Five Reasons Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice Will Succeed

Steve Lam

By now, everyone has probably seen the visually stunning Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice trailer. Zack Snyder and company quickly released it after leakers posted a bootlegged, albeit bad quality, version. The Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice trailer was supposed to go live on Monday, April 20, 2015 for an IMAX event and then on Tuesday, April 21, 2015 for the rest of the world, but we live in an age when secrets are hard to keep. Nonetheless, the trailer has been largely well-received. There are, however, detractors who are still predicting that the film will be a bust, and that they’re not impressed.

More from Movies

Since most reports I’ve seen either fall in the realm of neutral reporting (they’re just reporting on the film) or totally disparaging the trailer, I’m going to present five reasons as to why I think Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will be a massive success. Let me also note that this article will not be a DC versus Marvel war. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m a comic book geek. That means I love all comic books. I especially hold Superman dear to my heart because he was the first superhero I ever saw, and just an all-around great role model. But that doesn’t mean I’m a DC guy. It just so happens that most characters I like fall in the realm of DC. If Superman was owned by Marvel, I’d probably be called a Marvel guy.

I think we live in a great era when superheroes can be brought to life and made believable. The technology and the sophistication in writing are leaps and abounds above what it was twenty years ago. We should all be fortunate enough to see dreams becoming reality in this miracle medium called film. So without further ado, I’m going to tell you why Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will be epic!

Next: The man's got style

Reason 1: The Visual Flare of Zack Snyder

Say what you want about Zack Snyder’s past endeavors in film, but you have to admit that the man’s got a very unique style. Like his fellow Art Center College of Design alumnus Michael Bay, Snyder’s films have a signature look which lends itself very well to comics-based properties.

More from Movies

When Man of Steel (2013) was being filmed, many people were afraid that Snyder would use his slow-motion style too much. The film’s story may not have been all that great, but the battle scenes were excellent. No slow-motion whatsoever. Superman and the Kryptonians were visualized with their powers perfectly. Snyder knows how to make a great superhero film. Another example to point to would be Watchmen (2009). It’s the comic book come to life.

Looking at the recently released trailer for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, we can see that Snyder does use some slow-motion (e.g. when Superman is lifting the rocket). However, it looks great and I can’t see that shot being filmed any other way. It definitely adds a regal feeling to the whole scene.

Snyder knows his strengths which is directing. So if you want to put any blame on Man of Steel (2013), it was the writing that needed to be spruced up. I’m very excited to see what Snyder has in store for us in terms of spectacle. With two DC behemoths — Superman and Batman — going against each other, we can no less expect action sequences of epic proportions and visual beauty.

Next: Story is everything and that's why this guy was chosen

Reason 2: The Master Writing of Chris Terrio

If you’re not familiar with Chris Terrio’s work, I suggest you watch Argo (2012) and tell me that’s not a great movie. Mr. Terrio won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for Argo‘s script.

More from Movies

The Harvard and USC Film School-educated scribe also attended the University of Cambridge for a PhD before deciding to settle on a career in movies. Basically, this guy didn’t just fall into movie writing or depended on connections. He was an outsider who truly proved his abilities through his intelligence and hard work. In fact, his rewrite of the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice script was so well-received by the executives at Warner Bros. that they offered him the job to write Justice League Part I and Justice League Part II.

Going back to Argo (2012), I can tell you that Terrio’s script is exemplary in structure and character development. Each scene of that film pushes into the other with rising conflict. He’s a master storyteller who’s able to keep the drama high and focus on the heart of the story. I am confident that Terrio will bring the same kind of rigor to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

Next: How many Academy Awards total!?

Reason 3: A Top-Notch Cast

The cast for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice has a cumulative total of 15 Academy Award nominations and 4 Academy Award wins. These are in addition to the multiple nominations and wins for other accolades. The cast is definitely not made up of amateurs.

More from Movies

You may think that this sort of pedigree is overkill for a comic book movie. But this is the type of weight Warner Bros. and DC are bringing to the table in terms of its superhero franchise. Yes, they’re serious about making a good movie and treating the characters with depth. How else will they bring to life an alien who absorbs the Sun’s rays for nutrients, and a billionare who dresses up as a bat? Like I said, the studio is serious, and these hard-hitting actors don’t randomly pick films when they’re at the top of their game.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is packed with some big talent. And from the trailer’s short beginning voice-overs, they seem to be really bringing some conviction to their work.

Next: It's the world we live in

Reason 4: Relevancy to Our Current Events

Just like how Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) was an allegory for the invasion of privacy, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will be an allegory for power and blind faith. They say that great science-fiction is basically a metaphor for our current state. Well, in the past decade what has been pressing on our minds the most? It’s a smorgasbord of things: cults, terrorism, zealous leaders of rogue nations, and abuses of power. All of these things are made possible by one thing: blind faith.

More from Movies

From the trailer it seems that the film will have the world split into two parties: one thinking Superman is a savior and the other thinking Superman has ulterior motives. The group against Superman may, in their desperation, put their own blind faith in another person — Lex Luthor. Batman, being the greatest detective in the world, will probably face off with Superman in order to find out his true agenda. This is not unlike our own politics of testing out the waters before committing to any sort of alignment.

I’m sorry to have sucked all the fun out of an action movie, but Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice definitely seems to have some deeper meaning to its story. And because of that, I feel that audiences may make repeat viewings just to dissect the various overtones.

Next: Bad-mouthers can contribute to the success

Reason 5: Because People Say It’s Going to Fail

So this may sound counter-intuitive, but I truly believe that the naysayers are going to contribute to the success of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. We’ve all seen this type of personality before. It’s the guy who sits back and hopes something fails. The failure doesn’t even benefit him. He just enjoys seeing things go wrong. It’s like that tale about the jewel thief Alfred told Bruce in The Dark Knight (2008): some men just want to watch the world burn.

More from Movies

Or it’s also like Rush Limbaugh who hoped Obama would fail. Whether you agree with the President’s politics or not, how would his failure benefit the country? The case is exactly the same here. How would the failure of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice benefit anyone. It’s not like the film’s detractors are in line to take Zack Snyder’s job if the movie tanks.

Their need to see things go wrong will drive them to want to see this film. Trust me, thirty percent (yeah, I know it sounds like a Barney Stinson made up statistic) of the people who go to the theater to watch Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will be made up of detractors. That means they’re actually contributing to the ticket sales. They’re so adamant in wanting to say “I told you so” that they’re hoping to see their predictions come true.

So there you go. Those are my five reasons as to why I think Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will win at the box-office and will spawn a new successful era for WB/DC’s film universe. I’m sure that as the film’s release date nears, we’re going to learn more about the plot and see more visuals. Right now, this is just a teaser trailer. We’re not even talking hors d’oeuvres. We’ve only gotten a waft of the grand feast that’s yet to come!

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice has a United States release date of March 25, 2016. It will be directed by Zack Snyder, written by Chris Terrio from a story by David Goyer and Zack Snyder, and will star Henry Cavill as Clark Kent / Superman, Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne / Batman, Gal Gadot as Diana Prince / Wonder Woman, Jason Momoa as Aquaman, Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Laurence Fishburne as Perry White, Diane Lane as Martha Kent, Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth, Tao Okamoto as Mercy Graves, Holly Hunter as a United States Senator, Ray Fisher as Victor Stone / Cyborg, and Callan Mulvey, Scoot McNairy, and Jena Malone in unspecified roles.

Next: Watch the official Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice trailer

More from Bam Smack Pow

Steve Lam

Aside from the usual "Da-Da" and "Ma-Ma," Steve's other first words were "Superman," "Batman," and "Spider-Man" (or "Spy-Man" because he couldn't quite pronounce the "der"). With a lifelong comic book and cinema obsession, Steve is also a screenwriter looking to sell one of his stories to Hollywood.