DC Comics fans can breathe a little sigh of relief when it comes to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice: most early reactions from those offered an early viewing of the film are positive. Not only that, but those fans also confirm that the movie's tone is dark, perhaps even darker than The Dark Knight trilogy.
According to Batman On Film - a reputable website when it comes to all things Batman - sources who saw the film made some comments on what fans can expect when it releases to the public later in March.
"However, I DO know a few folks who have seen BvS and all of them really liked it," writes the website. "In fact, no one I know who has seen it had anything negative to say about it."
Some of the key takeaways from these reactions, though, involve the film's tone: it's dark, as in really dark. One of the comments is that Ben Affleck's Batman is "brutal," perhaps more than we've ever seen on film. The movie itself is also compared more to Watchmen than its lighter predecessor, Man of Steel.
As far as standout performances go, Ben Affleck gets lots of kudos for his take on Batman, but it's Jesse Eisenberg who steals the show. Considering fans still find themselves torn on his casting, this is good news.
"The portrayal of Lex is a very modern take on the character," writes the website. "He's completely two-faced and the trailers don't do him justice."
As we all know, Diana Prince, aka Wonder Woman, makes an appearance in Batman v Superman, but even with all the hype about her character, it turns out that her role is quite small. However, the site does note that Gal Gadot is great in the role.
The movie also references other characters who will eventually make up the Justice League, but it seems that it's done in a good way, without focusing too much time on it. Apparently, a lot happens during the movie's 2-½ hour running time, and the comments note that it doesn't waste a single second of that time.
This all comes as good news for both DC and its fans, especially with so much riding on the success of the film. Considering that Batman v Superman cost more than a whopping $200 million, it will need a lot of happy viewers to turn a profit, especially now that a computer algorithm only gives it a 32 percent chance of success of achieving that goal.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice lands in theaters on March 25.
