The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice
The world struggles to come to terms with the arrival of Metropolis’ modern-day messiah, Superman (Henry Cavill).
A committee led by Senator June Finch (Holly Hunter) asks uncomfortable questions about the god-like protector and his ability to crush humanity.
Martha Kent (Diane Lane) tells her son that he doesn’t owe the human race anything, but Clark’s heart belongs to Daily Planet co-worker Lois Lane (Amy Adams).
Unfortunately, tortured vigilante Batman (Ben Affleck) holds Superman accountable for the deaths of the innocent and declares war, aided by his sardonic butler Alfred (Jeremy Irons).
While the two crimefighters are locked in battle, inflamed by the scheming of Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg), a new threat arises.
Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice is a super-powered smackdown involving two of DC Comics’ most popular characters that neatly tees up a blitzkrieg of Justice League features and blockbuster spin-offs.
Action sequences are robust, but the miasma of digital effects sometimes reduces skirmishes to a blur.
Snappy dialogue sounds like it has been torn from the pages of comic books and Affleck and Cavill engage in a battle of topless posturing and chisel-jawed stoicism.
Eisenberg’s twitchy, psychotic archnemesis stays the right side of pantomime – just.
With director Zack Snyder at the helm, every frame is crammed to bursting with artfully composed, slow-motion destruction.
Unquestionably, there is a leaner two-hour film lurking within this bloated beast, but brevity has never been one of Snyder’s virtues.