Why ‘Batman V Superman’ Early Reaction Might Be Misleading
If you were hoping that Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice wouldn’t be a disaster or (even worse) completely underwhelming, then you were no doubt comforted by early reviews. The Inquisitr covered the early reaction to Batman v Superman, and wouldn’t you know it? The initial response from fans who attended the premiere was largely positive.
I haven't felt this giddy after watching a movie since The Avengers. Goosebumps. Everywhere. Need to talk about it ASAP. #BVSPremiere
— Rodrigo Mariano (@Dragonsfoe) March 21, 2016
According to Business Insider, it wasn’t Superman or even Batman that got the biggest applause of the night: It was Wonder Woman. This is hugely significant because despite being one of the “big three” in DC Comics, Batman v Superman marks the first time that we’ve seen Wonder Woman in a live-action movie. To hear that fans were especially receptive to her presence is encouraging, and gives me hope her standalone film will do well.
Pure badass #WonderWoman pic.twitter.com/Dbg4jCfkIQ
— The Geek Factory (@thegeek_factory) March 20, 2016
Now, does this early reaction mean that Batman v Superman is going to be a flawless hit in the eyes of critics and the general, non-DC fanboy audience? Um, well, no actually. Early reactions to this movie are about as valuable as early reaction to Man of Steel which, according to Indiewire, were also rather positive. William Bibbiani of Crave Online, even went so-far as to call it the “greatest Superman movie ever made.”
Yes, despite the absolute devastation of Metropolis that left “dozens” dead, including General Zod, who Superman was put in a ridiculous position to kill him (and violate the character’s “no kill” code), to say Man of Steel has since been viewed with less than high praise as time passed is a bit of an understatement.
Still, Batman v. Superman‘s early praise gives me pause. While the fangirlish part of me wants to be relieved, I know that first impressions can be misleading — whether positive or negative.
Batman V Superman Tracking at $350 Million Worldwide Opening Weekend – https://t.co/9qvC7SW0ed pic.twitter.com/q0Tav9TVkf
— Screen Rant (@screenrant) March 22, 2016
Just look at Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Early reaction to this new chapter in Star Wars lore was especially positive. Praise for the movie came in from all corners, with everyone absolutely buzzing about how Episode VII brought the series back to life. It broke all sorts of box office records in December, and it’s one of the highest grossing movies in American history.
After all of the buzz and excitement died down, critical thinking happened, and people could admit there were a couple of odd flaws about the movie. First, the unexplained absence of Poe Dameron for a huge chunk of the film. The bizarre use of CGI on Supreme Leader Snoke (who looked like a long-lost Gollum sibling). Then there was, of course, the redundant nature of destroying what we can all now accept was a glorified Death Star. That the “Starkiller Base” was a planet and not a vessel didn’t make the mission any less redundant.
Even with these quirks, many people still hold positive views of The Force Awakens and eagerly anticipate Episode VIII.
As with that movie, anticipation for Batman v Superman is especially high. People want to see Batman and Superman on film together. People want to see Wonder Woman on the big screen. People love that we’re getting the foundations of the Justice League (and a DC Cinematic Universe). However, I suspect that expectations for this movie were simply so low, that when those low low expectations were exceeded, it created fan excitement.
If you are not exclusively a DC fan, the flaws might be easier to see. That’s probably why it would be best to wait to form your own opinion before trusting early, knee-jerk responses. The good news is that we’re only a couple of days away from Batman v Superman making its grand debut in theaters across America.
It will probably be a couple of weeks before we get a solid impression of the movie in the eyes of moviegoers and critics alike. Batman v Superman is set to have a splendid performance in theaters during that window of time. Whether it will have a lasting positive impression overall once the rose-tinted glasses come of off remains to be seen.
[Image via Warner Bros. Pictures/YouTube]
