcoming creation of the Justice League of America. It all centered around Luthor's investigation of other meta-humans and the files Bruce and Diana had found within Luthor Corp.'s computer mainframe. The file not only contained information and video clips on Diana's past as Wonder Woman during World War I, but also on Barry Allen aka the Flash, Arthur Curry aka Aquaman and Victor Stone aka Cyborg. But it was that one scene in which Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman finally decided to form a team to battle the monster Doomsday . . . 



. . . that led to memories of the old ABC animated series, "SUPER FRIENDS" and its theme song going through my mind. It was a wonderful moment for me.

There was one aspect of "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE" that left a heavy imprint on my mind was the fickleness of human nature. We humans are a fickle, controlling and very selfish specie. Snyder and screenwriters Terrio and Goyer really did an excellent job in portraying those aspects of our nature through the character of Superman. I found it interesting that many viewed Superman as a savior or angel. This was apparent in the statues raised in his honor and this almost selfish demand that he serve as their savior and nothing else. I can recall one moment in which victims of a flood had left the symbol on his costume painted on their roof to attract his attention. On the other hand, there were many others viewed him as a real threat against humanity . . . even after he had saved them from General Zod's plans in "MAN OF STEEL". Both Bruce and Senator Finch blamed Superman for the destruction that had occurred in Metropolis nearly two years ago, conveniently forgetting that it was Zod's arrival on Earth that had led to that destruction. I came away with the feeling that people like Bruce, Senator Finch and Wayne Enterprises employee Wallace Keefe used Superman as a scapegoat, since the latter ended up being the last Kryptonian left standing. I do not find this surprising for using others as scapegoats is a very human thing to do. After the Congress bombing, even those who had seen Superman as a savior began to think otherwise. They did not come to this conclusion via any investigation on their parts. Superman was the last person standing and ergo, became "Suspect Number One" . . . just as he had become following Zod's death. No wonder Clark had fallen into despair and walked away for a while. And no wonder Diana had such contempt toward the public's renewed good opinion of Superman following the battle against Doomsday. 

I have been talking about the plot so much that I forgot about other aspects of "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE" - namely its technical and artistic effects. I might as well start with Patrick Tatopoulos' production design. Tatopoulos did not have to create an alien world or a setting from the past. But I was impressed by his duel designs for not only the cities of Metropolis and Gotham, but also the northern African town at the movie's beginning, Washington D.C. and the damage caused by Doomsday in the two fictional cities. He had ample support from the art direction and visual effects teams. I was surprised that Zack Snyder did not use Larry Fong as cinematographer for "MAN OF STEEL". Because the latter had worked with Snyder on both "300" and "THE WATCHMEN". In a way, Fong's style, which struck me as sleek, rich in color and slightly dark, reminded me of Wally Pfister's work for many of Christopher Nolan's films. I have noticed that a good of Han Zimmer's movie scores have seemed a little heavy-handed lately. And it certainly seemed to be the case for "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE". But there were moments when that heavy-handedness seemed to mesh rather well with certain scenes, especially during those that hinted the future Justice League of America and the battle against Doomsday.

Ben Affleck became the eighth actor to portray Bruce Wayne aka Batman on screen (television or movie) and the public had not reacted well to the news of his casting. I found this astounding, considering that Affleck is a first-rate actor, who had previous experience portraying a costume hero when he played Matt Murdock aka Daredevil in the 2003 movie about the character. Affleck did an excellent job in portraying the paranoid aspects of Wayne's nature in a very intense and at times, slightly scary manner. Henry Cavill was equally effective in his continuing portrayal of Clark Kent aka Superman. The loneliness that seemed to mark his performance in "MAN OF STEEL" seemed to have been replaced by satisfaction in Clark's relationship with Lois Lane, intense determination to investigate Batman's activities and frustration with Perry White's unwillingness to allow him to embark on that investigation. My favorite scene with Cavill involved Clark's quarrel with Perry about investigating Batman. And my favorite Cavill moment was the "What the fuck is wrong with you?" expression he gave Luthor when the latter introduced him to the Doomsday monster. But following the Congress bombing, that old despair and loneliness returned in full force. When I first heard about this movie, I thought Amy Adams' role would be reduced from what it was in "MAN OF STEEL". Thankfully, my fears were abated, for not only did Lois continue to play a major role in this DC Comics universe, she also played a major role in exposing Luthor's plans and eliminating Batman's anger toward Superman. Being the consummate actress that she is, Adams did a superb job in conveying not only Lois' emotional vulnerability regarding Clark and what happened in northern Africa, but also her intelligence and determination to discover the truth. 

The movie also featured an exceptional performance from Jesse Eisenberg as main villain, Lex Luthor. Not only was his movie exceptional, but also rather surprising. It was not that I thought him incapable of portraying a villain, but I just could not see him as Lex Luthor. I was wrong. He gave a fantastic performance. It seemed both subtle and overly dramatic at the same time . . . in a good way. He made Luthor seem very eccentric . . . again, in a good way. Diane Lane returned to portray Clark's adoptive mother, Martha Kent. Her portrayal of Martha struck me as rather unusual. In other comic book hero movies, maternal types like Martha tend to give speeches to the main hero in order to motivate them in serving the public. What I liked about Lane's Martha is that she was more concerned about Clark's well being and happiness than him fulfilling some destiny as a hero or savior. It may seem selfish, but it also seemed very real to me. 

Gal Gadot became the first actress to portray Diana Prince aka Wonder Woman in a very long time. Ever since Lynda Carter ended her run with the ABC/CBS series in 1979, Hollywood seemed reluctant to bring the Amazonian Princess back to the screen. Thankfully, Warner Brothers, Snyder and Nolan ended that dry run by hiring Gadot for the role. And she was perfect . . . spot on. I never thought another actress could do justice to the role - except for Marvel alumni Jamie Alexander from "THOR". But Gadot was perfect and I look forward to seeing her solo movie. Jeremy Irons, to my utmost surprise, became DC Comics' new Alfred Pennyworth. His portrayal seemed so different from past performances - a little less of a servant and more of a companion for Bruce. More importantly, I really enjoyed the sardonic wit that Irons had infused into the character. But he was not the only one. Laurence Fishburne returned as Clark and Lois' boss, Daily Planet editor-in-chief Perry White. In "MAN OF STEEL", Fishburne had infused a touch of dry wit into his portrayal. In this movie, that wit was in full force and even more sharper - especially in the actor's scenes with Cavill. I really enjoyed his presence in this film. The movie also featured some excellent supporting performances from the likes of Holly Hunter, who gave a wonderfully sarcastic speech to Luthor in her portrayal of Senator June Finch; Harry Lennix, who returned as former General now Secretary Calvin Swanwick; Scoot McNairy, who portrayed Wallace Keefe, the Wayne Enterprises employee who had been crippled during Superman's battle with General Zod; and Kevin Costner, who returned with a poignant performance as the ghostly figure of Clark's adoptive father, Jonathan Kent.

To this day, I am flabbergasted by the media's negative campaign against "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE". I do not understand it . . . period. I could have understood if the movie had drawn some criticism. But this unrelenting criticism struck me as unreal . . . especially after I had seen the film. But you know what? I realize that I should not care. I saw the movie twice and I enjoyed what I had seen. Yes, "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE" (what a mouthful!) had some flaws. What movie does not? But overall, I was very pleased by this film. I like to think that I understood what director Zack Snyder, along with screenwriters Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer were trying to say. And I enjoyed the performances of the cast led by Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill very much. More importantly, I am glad that the cinematic version of the Justice League of America has finally commenced. Regardless of the opinions of others, "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE" more than satisfied me. It has become my favorite movie of 2016 and one of my favorite superhero movies of all time.