'Rogue One:A Star Wars Story'

'Rogue One:A Star Wars story' review

Ever since Disney secured the rights to Star Wars from Lucas Films, its been a well known fact that we are going to be getting Star Wars movies FOREVER. Or at least for a while. Episode 7 last Christmas, and Episode 8 rumoured to be dropping next winter. However, perhaps in an attempt to avoid the franchise getting stale, Disney have started to expand the Star Wars cinematic universe, starting with 'Rogue One'. It's a very welcome idea. Despite how beloved the original trilogy are and how loathed the prequels are, I'm sure you'll agree that the plot of a Star Wars movie can get quite 'same-y'. For example, guess which Star Wars movie I'm describing. 'Here's your good guy, here's your bad guy, these are some robots, he's the good guy because of destiny or something, we've got to steal a thing so we can do another thing, cue a massive space battle and a lightsaber fight.' Exactly, it's impossible to tell. 'Rogue One' however branches out from that framework, whilst still fitting snuggly into the narrative of the world. Overall, it's pretty great.

Set directly before the events of Episode 4 (#RogueOneIsAPrequel), and based upon a few lines from the title crawl of the original movie, a rag-tag team of rebels have to capture the plans to destroy the super weapon that the empire are building. Fortunately, Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) is the daughter of the guy who designed it and is able to assist the rebel alliance in finding the plans and saving the galaxy. This in its self is remarkable. Gareth Edwards and his writers deserve some serious credit for being able to take a seemingly insignificant group of sentences and flesh it out into a convincing narrative is a real achievement. It's also impressive how Edwards has managed to blend original Star Wars tropes of super weapons and space battles into a more grounded and gritty story. There's a lot more on the ground fighting in 'Rogue One' than any Star Wars movie before. Also, I feel some tension is lost in earlier films as I never really feel like the heroes are in danger. Yet in 'Rogue One' theres a genuine feeling that any protagonist could die at any moment, keeping your eyes glued to the screen.

The new characters are for the most part great. Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones), Cacian Andor (Diego Luna) are both really strong in leading roles. Donnie Yen's character is truly incredible. It's never made clear whether he is force sensitive, or that just his years of worshiping the jedi belief have granted him such powers, but what is for certain is that seeing a blind guy armed with just a stick and his faith in the force take down a whole squad of stormtroopers is immensely satisfying. Mads Mickelson's role is comparatively brief to some others, but he knocks it out of the park as always. Ben Mendelsohn is also a convincing and sinister villain. However, in my opinion, there is a slight imbalance of character usage. As mentioned, Mads Mickelson's appearance is short, but I also would have liked to have seen more from Riz Ahmed's character. I also hated K-2SO. I appreciate that in a movie with such a gritty and extreme storyline, it's nice to have the odd moment of levity, but for me all of his jokes felt forced, many of them fell flat and to be honest I would have preferred his screen time to be used on other characters. 

The returning faces are also a mixed bag. The inclusions of very familiar faces, such as R2-D2, C3PO and Princess Leia are crafted in perfectly, linking the movie into the wider universe, whilst keeping their inclusions brief enough so that they don't feel forced. They are all pale in comparison to Darth Vader though. This is the best version we've seen of Vader ever put to screen, in particular, one scene towards the end of the movie, which is truly horrifying, he's ruthless, filled with hate and will not hesitate to kill anyone. If anything, I wanted to see more of him and less of the obnoxious robot. 

Structurally, the film is interesting. To me, the the first act feeling very scattered and almost chopped together. All the scenes are good, yet they switch in and out of different characters and planets so quickly, you can begin to lose track of who's where. There are, however, some methods in place to combat this, for example the inclusion of title cards for planets for the first time in any Star Wars movie, which i found welcome. However, my initial concerns were gone by Act 3, which is truly spectacular. 

Visually, the movie is stunning. The space battles and vehicles have never looked so good. But to me the most impressive thing was how the whole movie was scaled. The Death Star has never been seen to be so big - it genuinely huge, and in particular a scene where some rebels on the ground run into an AT-ACT thats looks ginormous. 

Overall, there's a lot to like about 'Rogue One'. It's references to the original films are subtle yet welcome, it's an entirely new take on Star Wars which is very refreshing and Darth Vader is fantastic.

4/5 Stars

Doctor Strange - Spoiler free review

Doctor Strange - Spoiler free review 

People these days are far too negative. We are extremely lucky to be witnessing, in my opinion, the most incredible cinematic universe that has ever existed. Not only do the movies function as terrific solo movies, the way that Marvel Studios have woven this world of characters together is genuinely amazing. And the universe is continuing to grow and expand. This leads people to question how far Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios can push this series. After all this is the 14th entry in the MCU, and despite a near bullet proof record, there have been glimpses (The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 3) that the universe might draw to a close. I'm pleased to announce though, that for now its still intact because Doctor Strange is incredible.

The film follows the story of Stephen Strange, a neurosurgeon who is extremely skilled in his occupation and has the giant ego to match. However, when a horrific car accident takes the use of his hands, he is forced into a spiral of despair, pushing away the very few people he was ever close to. When western medicine fails him, he travels east in search of answers. There he meets 'The Ancient One', the sorcerer supreme. She opens Strange's eye to an entirely different plain of being that he could never have dreamt of. During his quest to heal himself an return to his old life, he becomes aware of a mystical threat that could wipe out our entire universe, and must team up with Mordo, a loyal yet sceptical subject, to save our world from peril.

From a visual standpoint this movie is, and I'm not exaggerating when I say this, the most incredible thing I've ever seen. In the build up to this movie, Feige referred to his goal of taking the imagery from the comic books and bringing them to the big screen. He has absolutely succeeded. You can tell where the graphics have been literally ripped from the pages and exploded into a real world scenario and it absolutely works. Whilst still feeling grounded in the real world, watching wizards and sorcerers reshape our realities is a feat to behold.  Witnessing the streets of London and New York folding and collapsing in on themselves, the psychedelic nature of Strange's initial exposure to magic and even the images of the low level spells are all on point and I don't think I shut my mouth during the entire movie due the sheer amazement I was feeling. Once the movie was done (be sure to stay for the 2 end credit scenes) I had to retrieve my socks from the other side of the theatre after they were quite literally blown off.

I would never recommend seeing a movie based on its visuals alone. These days, we are constantly having 'Transformers' and 'Pacific Rim' movies that look fantastic but in fact feature boring and uninspired stories and a whole host of dreadful acting (looking at you Shia La Beouf). Yet what makes the visual elements of this movie so incredible is the story and performances holding the whole framework up. Benedict Cumberbatch is of course amazing, giving a charismatic and charming portrayal. His arrogance and ego is massive, and yet he's humorous and charming and is genuinely likeable, much like the first time we saw Iron Man. In fact the whole cast are great. Tilda Swinton and Rachel Mcadams especially. Even the B list characters, such as Wong, the librarian in the sanctuary, are fantastic. One fairly evident criticism of the MCU so far would be that most of the villains have been fairly weak. This is not the case. Mads Mickelson's Kaecilius is a great villain and a perfect match for Strange. The audience is able to sympathise with him and his ideals at times, yet for the most part he's menacing and a real bastard, making it all the more entertaining seeing Strange go against him. Some of the best casting for a whole movie we've seen yet.

The action is still amazing. The blend of gritty hand to hand combat and fire whips and magic shields is seamless and achieves the goal of introducing magic into a real world situation. 

In many ways, this movie is feels like a throwback to the early days of the MCU. As I mentioned, there a very noticeable similarities to Iron Man, leading me to belief than when Robert Downey Jr steps away, Strange which take over his role, which based on this movie will absolutely work. But on the whole, this feels very similar to Captain America:The First Avenger or Iron Man. There are still plenty of hints towards the wider universe, yet for the most part this movie is a tight story of Strange's origins, setting him up as likeable and intriguing character before letting him interact with the rest of the MCU in later films.

Marvel have done it again. They've taken yet another B-list comic book character , that doesn't have the draw of a Spider Man or Superman and that nobody cared about and transformed him into a household name. The MCU is going from strength to strength. Following up there best work yet in Civil War, they've produced a exceptional movie with great performances from the cast and in my opinion the most breath taking visuals that have been put to screen in a movie. Ever.

4/5 Stars

Fifa 17 Review 

My father can vouch for me when I say I'm a massive Fifa fan. Over the years, it's been criticised for being to "same-y", only ever adding in just enough to warrant people buying the next version without ever introducing any game changing features. However, PES (Pro Evolution Soccer) has begun to catch up with Fifa, even taking some of the big licenses of clubs and leagues from EA. This is perhaps why EA sports have finally sat up and taken notice and begun to add new features that genuinely improve the game. Last year we had the introduction of the Draft mode in FUT, which many would say is their favourite mode in the game. Yet this year the changes have been next level. Fifa 17 is the best Fifa game we've seen in a long time.

Lets start with Fifa Ultimate Team. Since its introduction in Fifa 09, its been the unrivalled favourite mode in the game. All the classic elements of the mode return, Divisions, Single matches and of course the Draft mode are all present. However, the two new features in FUT are both spectacular. 'Squad building challenges' are a fantastic addition. Allowing you to make use of all the 'useless' players littered throughout your club, in order to upgrade them into better players or trade them for rewards means that even the lowliest of bronze cards can be of value to you, and if not you then to someone else. The challenges of course vary in difficulty, from just as squad of 11 players to a team that requires a certain amount of chemistry and team rating, and the prizes are well balanced to the tasks, e.g. a silver pack for some bronze players all the way up to a special SBC Giovinco card for completing a squad of every MLS team. Its the closet that we've gotten to the idea of a collection book that fans have been clamouring for since the game mode began. 'FUT champions' is also great. The classic gold, silver and bronze cups are gone and have been replaced by daily knockout tournaments. Victory in any of these tournaments (running from Monday to Friday) earn you entry into the 'Weekend League', in which you compete against other tournaments winners in order to accumulate as many wins as possible over 40 matches. Then depending on your success, you're rewarded with prizes, which are truly spectacular. 100k packs, coins rewards and even guaranteed In-form packs are on offer to those who reach the higher stages. With the promise of the winners of the weekend leagues being entered into monthly tournaments and even access to the Fifa interactive world cup at the end of the year, EA have done an amazing job with this mode. For years we've been asked for better rewards for just playing the game and it now feels like they've listened. On top of that, the introduction of "One to Watch" cards is brilliant. Players who EA anticipate to have exciting debut seasons have been given special OTW cards that will upgrade over the corse of the year as the players perform well in real life and earn an In Form card, their OTW will mirror the stats of the In Form card. Another very welcome addition.

Next up career mode. It's an interesting one, some people love it, others don't even touch it, which is a shame considering theres a lot to enjoy about career mode. The new addition of more specific objectives and targets from the board is a welcome inclusion and adds a sense of reality to the mode. Now, instead of just being judged on your league positions alone, the board will also consider your youth development, brand management (shirt sales, pre season tours of foreign lands) and financial tactics. Perhaps you might hold back on signing Ronaldo and driving your clubs bank balance into the mud and instead gamble on a youngster from your academy. Its an interesting addition that certainly adds an air of authenticity to career mode. Not a lot else has changed however.

Pro Clubs could, and should, be the best mode in Fifa. Creating your player and joining a club with your mates and then taking on the world is a thoroughly enjoyable experience (even if frustrating at times). This year is the first in a long time that EA have even touched pro clubs and the changes are quite drastic. The whole upgrade system has been revamped, with your performance directly affecting how much you can upgrade your player. This a welcome adjustment, as people start to play for the team more, rather than taking shots from the half way line in order to boost their shooting stats. The inclusion of a badge and kit creater are also welcomed, although in the future it would be nice to have even more free reign.

Online Divisions are included once again. Nothing changed here, but in fairness there was very little to do. The Woman's international teams are again included, yet other than a few new player faces and  the introduction of  Norway, Netherlands and Sweden, there is little else changed. They are still restricted to their own mode and can still only face against other women sides.

Saving the best till last, "The Journey". When EA dropped the initial trailer for the brand new game mode, people genuinely lost their minds. This of course means that if the mode turned out to be no good, then  people would have been outraged. Thankfully, its quite the opposite. You play as Alex Hunter, a young prospect fresh out the exit trials and trying to make it as a professional footballer in the top flight of English football. All 20 of this seasons EPL sides are available. Throughout the story, you're faced with decisions, and depending on how you respond to certain situations, other characters opinions of you will change. For example, if you form Alex into another football diva with a massive ego, his sponsorship deals will rise, yet his team mates will think less of him. The story has been inspired by real life footballers journeys, including Marcus Ashford, Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Reece Oxford who were all consultants when the story was written. You can really tell. For a second, you feel as though you are Alex Hunter, you're delighted when you scores a banger from 30 yards, you're devastated when you're loaned out to the championship. The new game engine, Frostbite, only furthers the reality. Thanks to the new engine, EA can show us areas that we've never seen before, including the dressing rooms of all 20 premier league grounds, Alex childhood bedroom and flashy new apartment, and even the Hackney marshes. It's detailed and in depth enough to feature as its own individual game, but EA have fit in snugly into their game and I believe you'll do well to find anyone who doesn't love "The Journey".

Similarly the new engine mean the graphics have also gone up a level. Last year I felt as though PES had almost caught up to Fifa in terms of graphics but this year EA have pulled away again. Everything from Marco Reus' sleeve of tattoos to whatever ridiculous haircut Paul Pogba is sporting at the time are dead on. Its almost as though you're watching the real thing at times.

EA sports have really hit back at the accusations that they just releases the same game every year. The new inclusions are all fantastic, what's kept from previous years is as good as ever and I'll stress again - the graphics are amazing. 

'Suicide Squad' review

'Suicide Squad' Review

*Spoilers for Suicide Squad and Batman vs Superman

The DC cinematic universe has not had a good run so far. Man of Steel was met by a universal “Meh, it was fine I guess” and Batman vs Superman was a complete and total train-wreck. So DC have taken a break from heroes whilst they lick their wounds from the critical backlash they received from BvS and have offered us something fresh and exciting. Focusing on Super villains, instead of heroes and offering audiences something different that hasn’t been scene on screen before (not even by Marvel). Ever since the first Suicide Squad trailer, there has been a huge amount of hype building towards this movie and I genuinely thought that this would be the film to get movie goers back on board with the franchise and kick start the DCCU properly. But does it deliver ? Not really.

Following on from Superman’s death in Batman vs Superman, the US government are concerned about the potential of another Superman like being arriving on Earth. If the next incarnation didn’t share the values of man kind, who would defend us from him. Government Agent Amanda Waller proposes to assemble ‘Task Force X’ - a rag tag team of super criminals to do their bidding for them under the leadership of Rick Flag. After being burdened with bombs implanted into their necks the team are forced to band together in order to face an otherworldly attack in Midway City.

The characters are, to me at least, the strongest element of this movie. Will Smith and Margot Robbie are of course great, but special mentions need to be made for Jai Courtney (Captain Boomerang) and Jay Hernandez (El Diablo) who are both amazing. In fairness, every character in the movie is a least good and a most superb, which for a movie featuring such a vast array of characters is a real achievement. The introductions and back stories to all of the main players in the film are also amazing, particularly Harley Quinn's story of how she was converted by the Joker. In fact I enjoyed seeing it in live action so much, that I hope the rumoured Joker and Harley movie also touches on it. Also, the interactions between the characters are great. DC are clearly trying to respond criticism from past movies, by allowing the tone of the movie to be much lighter which allows for some hilarious interactions between the cast. Sure, not all of the jokes land and there are instances where you can tell that humour has been forced in during re-shoots that do feel out of place, but on the whole there are some very funny moments in the movie(although you do see a lot of them in the trailers), and its good to see DC not taking their movies too seriously. This also allows for this movie to be the most comic book accurate movie DC studios have ever put out by far. Everything from the colour palettes to the costumes and weapons on show are spot on, and yet the characters still feel grounded in the real world.

This also feels like a good time to give praise to the awesome yet brief cameos of some Justice League members. The Flash is only on screens for about 10 seconds (quite fitting of his abilities) but yet his look and costume looks truly incredible. And despite not being credited for his work in the credits, Ben Affleck crushes it as Batman. Despite also only having a brief appearance, this is certainly the best interpretation we've seen of the character, in particularly due to his accuracy to the comics (e.g. not brutally murdering people). His interactions with Deadshot and Harley Quinn are great and the mid credits scene is very intriguing.

However, this movie is movie is far from perfect. As I mention the characters are great, yet some of them of tragically underused. I can understand that Will Smith and Margot Robbie need as much screen time as possible as they're the names that are drawing more casual fans to the movie, but characters such as El Diablo and Katana deserve way more screen time. In fact Killer Croc's only purpose in the whole film is to plant the bomb at the very end, which is very obviously rammed in just so the director can say that everyone contributed. In this way DC have failed to learn from past experiences - they are more focused on featuring as many 'cool' scenes as possible without sparing a thought for the narrative of the movie. In addition, this is another example of re-shoots hindering a movie. Its rumoured that by the time the film was shot, there were two separate scripts; the directors original and the studios version to try and respond to criticism that has clearly been mashed together here. As I mentioned , a lot of the comedy feels forced, yet there are also instances such a Rick Flag's haircut changing from scene to scene that illustrate this. This sadly leads to the movies flow crashing to a holt and the whole plot and story kind of stumbles into the final act. Also the hoards of faceless enemies felt very redundant and the villain was very weak in my opinion. 

You may be wondering how I've gone this far through the review without mentioning the new Joker. Thats because I genuinely forgot he was in it. I feel awful for Jared Leto. He's spent the best part of six months of his life never breaking character to try and immerse himself into the role, and yet the final product rolls around and he's barely in it. This makes it very hard for me to formulate an opinion of him. Of what I saw I liked. Jared Leto goes all out in this role and his appearance, thought upsetting to some, is a lot less noticeable in motion. However, he can't be in the movie for more than 15 minutes of screen time. I appreciate that he isn't a member of the Suicide Squad so he was never going to a main part of the story, but by the same token you could have easily left him out of the movie (except for the flashbacks of Harley Quinn's origin) and it would have made little to no difference to the story. I am, however, now very excited to see where he turns up next (Hopefully in the Batman solo movie!)

Overall, I can easily say that this is the best DCCU entry that we've seen so far but that may not be high praise considering how weak the other entries are. The story was pretty poor, the comedy felt forced at times and large chunks of this project are clearly missing. That being said, the characters were a brilliant, the opening 30/45 minutes were extremely enjoyable and the film did a great job of expanding the universe. DC are still a million miles off the quality of Marvel Movies, but this film is at least a nudge in the right direction. Hopefully, the extended/directors cut includes everything we missed in the cinematic version, as with all that present I feel this could have been a pretty good movie.

3/5 Stars

'Captain America:Civil War' review

'Captain America:Civil War' review

As a huge Marvel fan, it's extremely difficult for me to not get excited every time that Marvel Studios release a movie. They have a bullet proof filmography, ranging from movies that are satisfying to movies that leave you genuinely speechless as you leave the cinema. The high expectations and excitement of course mean that its a lot easier for a movie to be a huge disappointment if it turns out to be no good. However, I trust Marvel Studios to continue to make great films, and I'm glad to announce that their latest outing 'Captain America:Civil War' is no exception - it is truly phenomenal.

Following on shortly after the events of 'Avengers:Age of Ultron' and 'Antman', the Avengers are at a cross roads. The governments of the world are no longer willing to tolerate the Avengers demolishing cities and causing mass amounts of casualties in their bids to save the world, and so the United Nations create the 'Sokovia Accords' - a document ensuring that super heroes will either have to register with the governments or be forced to retire. Tony Stark is completely on board with this, as after his 'retirement' at the end of 'Age of Ultron' he's had a lot of time to reflect and has realised that the Avengers are directly responsible for the deaths of thousands and the destruction of entire cities. Steve Rodgers, on the other hand, disagrees as he has witnessed first hand the corruption rooted deep in both 'S.H.I.E.L.D' and 'Hydra' and doesn't want to lose his right to choose when and where he and the Avengers get to work. This disagreement leads the Avengers to separate into two factions, one lead by Iron Man, the other by Captain America. When negotiation fails, the Avengers have to resort to other methods to settle their differences.

The Russo brothers should be given massive plaudits, as they have made it so that the audience can support and yet empathise with both teams, making the inevitable fight all the more satisfying. The reasoning behind the conflict isn't at all far fetched and you can completely understand where both sides are coming from. Other than the Iron Man and Captain America fight,  there are many other storylines at play, including introductions of new characters, developing relationships between existing characters and Cap's mission to reunite himself with Bucky Barnes, none of which detract from the core of the story, only enriching the film and continuing to expand the ever growing MCU.

The action scenes, as we've come to expect from Marvel Studios, are spectacular. The chase between Bucky, Black Panther and Cap; the brawl between the two teams and the 1v1 between Cap and Iron Man are all wonders to behold and the movie even makes the politics behind the conflict tense and suspenseful. There are also some massive twists in the tail that very few will see coming, which only add to the drama.

Despite all this, Marvel continue to pick the perfect tone for their movies. Even with the huge things at stake in this film, the Avengers are still cracking 'one liners' to each other. This movie has some genuinely funny moments, all of which provide welcomed rest-bite from the intensity of the conflict.

There was some concern that introducing new characters, would only detract from the focus of the movie, but both new additions, Black Panther and Spider Man, should be welcomed with open arms because the are both amazing. Black Panther fits the role perfectly and provides yet another emotional twist in the build up to the fight. But the real star of the show is Spider Man. After Fox's two mediocre at best attempts of the character, I thought I was finished with Spider Man in movie form, but 'Civil War' has me completely back on board. There must be a hell of a weight on Tom Holland's shoulders to perform one of the most beloved comic book characters of all time at such a young age (especially after many others had failed) but he does so exceptionally. This version is the best and most comic book accurate version of both Peter Parker and Spiderman that we have seen. Everything about him, from the fact that he's actually played by a high school kid to the angsty comments about how he can't join the Avengers as he has too much homework is exactly as it should be. The inclusion of the character is used masterfully. Its a sensational introduction of the character to the MCU, but is brief enough so that he doesn't steal all the attention from Captain America and Iron Man. I now cannot wait for 'Spider Man:Homecoming'

I cannot urge you enough to rush out and see 'Civil War'. Not only does it stand alone as a incredible movie, but it fits snugly into the astounding universe that Marvel Studios have created. The new characters are both exceptional, the story is emotional and yet exciting and the fight is incredibly satisfying. I can honestly say that this is one of the best movies that Marvel have made, which is saying something due to the marvellous record they have. I would say it's their best outing since 'Guardians of the Galaxy' and is definitely in my top 3. Truly Spectacular.

5/5 Stars

'Batman vs Superman:Dawn of Justice' review

'Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice' Review

WARNING: This review contains some spoilers for the film and other DC comics and movies. If  you haven't seen the movie and want to go in blind, then watch the film before reading this.

There was a vast number of people, myself included, that were under the impression that 'Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice' was never going to come out. Since it was announced at Comic Con 2014 , its had it's release dates switched multiple times and was finished being filmed over a year and a half before it was finally released, leading many fans to be concerned that the final product was going to be a chopped up mess of a movie that has been thrown together haphazardly. However now all these rumours can be put to bed, as the movie is finally here. Any movie that pins two of the most iconic comic book characters ever known against each other is going to attract a lot of attention and pressure from fans, as they really just want to see this epic clash of 'Son of Krypton vs Bat of Gotham' done well, and for the most part this movie is just that - done well.

The plot is a little more elaborate than the classic "Who would win in a fight between..." it may appear as on the surface. As a direct follow up 'Man of Steel' (2013), Metropolis is divided by their opinions on Superman. Some think he's a hero for saving them from the Krypton invasion and a symbol of hope, others see him as responsible for the destruction of Metropolis during his battle with Zod. Batman falls in the second category, and sees Superman as a violent threat to mankind who needs to be stopped before he "wipes out the entire human race." However, Bruce isn't alone in his hatred for Superman as behind the scenes Lex Luthor has been pulling the strings to make Superman look like the villain he's perceived to be and to make sure Batman has ample means to destroy Superman.

The cast is a mixed bag. Ben Affleck is a terrific as both Batman and Bruce Wayne. He definitely has me excited for his solo Batman movie, which I wasn't before I saw this movie. Some of the supporting actors are excellent too; Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman) is a brief but welcome addition and sows the seeds for her own solo movie, Jeremy Irons is a tremendous Alfred Pennyworth and Amy Adams does a great job as Lois Lane. 

However, not all members pull off the roles. Jesse Eisenberg to his credit gives his all to the role of Lex Luthor, but it just doesn't work. Lex Luthor is supposed to be the 'greatest criminal mastermind of all time' and able to match the superior intellect of both Batman and Superman. However in this movie, he's comes across as a psychotic maniac who gives very little thought to his plans, has melt downs during public speaking and leaves jars of his own urine in court rooms. For example, Lex Luthor realises that his plan to trick Batman into killing Superman isn't going to work, so creates Doomsday from the mutated Krypton genes of Zod. But say his plan worked. Doomsday defeated Superman. What would happen afterwards? Lex didn't have any control over the monster he had created. Doomsday would have just destroyed the entire planet, including Luthor himself. I'm also not completely on board with Henry Cavill as Superman. I like Cavill as an actor, and don't thinks its fair to blame my dislike for Superman in this current DC universe on him. It's more so the writing for his character. I can appreciate that Superman is the leader of the Justice League and is more solum and mature than some of his fellow heroes, but in both 'Man of Steel' and 'Dawn of Justice' he spends most of his time sulking and being miserable. Other than Superman initially realising he could fly, there is very little comedy associated with his character. The rest of the time he's snapping necks or blatantly killing people, which I dare say doesn't do his reputation any good.

The pace of the movie is a complete contrast to other DC movies, and most super hero movies in general. The action is almost constant, and provides very little down time between action. While I personally think this is a welcome change, especially in the context of the story, I can see how it may overwhelm people, as some scenes (particularly the first 10-15 minutes) do tend to jump around and switch a little too quickly and may confuse someone who either isn't familiar with the source material and/or hasn't seen 'Man of Steel'. In addition, although I enjoyed the dream sequences throughout the movie, particularly Batman's nightmare of what would happened if Superman went rogue and became a vicious dictator, they did at times feel a little out of place and as though they had just been  shoehorned in to promote future properties we may see.

The action in the film is  exceptional, which you would expect from a movie with a budget of over $250 million. I particularly liked the scene where Batman clears a room of 30 thugs single handedly using the element of surprise to his advantage - which is probably the most Batman thing we actually see him do. My only problem was the actual fight it's self. Don't get me wrong, the morbid part of me loved seeing Batman and Superman beat the crap out of each other - I just wanted more of it. In a film that runs for nearly 3 hours, the main fight of the movie lasts maybe 20 minutes tops, leaving me desperately wanting more. Personally I feel the movie could have done without the inclusion of Doomsday. Just keep 'Batman vs Superman' between Batman and Superman and leave Doomsday for a future project, e.g. the Justice League.

My gain concern with this movie (which may not even register with some people) is the characterisation of some key roles. As I mentioned before, Lex Luthor doesn't work, but I also wasn't pleased with Batman. Ben Affleck did a outstanding job of portraying the character he was given, but that character wasn't Batman. Or at least a comic accurate version of Batman, which fans have been crying out for. One of the most iconic comic book characters of all time has had his persona almost completely rewritten. 

Batman has three hard and fast rules that he lives by; 

1)Don't kill anybody

2)Don't use guns

3)Don't drink 

In 'Dawn of Justice' we see him break all three of them. Several times. 

I'm all for changing the comics - everybody's adaptation is going to be different - but Zach Snyder has completely changed the motives and reasoning behind Batman. After his parents are murdered, Bruce swears to make sure no one in his city is ever hurt in the way he was and uses his childhood fear of bats to instil fear into the hearts of his enemies. Other than his sneak attack on the warehouse, we see non as this as it's replaced with Batman shooting guns and bedding women. I can understand him killing in a dream sequence when he's fighting super soldiers, but when Batman starts snapping the necks of street level thugs, something is seriously wrong. 

Overall, I don't hate this movie. There is a lot to like about it. Most of the cast do a terrific job; the action is stupendous and its infinitely better than the last entry in this current DC universe. However, as much as everyone wanted this movie to be amazing, it's not. The reasoning behind their fight starts off pretty strong but ends up as a pure misunderstanding which could be eradicated by either hero simply asking the other what was going on, the fight its self is underwhelming and far too brief and Superman is vastly underused ... again. If you enjoyed 'Man of Steel' then certainly see it as it covers a lot of the same ground and continues the story. If you didn't enjoy 'Man of Steel', maybe still give it ago because it's much better than 'Man of Steel' and is by no means a bad movie. However it has left me quite disappointed and now more cautiously optimistic than excited about future DC projects.

2/5 Stars