The Debate
BvS and Deadpool were released really close to each other. Deadpool was evidently a far better movie, but people seemed to be more involved in the BvS controversy and kept fiercely arguing about it even months after its release. However flawed in its execution it was, the film triggered an extensive discussion around it, with cinema buffs, comic book geeks, superhero fans, admirers and criticizers, sitting together and debating on and on about the good, the bad and the ugly of the greatest gladiator match in the history of the world. Through live conversations, analytic articles, social media comments and YouTube podcasts, that genuine concern quickly evolved into a lively community, an active evaluation, a cult following.
A popular view amongst fans is that there’s actually a decent movie hidden somewhere in there. Firstly, the generally accepted strong elements of BvS, such as Snyder’s visuals, Tatopoulos’ production design and – to many haters’ surprise – Affleck’s performance, who was widely celebrated as the best on-screen Batman to date, were embraced by almost everyone.
Then came the well-known wrongdoings: the lack of humor, the confusing rhythm, the huge plotholes, the barren character development, their vague motives, etc. Disappointment over several creative decisions arose as well, such as the casting of Jesse Eisenberg instead of Bryan Cranston as Lex Luthor, the clumsy introduction of the meta-humans and the unnecessary inclusion of Doomsday.
Fans were passionately breaking down the film, realizing the ups and downs, the dos and don’ts. Cases started to build too, boasting theories on how it could improve under different circumstances, different studio guidelines, a different screenwriting approach, a different directorial vision. All these practices boosted the cult status of the film and assisted everyone, fans and studios alike, to have a better understanding of what makes a good movie. And oh boy, did the studio listen.