It really is an interesting movie, but I am surprised that people actually like this Batman. He's the most defeated Batman ever. He's a Batman that has mostly failed. People have a problem with him killing, but it honestly makes sense. Not because he's tired or whatever. The age excuse doesn't make much sense here. No, rather because he's basically failed. This a bitter and angry Batman.
I did'nt realize the Bat Branding is a new thing in-universe. The person in the movie is only the 2nd one to receive it and Alferd is'nt even aware of it. I guess Batman has sunk so low that while he won't outright kill people, he doesn't mind if someone else does. He disregards his 20 years of crime fighting as being somewhat pointless after all his legacy will be killing Superman and whatever people became villains and the good guys died. That applies to Batman as well. But was he always so angry? I'm unsure, but apparently the lesson he learned from his parents was to never let go of pain and be pretty childish about it. His line about how his parents taught him "the world only makes sense if you force it" to me runs counter to the main lesson Batman learns from Rachel in Begins. There Batman learns that revenge is'nt justice and it's just selfish. The world doesn't revolve around you, it's not about you. Suffering is everywhere, try to fix it not just for you but for everyone. Batman then presides to journey the world and even learns that being a criminal is more complex then good and evil which then influences his morality. Remember, when arguing against Raz about dispensing justice? Batman says that having compassion towards all life is whats important. There clearly Batman knows life isn't pointless. In BvS, Batman is at a point where to him life pretty much is. His entire crime fighting has been pointless.
You may then argue the line about leaving his legacy and that he's being a hero by taking down Superman because he may be a threat to him. Again, that's selfish. For some reason in BvS Batman is an emotional wreck. It's really the only way for the fight to make sense. Lex manipulates him with the check stuff which coincidentally hits his heart at exactly the right time. He never thinks rationally about Superman. Sure I get that he's paranoid after the whole Metropolis thing. He wants the kryptonite as a check in place. Even for non defeated Batman, it's not totally out of character for him. I don't think he's even 100% interested in taking down Superman even after Supes issues the stupid ultimatum. It really is until the entire you failed your family realization combined with the congress attack that I guess his emotions go buck wiled and he decides Supes must die. Maybe it is in character with this Batman. He's paranoid and clearly not trustworthy of people. It makes some sense that after that he'd just simply decided to kill Superman. Yet, is it true to the character? He already knows Lex has a plan involving kryptonite. Would he not also investigate the congress bombing? Whats been going on with his former employee? How does Lex tie into this? Apparently not, the answer is Superman has to die because maybe he bombed the congress(which btw the news even knows thats not the case) and he's an emotional wreck. It makes some sense, but still raises questions if it's good or not. I'm not sure, because I don't think this movie sold Batman's character arc that well.
The entire Martha scene is'nt as bad as people make it out to be. It is forced. Why wouldn't Superman just say "save my mother". I don't really think he'd waste his precious breath(he is super weak) sounding out Martha when most people just say "ma" or "mom" when referring to their parents. Yet it makes sense that it could possibly temper a Batman that is so emotional right now. He could realize that "hey this Alien who I've only seen as one thing is actually a person, a human with a mom he cares about". That's what they are going for, but it's written pretty hackeyed. It was always going to be slightly corny, but whatever.
Also I guess his distrust of Superman is further compounded by the dreams. The Flash dream I think is all you really needed. It works on two levels.
"You were right about him". Well I think its about Darkside, but obviously Bruce doesn't know that guy and would think Superman. So added points for suspicion of Superman.
But also "Lois is the key" would maybe add some credence to her words when she says hey "don't attack Superman".
But maybe Superman should have tried harder to tell Batman whats up as well. But then again this ain't super nice guy Superman where rather it's "I guess he attacked, that means I have to fight now even though I could obviously still just sit here and take the punishment for hours and hopefully get to him by explaining the position.
Oh but he's on the clock.
Ok fine. I guess Superman is also super emotional. Though, maybe that's not a bad idea either. He cares about his mom after all.
Either way the long dream sequence just feels uneeded. The Flash one does all the same stuff, but in like 5 secs.
But the thing is Batman's character arc is supposed to be "I'm hopeless to I'm not anymore lets create the Justice League". He is clearly in a new mindset at the end, but this is supposed to be because of Superman. Superman influenced this change because I guess Superman died and thats inspirational. I don't think this works. In other Superman stories it would, because Superman is a hopeful and inspirational character. Here his arc is "I'm conflicted about if the world wants or needs me, where do I fit as Superman?". Which I think is a fine story, but I'm not sure it works running counter to Batman's arc. The reason they mostly work well together is because one is dark and the other is light. One is serious, the other more jovial. Can they work in a story where they are both dark? Both conflicted? I don't think so and it dosen't work here. Superman is'nt heroic until the very end, so your left questing why he would make a huge impact on Batman? Yes I get it, he sacrificed himself and Batman is kind of the villian, but did you also have to make Superman a conflicted hero as well? It's a yes and no answer though. Obviously, the reason Superman comes into conflict with Batman is because "hey Batman, you've gone too far now". But Superman has killed Zod and I haven't seen enough conflict within himself about that. Just busting all end Batmans face and demand he stop because you think the branding has crossed the line seems a bit dickish.
Then Luther just kind of sucks. What was his plan? I mean he's been working on manipulating Batman, which he knows is Bruce Wayne and has for at least 2 years(which is strange). So that he could kill Superman. Which is strange because Lex says its a 2 year plan, but the world has only known Superman for 18 months right? I don't know, whatever. I guess his plan is to bring in the Kryptonite. Ok at first it seems he was trying to do it legally. That fails and that subplot is made moot because he was smuggling it in anyway. So why did the movie even have the plot with the senator? I think because he was planning to use it as bargaining chip to get into the Kryptone Ship and get Zods Body. It's just those happen so early in the movie, its like why is this still here? He clearly never needed the governments approval anyway. Why keep it from Batman though? I guess to just keep up appearances. And I guess Doomsday really is just a curiosity and a fallback plan and because it is a movie with a 3 act structure, he decides to enact at exactly the same time his other plan to kill Superman is going on. It's silly, but not really that bad. I think the plan sadly requires a lot of assumptions to work in the plot.
But I'm not unsure if Lex has no motives. He is untrustworthy(TRUST IS A THEME) of heroes. Maybe that's why he's been keeping ties on Batman(who is a hero to Gotham or at least the police) to the point of knowing his identity(man Batman is a bad detective) and also keeping track of the other meta humans. His motivation is to discredit the big one, Superman. Prove that he can be corrupted and be made to do evil things. Why? because doesn't believe in absolute good or heroes. Maybe he's also jealous. I think the orphan stuff is supposed to be hitting on Lex's issues of inferiority. I don't think it's spelled out that well, but he clearly does have some image problems.
I don't know. I think the movies main problem is execution. I think it has some good ideas and is'nt actually as brainless and stupid as people think it is. Yet it's just clearly not executed well and doesn't come together well.
Stuff like people honestly thinking Superman killed people in Africa is still silly and besides, the entire movie of MoS is enough grounds to question his motives. You didn't have to make up another incident. Or at least make a better one as the point was that he was acting around the world with no super vision.
Also don't compare this Batman to DKR Batman. That Batman values life. He was paying for Dent's rehab and is sadden when Dent succumbs to everything. Takes the Mutants under his wing after beating them. May have gotten desperate with the Joker, but does not kill him. His fight with Superman happens not because he hates Superman or because he's emotional. It happens because at that point he realizes what he is. He is BATMAN. He will always be Batman and being Batman means making difficult choices for the greater good. Even if the times don't ask for him to be Batman and Superman represents that. Sure he takes some solace in defeating Superman, but thats about it.
