Superman vs Batman Movie: 3 Reasons It Could Succeed & 3 Reasons It Could Fail

2. Is This Movie Going To Be As Dumb/Violent As "Man of Steel"?

This is a huge problem. Massive. I guarantee you go to any film buff, geek, comics nut, or just average moviegoer - They'll say it as I do - If they didn't like "Man of Steel", this is a HUGE setback for this movie. Why? Because if it WAS Bale's Batman, that guy at least has some goodwill and rep to lend the project. Didn't like "Man of Steel"? Well, at least it's the world of "The Dark Knight", and that movie's awesome. Nope. My first point was that Cavill seems to be the one thing everyone seems happy to admit to liking in "Man of Steel". This is part of why that's a VERY big deal. I personally wasn't crazy about some elements of "Meth of Steel", as a friend of mine's relatives slyly dubbed it, but I was sold on further Superman films with Cavill. He's the goodwill going in; but is that enough? This premise isn't going to work if everybody just shows up and starts punching each other - In fact, that's part of the problem with Superman: If all he has to do is just show up and clobber bad guys who AREN'T even Kryptonians, this movie will be over in 20 minutes. This needs to be a smartly done, well written movie about two heroes that the world looks on with equal parts reverence and fear, and their ideological conflicts that nonetheless don't hinder that they are still serving a greater good for a world neither of them will ever completely fit in. THAT movie, with its inevitable villainy and b-plots, is what makes this concept so great. THAT movie isn't what I expect from the people who made "Man of Steel", though. It's the goodwill they have from the "Dark Knight" trilogy and the fact that Zack Snyder has got it right before (just not so much lately). We all know they can get action scenes right, and that Nolan loves deconstructing his leads - In fact, that's encouraging given the subjects here. But he's just the chaperone; It's Snyder's baby, really. And for every film that he's done well with an ensemble and their conflicts (300, Dawn of the Dead) there's one he's blown ("Sucker Punch" being the most damning example - And speaking of Snyder and female characters....) I will say this though - A resolution this concept DOES provide is that neither "The Dark Knight Rises" or "Man of Steel" (the last screen appearance for both of these heroes) really got their female characters 100% well defined, or at least didn't seem interested in developing them past "That'll do" (AHEM Talia Al Ghul, Selina Kyle, and Lois Lane). This isn't any of the actresses' fault: Cotillard, Hathaway and Adams do everything they can personally. The parts simply are underdeveloped or just developed enough for the prime conflicts. In a film where you have Batman and Superman meeting and clashing over their methods and (hopefully) raison d'etre that conflict will take center stage and occupy swaths of the film's emotional core. This film wouldn't necessarily need a primary love story or female character in that center spotlight, so this frequent shortcoming for Goyer/Snyder/Nolan can be sidestepped if they (again) don't nail it. (Which isn't to say they need not try - Lois Lane in particular is a wasted opportunity if they don't use her with Superman in the same way Batman has Alfred for exposition/support/development, for example.) But all the same, "Man of Steel" is still a flawed film - 56% on Rotten Tomatoes at this time of writing, which isn't exactly a glowing basis for a franchise to build on. In comparison, Marvel launched from "Iron Man" - a film which in contrast has a 93% rating. So this isn't just personal concern; We're seeing a franchise launch from a flawed film at best. Batman might help fix that.....or not.