When Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice finally hits theaters in March, we’re going to really start to understand what kind of world that DC is trying to create for their comics in the movies. With a Superman character whose last film was not universally loved, and a new Batman coming on the heels of the popular Christian Bale version, fans are not sure what to expect from the new movie. Now director Zack Snyder has spoken a bit more about the film and instead of giving away details he talked more about the tone of the film, and his words will likely appeal to some, though may set others to worry.
While the trailers for the new film have focused on the action of Batman v Superman, the director says there’s actually much more going on. In an interview for Obsev, Snyder says that in the final analysis, the movie is much more a drama than it is an action film.
I think the fun of the movie is, in the end, it’s a drama. They have to figure out each other, to figure out how to fight each other. So it’s really about what … makes them tick, and sort of, how that’s going to work out in a conflict. And we’ll see what happens.
The reason that idea of conflict between these two characters is so interesting to fans is because the two of them look at the world so differently. Superman sees the promise in humanity, Batman only sees the darkness. When it comes time for the two to fight, it won't simply be their abilities that determine strategy, but the way that each sees the other.
The idea of the film as a drama is hard to wrap your head around after seeing numerous trailer shots of Batman and Superman going after each other. We certainly know there will be action in the movie because of those scenes, but how seamlessly does that action meld with the drama that Zack Snyder is talking about? While simply turning Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice into a two hour slugfest isn’t really feasible, at least not if we actually want the movie to be good, superhero movies that focus mostly on the drama between characters don’t always go over well with fans, either.
Prior to Snyder resurrecting Superman on screen with Man of Steel, there had been an attempt to reboot the franchise with 2006’sSuperman Returns. That film was panned by fans, in large part because it focused much more on the drama than on the superhero action that many fans wanted. Man of Steel, for its part, really seemed to be a focused effort to go in the other direction. Although, to be fair, some fans took issue with a version of Superman who did so much punching, so really both ends of the spectrum will have their detractors.
Getting the balance right between action and drama is a difficult dance, and all the more so in a superhero movie. Does describing Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice as a drama give you more confidence in the upcoming product, or does it fill you with a bit more worry? Let us know your thoughts below.
