Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice currently sits on a 27% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has been panned by both critics and fans alike. Even though I will still standby the fact that overall I did enjoy the theatrical cut of the film, I still found a host of issues concerning the film's narrative, the editing and the motivations and presentation of a few of its characters. When an Utimate Edition was announced, people like myself were ecstatic at the possibility of viewing Zack Synder's actual vision of the film, free from the shackles of a studio who didn't want either an "R" rating or a near 3 hour runtime. After watching the Ultimate Edition, I will never view the theatrical cut again. It is such an improvement in so many areas and feels as if Zack Synder is finally able to tell us the complete story he intended to before so many scenes were shaved off.
At times it felt as if I was watching a completely different movie. The editing here is ridiculously superior to its theatrical counterpart, where changes made to the ordering of scenes and the length of them make a much more cohesive and accessible end product. Due to the nature of the film there is still a lot of jumping between around 5 different story arcs, like a standard episode of Game of Thrones. Only this time, because the movie is pieced together so much better you no longer feel as if you're constantly bouncing between them so much. Scenes are allowed to take their time and give the movie much needed space to breathe, and there is much greater cohesion between the story arcs of Batman, Superman, Lex and Lois Lane. On top of this, a lot less is left to the imagination concerning multiple plot points, giving the narrative some much needed clarity and a far superior flow to events. And because the story is expanded in all of these areas, you care more about the characters on screen and empathise with them a lot more. Therefore, when the action starts to go down, it's awesome as you feel that emotional investment the theatrical cut definitely lacked.
It's not like all the issues I had with the film have been magically solved, but every issue which could've disappeared with an improvement in the editing department I no longer have. Yes, the Knightmare sequence (while both visceral and memorable) still lacks context within this film's narrative. Yes, the Justice League cameo scenes (while incredibly crowd pleasing) still could've been presented better with improved screenwriting. And yes, Doomsday is still underdeveloped as a third act antagonist, but these were never going to change. Also, if you have issues with Batman killing people and the "Martha" scene, those issues won't go away. But all of this doesn't take away the fact that the Ultimate Edition is such a superior edit that it makes the narrative flow better, improves the development and presentation of certain characters and makes you more invested in the action sequences towards the end.
The Nairomi incident at the beginning of the film is fleshed out to the point where it actually starts to make sense and you're able to grasp certain plot points, for example as to why there is such animosity towards Superman in the aftermath of it. The trial sequences involving Senator Finch are greater expanded upon and the Capitol bombing sequence is done so much better, to the point where you really start to feel for Superman afterwards. There are scenes added in with Clark's Mum and Dad which expand him as a character, and you also get to see him go to Gotham and investigate the mysterious "bat vigilante", which gives Superman more motivation when it comes to him wanting to fight Batman. The "bat branding" is also given plot relevance, as you learn that is another part of Lex's master plan to pit Batman and Superman against each other.
Because you see Clark Kent with his parents and actually going to Gotham to investigate who this bat vigilante is, you start to care a lot more for his character. Superman is really dragged through the dirt in this movie, and in this cut you can see with much more clarity the burden he feels as every act he does is put under immense scrutiny. His story arc is fleshed out tremendously well and gives him motivation. On top of this, the addition of various lines of dialogue and extended sequences realises Lois Lane's plot relevance with similarly greater clarity. Her scenes no longer felt like abrupt departures from everything else due to the extension of the Nairomi incident, the bullet investigation and the Capitol bombing sequence.
While Jesse Eisenberg's portrayal of Lex Luthor is still not quite to my liking, he irritated me so much less this time round as I believe his motivation was spelled out so much better, and all it took were 3 or 4 extra lines of dialogue! Also, because you begin to see the various parts of Lex Luthor's plan take shape (such as the Nairomi incident, the trials, the Capitol bombing, the letters to Bruce Wayne and the branding murders), his master plan is made so much clearer. Yes, it still doesn't make a lot of sense but it works for this movie as you can actually see it developing naturally through the narrative, which is again thanks to the superior editing. You really feel as if Lex was the puppet master from scene 1 behind everything that was going on. At this point I've come to accept that Batman and Superman were not fighting due to differences in ideology as their main motivations, but Lex's plan in this cut really works for the world Zack has created even if it does break the boundaries of logic still on a few occasions.
Every issue I had with this movie in terms of its editing has been completely resolved, and as a result numerous other issues to do with its storytelling and character development have been solved as well. However, I still am a little unclear as to how Superman knows Batman is Bruce Wayne, although I do now think its completely plausible to due improved presentation and ordering of events. And while I have no issues with the Martha scene (save the ignorant Internet backlash to it), I still would've liked a scene between that and Batman and Superman being friends; it wouldn't have felt 100 to 0 like it did in both cuts. But, those are 2 minor complaints I have with an Ultimate Edition which has ironed out 99% of the issues I had with the theatrical cut's narrative and storytelling.
The Batman v Superman: Ultimate Edition is a serious improvement. It is the cohesive and accessible story Zack Synder wanted to tell, with extended sequences and improved ordering of scenes benefiting the film's storytelling, character development, character motivation and its action scene pay offs. It is not devoid of flaws by any stretch of the imagination, but it is the only Batman v Superman cut I will ever watch again in my life time. I'm now glad I live in a world where a truly good and cohesive cut of Batman v Superman exists in the world.
And I think a lot of people owe Zack Synder an apology. If anyone deserves backlash its the studio for shaving off so many scenes and cutting down various sequences. Zack is the right man for Justice League (coming out next year), and if the studio let him do his thing we'll have a truly good and enjoyable movie on our hands:
Ultimate Edition Rating - B+
Thanks for reading,
Matt
