Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice [Ultimate Edition] [Blu-ray] [2016] [Region Free]

(MINOR SPOILERS) This movie absolutely does not deserve all the negative criticism it gets. As a very keen comic reader, one who is particularly a fan of DC Comics and to be even more specific, Justice League related things, I can safely say that this movie did not disappoint. The hype was worth it.I've notice most complaints about the movie are about it being too dark in tone and a bit over crowded. Yes, it is dark but why is that a bad thing? Anyone who reads DC Comics will know that a dark tone has been a very common element to many of DC's greatest stories for nearly 30 years and especially in the last 10. With Man Of Steel, people complained that Superman was too dark and not enough of a "Good guy". This complaint continued here. Yes, Superman is supposed to be a good guy and no, he is not best known for being one of DC's darker characters but in recent years he has moved away from the old typical "I'm a big hero. I must always do what's right" thing. I personally find the perfect Boy Scout who's always right image Superman is kinda unbelievable. Comics have given his character a lot more depth and they have continued to do this with the movies with Henry Cavill. Superman IS a good guy and he DOES want to do what's right all the time but the world is not black and white and good or bad. Sometimes you have to make the best out of a bad situation. Sometimes you have to decide not what's good or bad but what's...least worst, we'll say. Superman wants to do right but in a world where there's so much bad, it's not always easy to know what's right, especially when you are a Super powered person who is both looked up to and hated by many. And as far as Clarke Kent goes, he too has a lot more depth. He is a believable character, despite being from Krypton and that is what these movies should do: bring fantasy and fiction into the real world.As for Batman? I can't say just how interested in Batman I am and always have been. I feel I know Batman like no other character meaning I really do feel like I know how Batman should be and when I see Ben Affleck in this movie, cape and cowl or suit and tie, he absolutely NAILS it. Batman is a dark character. We all have our own opinions but I feel to complain about Batman being "too dark" is like complaining about orange juice tasting like oranges. Bruce Wayne may be a billionaire but he hasn't exactly had it easy and that's no secret. Because this movie is Batman v Superman it was obvious it would have to be an older Batman. A well expirenced Batman. And again if you read, you will know that after a few years as Batman, Bruce has more than his fair share of every negative thing you could imagine happening and an older Batman has often been written as a harder character and in some cases, he has even lost his way from time to time. I didn't actually see many complaints about Ben other than people complaining about how Batman never kills but did in this movie. Well 1) Batman does not kill but HAS done. 2) Yes, (without giving too much away) he did things that might kill a person in the movie (MIGHT) but if you really look, he did it in a certain way and you can't actually prove they died at all and when death did happen, it wasn't actually intended. Ben Affleck will become the definitive Batman if he keeps going on how he is. Everything about his acting as both Bruce and Batman is perfect and his movements as Batman are spot on which has never quite been nailed before. I am very happy to call Ben Affleck Batman.As for the rest of the characters we saw introduced, I can't say much on any of them just yet because not enough was shown (it was only cameos/introductions though) but I can say a bit about Wonder Woman: Perfect. Absolutely perfect. Just like with Batman and Superman, this is exactly how I imagine Wonderwoman. The way she speaks, the way she moves, her look, everything is just brilliant and I'm VERY excited for her solo movie.I saw Lex Luthor getting a few complaints. Some said he was too crazy. I picture Lex as a genius, a bit cocky but in an intimidating kind of way and he is a bit crazy but normally his insanity is due to his obsession and hatred for Superman. I see how some say he was a bit too crazy but I think everything else was good and here's my point: This Lex is young. Younger than most versions of Lex Luthor we see. But because he is young, I think he's a bit cockier and a bit more "power mad". A young man, a genius with billions of dollars under his name who is also obsessed with Superman in a bad way and who is a bit power mad is certainly gonna have a screw or two loose. Maybe the screws will tighten with age but I don't see it as an issue either way. I really like this version of Lex.I won't go into the plot details too much to avoid spoilers but I will say one minor thing in as discreet a way I can. The whole complaint about Martha makes no sense. It wasn't stupid or cheesy. I won't say why I think that because it might spoil it but I'll just say look deeper into it if you don't see it.So here's my summary: For comic fans, this movies is if not perfect, pretty close to perfect. Sure, it might seem a bit rushed in places but c'mon, this is a movie trying to bring together 3 of DC Comics biggest characters in feature length time through a story. I think they did a great job setting up the future of the DCEU here. If you're not a comic fan, it might be a bit harder to pick up but I really don't think you'll have too difficult a time with it. Some may wanna watch it twice but I think it's easy enough to follow and to get into. It's action packed and interesting and despite what critics say, it never fails to be exciting. The critics are mostly strictly movie critics meaning they are looking at this movie not as a comic book movie, not even as a superhero movie but a movie. These same critics reviewed Marvel movies and gave great reviews but they bash BvS. Why? Because after seeing the often humorous, more light hearted movies where the heroes fight the bad guys, they think Superhero movies aren't meant to be so dark. DC Comics is and always has been darker than Marvel Comics and I and many other comic fans love both. I think it's the same with the movies but unfortunately DC came in with their cinematic universe quite late. Critics really don't know what they're talking about with this movie. They did the same to Man of Steel and Suicide Squad but most comic fans love these movies (Man of Steel didn't win over some more classic fans though but I feel it's time to move on. This is how it is.) and these movies are comic book movies after all so I think you'd be best to trust what comic fans say about superhero movies before you trust what some critic who's probably never picked up a comic in their life and is reviewing dramas and horrors and everything in between and getting paid for it. Maybe I am a bit bias but if I forget my love for comics and these characters, I can still say it's a brilliant movie. Make your own mind up at the end of the day but please don't let a critic do it.

Let me begin by clarifying where I come from when it comes to superheroes. I've been a comic book reader since 1976 when I found a spinner rack full of the things when on holiday at Skegness. It was a rainy weekend and, during a lull in the downpour, I went with my mother to the nearest shop. To stop my incessant moaning, she bought me a bunch of comics. In that bunch were a good mix of DC and Marvel comics and I was immediately hooked. I've loved comics and superheroes ever since. Both companies. There have been times when I've bought more Marvel and times when I've bought more DC, but I've never hated either company. And, so, you should see that my positive review isn't because I hate Marvel. Far, far from it.Having said that I'm, kind of, getting bored with Marvel Studios' current output. They aren't bad movies, by any means, but they are becoming far too homogenous. Too samey. Even though they have different directors, writers, cinematographers, etc, they are starting to look and feel the same. Bleeding into each other in an increasingly bland fashion.BvS is definitely NOT like a Marvel movie. It is its own beast, with its own tone and feel. More akin to a mythological epic rather than a popcorn friendly fun-fest. And that is one of the things other people react negatively about with this movie. Not enough fun and frolics. Well, as I mentioned earlier, I'm a very long time comic reader and I can tell you that not all comic stories are sweetness and light. Not all comic stories are fun and frolics. The "Extremis" storyline in Iron Man (which Iron Man 3 was partly based upon) was NOT a fun fest. It was a very serious, important and deep story. The Civil War story (which the recent Captain America movie was based on) was NOT sweetness and light!People who watch superhero movies need to get out of the mindset that these movies have to have one tone. They need to stop thinking that all superhero movies should have fast quips, prat falls and comedy side characters, because if they don't all we'll end up with will be superhero movies that are just comedies with superhero characters.BvS has a specific story about the fall from Superman's battle with the Kryptonians in MoS. Not just the fall out from the destruction and deaths (you are naive if you think there weren't similar amounts of death and destruction in most of the Marvel movies. We just didn't see it. That many explosions, aliens, huge fricking space ships flying through the canyons of New York? Come on!), but also the fall out of people's emotions. Both Superman's emotions and the other people of planet Earth. BvS is an exploration of how people would really react to such a disaster. How they would react to the arrival of a creature like Superman. The narrative twists and turns taking in the many different feelings such events would bring about. Fear. Awe. Love. Hatred. The movie is complex because the reactions to such an event would be complex.Aside from the story, this is a beautiful movie. The world is extremely well realised. The powers shown work very well on screen.Each actor in this movie hits their mark. Ben Affleck and Gal Gadot are excellent additions to the universe. I'd say especially Gadot, but we don't get to see as much of her as Affleck. What we do see of her is more as Wonder Woman than as Diana Prince but what an entrance she makes as Wonder Woman in the final act! She comes across as powerful and graceful. A little smirk to herself mid-battle as she relishes being able to cut loose is a particular highlight for me. She is a warrior! And, yes, a stunningly beautiful one at that. Affleck is great as both Wayne and Batman. I very much look forward to seeing both actors play these characters again and I'm especially looking forward to Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman movie coming next year.The extras are interesting and in-depth, going into the comic book histories of all the characters and giving glimpses of Suicide Squad and the Wonder Woman movies.I love this movie. I can't wait for more DCEU movies. I can't wait for more Marvel movies too. I just hope they are more than just the cookie cutter sameness that I've seen up to now.It is truly a Golden Age for comic book superhero fans. It's been a long time coming and long may it continue.