The 12 Most Influential Superhero Movies Ever Made

Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice (2016)

To say that Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice is a divisive movie would be something of a massive understatement. Upon its release, the film received negative reviews, and a long and fierce debate raged over the nature of film criticism. Critics were even accused of being biased (or bribed) against non-Marvel movies (Spoiler: they’re not). Petitions were started and death threats were sent, all by fans who felt the film had been unfairly maligned.

Is Zack Snyder’s epic worthy of re-evaluation? The jury is out, yet the controversy stings. You’ll still find fans debating over Doomsday’s design, Batman’s murder sprees, or the “genius” of Snyder’s cinematography on many comment sections. Justice League may be the biggest failure in Warner’s burgeoning franchise, but Batman V Superman is the beginning of the project’s descent. It’s clear that the heavy-handedness on display in this film has cost the DCEU dearly.

Warner Bros. scrambled to copy Marvel’s successes, without the necessary forethought or restraint that they needed after the middling response to Man of Steel. Be it Snyder’s dour (and unsubtle) deconstruction, or the draconian management style of studio executives, Batman V Superman’s rash pursuit of a shared universe now exists as a cautionary tale for other Hollywood heavyweights.

Still, at least we got Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman out of it.