Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman is a fairly maligned movie and for good reason. Snyder’s vision for DC is rooted in Frank Miller’s interpretation of the universe, especially Batman. Not just that, Snyder’s interpretation of characters like Batman and Superman rely on the audience already having a pop culture understanding of these characters.
Beyond the alienating premise, however, Batman v Superman’s release was plagued by marketing that gave away the entire story and a theatrical cut that eliminated roughly half an hour of narrative development. The Ultimate Edition doesn’t change Batman v Superman’s tone or themes, but it undeniably makes Dawn of Justice a better and more coherent movie.
10 Clark Kent Is An Actual Character Now
Arguably the biggest problem in Batman v Superman’s theatrical cut is how much of Clark Kent’s perspective is downplayed compared to Bruce Wayne. Virtually every scene showing Clark as an actual human being interacting with the world around him was cut. These additions make his character in the Ultimate Edition far more palatable.
Superman isn’t some jaded hero belligerently saving the world. He wants to do genuine good in a world that fears and hates him. Batman’s crusader against the Man of Steel only amplifies Superman’s own insecurities, all while Lex Luthor runs a smear campaign that quite literally ruins Clark’s life. His struggles and the fact he tries to hold onto some semblance of good in the UE makes his character far more endearing.
9 Bruce Wayne’s Cruelty Is Contextualized
One of the consequences of Clark’s character being downplayed in the theatrical cut is that Batman v Superman seems to take Bruce Wayne’s side in most matters. Superman is a legitimate threat who can’t control his powers as far as Bruce is concerned and Batman’s actions are justified considering how far gone the world is.
The Ultimate Cut’s added scenes ultimately juxtapose Clark with Bruce, showing just how cruel the latter has become in his age. Shortly before BvS starts, Batman starts branding criminals and outright killing anyone he deems a threat. Bruce goes as far as telling Alfred they’ve always been criminals, which Alfred rightfully points out was never the case. Batman wasn’t always this cruel, but the world changed him.
8 Batman Is Framed Like The Hypocrite He Is
It’s worth pointing out that Batman’s cruelty is very much present in the theatrical cut, but the Ultimate Edition makes it clear that his actions are hypocrites at their core. Batman is concerned about Superman’s collateral damage, but he shows no restraint in harming criminals (even when trying to rescue Martha).
Batman shamelessly kills and no longer sees criminals as humans with families. This all changes after Superman’s death. Bruce realizes how far gone Batman has become and vows to found the Justice League in Clark’s honor. Batman’s hypocrisy is also a major reason Clark takes issue with Bruce. For all the damage Superman did in Metropolis, it was only because he was trying to stop Zod. Batman has a genuine bloodlust by comparison.
7 Lex Luthor Is A Genuine Threat
Lex Luthor goes from a joke in the theatrical cut to a fascinating reinterpretation of Superman’s archnemesis in the Ultimate Edition. Taking cues from Gene Hackman’s neurotic Lex in Richard Donner’s Superman, Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex has a threatening presence in the UE. He pits Superman and Batman against each other masterfully, while most of his eccentricities are better contextualized and as a result more palatable. Batman v Superman’s Lex still lacks the sheer charisma of his comic counterpart, but the Ultimate Edition turns him into a genuine threat for the title characters.
6 The Africa Incident Isn’t Narrative Gibberish Anymore
A massive problem with the theatrical cut is how the Africa Incident is handled. What audiences saw was random mercenaries gunning down people and pinning their deaths on Superman. The Ultimate Edition offers actual context as to why Lois Lane is here and who Jimmy Olsen is, along with fleshing out the killings. The bodies are burned so they resemble victims of Superman’s heat vision. Lex Luthor’s means of framing Clark in the Ultimate Edition makes far more sense than the theatrical cut.
5 Superman Was Never Going To Be Able To Stop The Explosion
Lex Luthor orchestrates a bombing in Superman’s presence that he ultimately fails to stop. The incident is meant to make Superman look incompetent, which is masterfully done in the theatrical cut. What should be a harrowing moment is overshadowed by what looks to be a disinterested Superman not paying attention.
The Ultimate Edition clarifies that the bomb was encased in lead, which Superman wouldn’t be able to see through. More importantly, Clark’s added scenes contextualize his emotionally damaged mental state at this point in the movie. He’s not unfocused, he’s hurt – but he would have stopped the bomb if he could have, as evidenced by him sticking around to save any victims.
4 The Extra Half Hour Lets The Movie Breathe
One of the greatest benefits of the Ultimate Edition’s extra halfway is that it allows the movie to breathe. Batman v Superman is a narrative that lives and dies on its build up. The theatrical cut ultimately rushes through Clark’s half of the buildup, making Dawn of Justice feel like a Batman movie instead of a clashing of ideologies.
The extra half hour allows audiences to better understand Clark’s perspective while humanizing Bruce as a tragic fallen hero of sorts. Lex’s presence is also noticeably more commanding and Lois Lane is given added depth which makes her relationship with Clark all the more meaningful.
3 Batman & Superman Reach A Gradual Breaking Point
Playing off the longer runtime, the extra half hour allows Batman and Superman to reach a gradual breaking point by the end of the movie. In the theatrical cut, there’s little feuding their rivalry. This isn’t the case in the Ultimate Edition. Bruce slowly grows concerned with how much damage Superman can potentially do, with the explosion serving as his breaking point (especially since one of his employees was radicalized against Superman).
Clark’s investigations into Batman over the course of the movie only make him weary with how cruel Bruce has become with time. Batman outright brands men and sentences them to death, uncaring about the effect this might have on their families. More importantly, the UE makes it clear Superman doesn’t even want to fight Batman – he just wants to talk. It’s Batman who beats Superman into a fight.
2 The Ending Carries Far More Weight
Superman’s death in the second installment of the DCEU was always going to be a hard sell. Audiences just don’t know him well enough and he has no real relationship with Batman. The Ultimate Edition doesn’t quite fix the premise, but it at least establishes stronger context. Batman v Superman is explicitly about a jaded Batman clashing with an inexperienced Superman.
Neither character is in their prime and it shows. Batman’s essentially lost all sense of his heroism, a fact that’s hammered in multiple times over the course of the story. Superman’s death is jarringly early, but his sacrifice makes Bruce realize the error of his way: there are genuine heroes in this world. In the end, Superman inspires Batman to be a real hero again.
1 Better Set Up For Zack Snyder’s Justice League
On that same token, the Ultimate Edition is a better setup for Justice League. Batman is arguably the main character for most of the Snyder Cut, and his arc is a direct continuation of his development in Batman v Superman. Batman’s remorse in ZSJL really only makes sense if you have content from the Ultimate Edition.
Similarly, Wonder Woman’s presence in the movie is better handled and all the extra scenes with Clark make his return in Justice League so much more impactful (regardless of version). The Mother Boxes and the rest of the League are also hinted at in a more natural manner, although the email scene still stands out as a sore spot in execution.
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