Congratulations to Batman v Superman

[The Laughing Fish]

Personally I don't own any of the DCEU films yet, I'm hoping they'll have a box set the way marvel does.

I've seen man of steel and batman v superman twice each. I actually think part of the reason Batman v Superman underwhelmed (and maybe even Suicide Squad too) was man of steel. Dark, depression, and realism just don't work for Superman the way they work for Batman. Batman vs Superman represents dark vs. light, gloomy Gotham vs. colourful Metropolis. By making Superman too much like Batman, it really took away when they fought.

The only thing I do fault about Snyder's films is they borrow too much of the overserious tone of the Nolan films. Otherwise, I have to disagree on this account. I think BvS does a much better job at analysing a superhero in a realistic context than any of Nolan's films for example, which paid lip service to the whole idea. We see what happens when people react to Superman as a godlike being, including the positive and negative perceptions of his impact on the world. Superman wants to do the right thing, but he is constantly tested and challenged by a violent world. Despite his doubts and injustices, he still saves his tormentor from dying at the hands of Doomsday and sacrifices himself to save the planet from doom. That doesn't scream "dark" like Batman to me. BvS particularly shows us how Batman was a former shadow of himself right before he had that moment of clarity at the end of his battle with Superman.

Besides, a lot of Post Crisis comics hadn't always depicted Superman as the smiling, cheerful Boy Scout. Here's one example of him threatening a gunman while pursuing him in Adventures of Superman Vol.1 Annual #7 (1995):



Not to mention that Superman had been in many brutal fights over the years. Even the DCAU TV shows had Superman acting less of a boy scout, including the time where he was willing to fight to the death against Darkseid: "I won't stop until you're a greasy smear on my fist".

I didn't feel any identity was created for either city, so much so that if you were to tune in at a random moment, you wouldn't be able to tell whether the scene is Gotham or Metropolis.

I will agree with you on this. If there is one thing I'd give Superman Returns one credit is the Daily Planet building was an Art Deco design complete with the iconic planet on top of the building, which hadn't been done before. Unfortunately, Batman movies haven't showed us a unique-looking Gotham City for twenty years now. Only Burton and Schumacher made the city looked larger than life.

[The Dark Knight]

I didn't feel any identity was created for either city, so much so that if you were to tune in at a random moment, you wouldn't be able to tell whether the scene is Gotham or Metropolis.

We didn't see much of Gotham in the first place to make a clear judgement.

But the Ultimate Edition was a step in the right direction.



The billboard is in disrepair. We get a big Watchmen Easter egg, as well as the idea this area of Gotham isn't exactly feeling hopeful. The ACE Chemicals building can be seen, the sky is nice and gloomy and the buildings aren't lit up brightly. It's a small sequence but the tone seems right to me. There's plenty of room for Matt Reeves to expand upon Gotham.