Four years ago, Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice hit cinemas. The film was a double-edged sword for Warner Bros., though. On one hand it made $873 million at the box office, but on the other it received a critical mauling, ending up at a lowly 28% on the Tomatometer. As a fan of Zack Snyder’s prior work (yes, even Sucker Punch), I went in with high hopes but left disappointed.
The pic’s reception tarnished Snyder’s reputation with Warner Bros., contributing to them removing him from Justice League and replacing him with Joss Whedon. And we all know how that worked out. But there’s a silver lining: later that year the Ultimate Edition director’s cut landed on home release, which adds back a lot of cut material. I was skeptical that more of something I disliked would make it better, but the Ultimate Edition completely reversed my opinion on the movie.
Since that released, the film has garnered a fanbase who argue that it’s deeply underrated. And, as such, they’re showing some love for the pic on its fourth birthday. Here’s just a selection from Twitter:
The use of color in Batman v Superman is underappreciated.#BvS4Years #DCEU #ReleaseTheSnyderCut pic.twitter.com/IuGLCPKDC7
— MoviesThatMaher (@MoviesThatMaher) March 25, 2020
I can't believe it's been 4 years. I've never been more hyped for a film and it exceeded my expectations in every way.
A grand, mythic, and layered exploration of Batman, Superman, and what their ideals can and do represent.#BvS4years pic.twitter.com/VIdGxLca6g
— Battman 🦇 (@BatmanFiles) March 25, 2020
https://twitter.com/clarksleague/status/1242851041407897602?s=20
https://twitter.com/MOODIIBUNNII/status/1242922793261576193?s=20
https://twitter.com/nojuiceadriel/status/1242887355498926086?s=20
It's been 4 years Warner Brothers! I want to see the sequel to my favorite film!#BvS4Years #ReleaseTheSnyderCut pic.twitter.com/hWWhJlE02X
— Ben W (@B_Dub3) March 25, 2020
How Many Good Guys Are Left? #ReleaseTheSnyderCut 🖤#Batfleck
4 years of the masterpiece #BatmanvSuperman #BvS4Years
This is one of the most powerful scenes ever in a cbm pic.twitter.com/mkQeJXHVeN— . (@DCFUnited) March 25, 2020
If you’ve just seen the theatrical cut and didn’t like it, I’d recommend checking out the Ultimate Edition. I had to be dragged kicking and screaming to it, but it was well worth it. And let’s face it, most of us suddenly have a lot more free time.
In other Zack Snyder news, it seems that the Snyder Cut of Justice League is closer than ever before. The director has screened a rough version of his cut to close friends and there are rumors it’ll be the jewel in the crown of the HBO Max launch later this spring. If Snyder’s cut of Justice League is as much an improvement on the theatrical cut as the Batman V Superman director’s cut was, we should be in for a real treat.