This is Jacob from the Wisecrack channel and welcome to Film legends where the most renowned films of our age
Battle to be crowned the greatest of all time
We'll be analyzing an awarding points for every single thing a movie does right
Many will compete but in the end only the strongest will have what it takes to become
Film legends
today's Challenger Batman V Superman
Bruce: There was a time above, a time before, there were perfect things
Things fall
falling is not only a recurring visual motif in the film
But it's also symbolic of Superman who some view as a fallen angel
The night Bruce's parents died the Waynes saw the Mark of Zorro
so that explains Batman's love for capes, masks and Trademarks
ExCalibur, a retelling of the King Arthur myths, mirrors key plot points in the film
heroic knight check
mythical weapon pulled in stone check ,synchronized impaling
oh yeah
Holy Watchmen crossover Batman!
in addition to Jeffrey Dean Morgan is Thomas Wayne
Patrick Wilson and Carla Gugino voiced the president and kryptonian Ship's computer respectively
Instead of starting the film with Fresh ideas
we get yet another
Retelling of Batman's origin story.
Do we really need to go over all of this again?
But if we must it's nice they took inspiration from the comics
Like other Zack Snyder films Batman V superman portrays a world of normies contending with a God in their midst
Some revere superman as a christ-like defender of the weak
Reporter: we on this planet have been looking for a savior
While others particularly those in power
fear the idea of a mighty immortal who's above the law
Bruce: what about an alien?
if he wanted to he could burn the whole place down
and there wouldnt be a damn thing we could do to stop him
We see the climactic battle from man of steel from Bruce's perspective
a cool way to tie the universes together
Zod's ships cut through buildings like a hot knife through
anything
Senator Finch: The world has been so caught up with what superman can do
That, no one has asked what he should do
Senator Finch echos the famous sentiment that great power comes with great responsibility?
Scientist: so we took a sample--
per the credits, that's Emmet Vale
who in the comics created a kryptonite powered cyborg named Metallo to kill Superman
Lex: The red capes are coming the red capes are coming
a reference to Paul Revere's midnight ride warning of the British invasion
Lex: That should be upside down
the painting is inspired by classic works that depicts Satan's fall from Heaven
Reflecting Lex's view of superman as a fallen angel
Lex: Devil's don't come from hell beneath us. No they come from the sky
A nod to the comic book demise of Robin at the hands of the Joker
Lex: for Prometheus, he ruined Zeus's plan to destroy mankind
and for that he was given a thunderbolt, CHOOOM!
like prometheus who challenged the divinity of zeus on behalf of Mankind
Lex wants to Destroy the perception of Superman's holiness
by making him kill Batman
Lex: they need to see the fraud you are
Clark: Clark Kent, Daily Planet
Props to Lex's decorator!
these paintings by Cleon Peterson show shadowy figures slaughtering victims in white
underscoring the film's battle between light and Dark Forces
Lex: God vs Man, Day vs Night
Barry: You drop this thing!
nobody cares about Clark Kent taking on the Batman
good one DC. You knew this movie would be a juggernaut?
Clark: When the Planet was founded it stood for something, Barry.
Barry: So could you if it was 1938
1938 a call-out to Superman's debut
Barry: but it's not 1938
in his nightmare Batman sees the sigil of one of the greatest comic book villains of all time
Darkseid who hails from Planet apocalypse and commands winged Denizens called parademons. I smell a sequel
Bruce wakes up and sees the flash and wait
Why did he wake up again
is my DVD skipping? this vision within a dream is
Disorienting and that's not the only time to film breaks from reality with no explanation
Mr. Kent: (?) their horses were drowning.
What?
Bruce: he has the power to wipe out the entire human race and if we believe there's even a 1%
Chance that he is our enemy
we have to take it as an absolute certainty
Bruce performs an existential risk calculation
when the consequence of an event is global annihilation
even a small probability of events happening is unacceptable
Bruce: and we have to destroy him
anyone know if I can get this on a 92 buick? I'm asking for a friend
Man: Not all was developed by private companies.
Lois: What company
Man: Lex Corp
if Lex is so smart
Why did you use traceable experimental bullets?
this rookie mistake undercuts the perception we're supposed to have of Lex's genius
Lex: You know the oldest lie in America senator?
Lex: That power can be innocent
this reflects English politician, Lord Acton's observation that
"power tends to corrupt an absolute power Corrupts absolutely"
Batman actually shares the cynical view
Bruce: how many good guys are left?
Bruce: how many stayed that way
the anti Superman protest echoes current tension over immigration issues around the world
Similarly the courtroom bombing reminds us of real-world attacks
such as the 2016 bombing in the brussels airport
Hard to believe this sophisticated ship can be fooled by the old fake fingerprints gags,
Computer: welcome, would you like to assume command?
Lex: yes I would
Comupter: very well
TOO EASY
Lex: You flew too close to close to the sun
A reference to Icarus whose hubris led to his downfall
Reporter: we are left to wonder if Superman was aware of the threat and did nothing
Reporter: was he then complicit in the Capitol Tragedy?
a common dilemma for supers
if you don't act everyone blames you for letting bad things happen
But when you do act, you get dinged for collateral damage
Batman glowing eyes are straight out of Batman the animated series
Lex: Lola in slacks
at their best Lex's references help us believe
He's a genius
But when they miss he just seems confused
here Lex plays on the opening sentences of Nabokov's Lolita
Lex: Plain Lo, in the morning
Lex: Lola in Slacks
great book but it has nothing to do with what's happening, and look around. It's night time!
Lex: God takes sides
Lex: no man in the sky intervened when I was a boy to deliver me from Daddy fists and abombinations
Lex: I figured out way back, God is all-powerful
Lex: He cannot be all good
Lex's miserable childhood caused him to distrust the idea of a
benevolent Saviour, another thing he and Batman have in common
Batman: my parents taught me different lesson, they taught me the world only makes sense if you force them to.
these guys should have been friends! they could have carpooled the therapy
Nice of DC to include trailers for the next four franchises
the footage of Cyborg's birth Depicts a Mother Box
DC's version of an infinity stone
The graffiti is latin for "who watches the watchmen"
a Snyder nod to himself I suppose?
Batman's Excalibur invokes the spear of destiny
which was used to pierce Jesus as he hung from the cross
Batman: You were never a God
Batman: You were never even a man
Superman is vulnerable after all
Snyder uses the same attack in 300 to challenge the power of the so called God, Zirkses
Superman: You're letting him--
--Kill Martha
Batman: Martha?! Why did you say that name?!
Lois: It's his mother's name!
so Batman throws away his entire ideology on the grounds that he and Superman both have mothers?
Batman: I promise, Martha won't die tonight
This is a recurring issue throughout the film
as the needs of the plot constantly take precedence over character
Just look at Lex Luthor
Superman: You Lost
Lex: I Cannot let you win.
He spent the last two hours railing against the absolute power of Gods
Lex: if man won't kill God
only to create one of his own because well the movie needs a third Act
Lex: the devil will do it
Wonder Woman's indestructible Lasso of truth! awesome!
Superman's Connection to Christ deepens when he sacrifices himself to ward off Doomsday
Lex's painting is now flipped
showing demons descending from the heavens perhaps a harbinger of Darkseid's imminent arrival
The dirt levitating on Superman's coffin hints that he will complete his Christ-like journey
and return from the grave just in time for Justice league
All right Batman V superman let's see how you did
those nods your comic roots and real-world events provide a decent context
but just a few too many stumbles along the way to really get going
so no bonus for you
But at least we got the Sad Affleck meme out of it
*Sound of Silece plays* Hello Darkness my old friend,
I've come to talk with you again
off to the leaderboard
Well the V doesn't stand for victory today in fact you're in last place for now
But I suspect we'll be seeing these caped competitors again before long
That's all for now, but be sure to tune in for our next challenger. It'll be a good one. You better not LET IT GO
The Batman V Superman didn't do all that well
But what went wrong? click here to watch
Wisecracks video on what went wrong with Batman V superman
it's super interesting and you're not going to want to miss it and if you
Haven't already make sure to click here to watch the other episodes of film legends.
We'll catch you next time