STACK July 2016 Issue 141

28 / 104

T he opportunity to set these two DC
heroes against each other on screen
was a dream come true for director
Zack Snyder, but the big question that needed
to be addressed was, could there be an actual
victor?
“The truth is that if you just started out with
Batman and Superman, obviously Superman
would win because he’s an alien – he’s
invulnerable – and Batman is just a human
being,” offers Ben Affleck, who plays the latest
incarnation of the Dark Knight. “But in the story
you’ll see there are various reasons why their
powers are evened out a bit, and made more
equal. Then it’s a question of... I don’t want to
say character, but determination. You’ll have to
see the movie to find out who wins.”
Collateral damage from the battle with
General Zod, as well as some meddling
from a certain Alexander Luthor (Jesse
Eisenberg), provides the catalyst that
sets the two against each other.
With great power must come great
responsibility, and the Dark Knight
holds the Man of Steel (Henry Cavill)
responsible.
"As far as the right and wrong
aspect of it goes, of course both
of these characters – Batman and
Superman – are heroes from their point
of view, and from the point of view of
those they may protect, but not those
who rue the day they mete out justice,”
explains Zack Snyder. “So it was
fun to construct a story where you
had to go into the other person’s
perspective. And even though these
two are on a collision course, neither
of them is necessarily wrong in his
analysis of the other one. These
are such rich characters with a
really interesting dynamic. They allow that sort
of complexity, I think, and that was really fun."
Snyder describes the showdown between
the two in the film as a meticulous piece of
work that required weeks of shooting.
“When you see the film, the big fight looks
like it just flows, like it’s a single moment.
It’s inside a building with rain machines and
all these things. All these elements have to
come together, so it can be an uncomfortable
experience in a lot of ways for these
guys, because of the meticulous nature of
photography,” he explains. “But they were
amazing troupers. They did all the preparation,
worked all the hours and never complained. And
I couldn’t be happier, from my point of view,
with the result.”
Affleck’s casting as Batman, directly following
Christian Bale’s performance in the Christopher
Nolan films, proved to be a controversial choice
with fans when first announced. The ensuing
Bat-lash sent social media into meltdown, but
didn’t faze the actor. “Everyone’s entitled to
their opinion. I wouldn’t have taken the part if I
visit DVD&BD FEATURE
28 JULY 2016
DVD
&
BD
Even though these
two are on a collision
course, neither of
them is exactly wrong
in his analysis of the
other one
With comic book franchises continuing to dominate
the global box office, DC have upped the ante with
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, pitting its two
iconic superheroes against each other and laying the
foundations for an expanded universe.
Words: Adam Colby
of
the