Despite my feelings about the Batman v Superman: The Dawnening trailer, I do have to give Snyder and his costume department a shout out for their Batsuit. I’ve grown to really dislike the Nolan Batsuit from The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight 2: Knights in Black Satin, and even though I’m burnt out on the “Frank Miller inspiration only” vibe that ol’ Brucey has been subjected to of late, I have to say I’m digging the Batfleck garb. Want to see it in all it’s high quality glory (without Tankfleck inhabiting its innards)? Check it out (click to embiggen):
Besides the vacant knee sections reminding me of the aliens from The Arrival, this is a cool Batsuit. Frank Miller meets the Arkham Asylum games. The Batsymbol does look more like the Fatsymbol though. That thing needs to do the Paleo Diet or something.
Since we’re already critiquing the aesthetics of a film we have yet to see, now’s a fairly appropriate time to look at some screengrabs from that trailer. Uninformed speculation and depressing comic book nerd humor awaits below! Again, click to hugeify:
For all the criticism lobbed at this trailer, I figured I’d start off with the one shot that actually has my interest piqued: a bunch of well-armed soldier guys bending the knee in Supes’ presence. And they have patches with Kal-El’s insignia on their uniforms? More than the doomy and gloomy voiceover, this best illustrates the idea that Snyder and crew seem to be going for: Superman as a figure of worship and how his existence changes everything. And where are they? The reactor thing that turned Thomas Haden Church into Sandman? I promised depressing comic book nerd humor. No turning back now.
Taken on it’s own, with no narrative connection or anything, this is a stellar image. Superman’s cape looks awesomely capey, and the composition is good enough to be painted. But, it does create that disconnect between Superman and the people he has promised to save. I think Superman works best when he acts just like a regular guy, but Snyder seems more infatuated with the Super rather than the Man. Also, dick move to leave whoever that wishful handshaker is hanging, Clark.
Snyder continues his Greco-Roman influence that he first utilized in Man of Steel with Jor-El’s Krypton exposition flashbacks. That’s the only way to explain the totally-not-at-all Henry Cavill likeness this statue is sporting. Oh, and it looks like some high school kid decided to spraypaint the name of his garage band on Superman’s chest. Fun fact: “false god” is an anagram for “deaf slog.” I’ve just given the Internet the perfect criticism of this movie when it comes out. You’re welcome, haters.
Superman’s doing his Superman thing: lifting unliftable stuff. I wonder if this is how he works out. “Do you even lift Russian spaceships, bro?”
A bunch of Papa Shango cosplayers get all handsy with the Man of Tomorrow. My favorite part of this shot is Diet Michael Peña in the bottom right corner who looks like he’s daydreaming about what he’s going to snag from the craft services table.
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na Grumpman!
Not since Buffalo Bill have we wanted to see somewhere wear a suit so badly. Is it just me, or does it look like Bruce used some duct tape on that shoulder section? I want a cinematic Batman whose suit is made entirely of duct tape. Call me anytime, Warner Bros.
That’s a very Riddler-y question mark on that column. A bit of meaningless fan tickling, or a tease of something a later movie will delve into? I’m gonna say that this place is the theater where Thomas and Martha Wayne saw their last movie. I bet that’s how they’ll shove in a “my parents are deeaaaaaad” flashback scene. Also, it’s good to know Joe & Kayla’s relationship is going strong.
A classic Batman image that also looks a lot like some of the roof brooding shots from Nolan’s adventures with the Caped Crusader. I have to point out the scoped rifle Batman is brandishing. Yes, I know this is yet another direct inspiration from Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Rises, but come on. Make it some cool gadget device instead of a straight up gun. Will it serve the same function as it did in the comic (it’s basically glorified grappling gun), or is Batman going to shoot Superman with a kryptonite bullet. Is kryptonite even going to be in this DC cinematic universe? If so, I demand we get pink kryptonite. Yes, pink kryptonite exists and it does exactly what you think it does: turns Superman into I’m Super! Thanks for Asking!-Man.
Hey, looks like the Batwing! Either that or a Batdrone, like the ones found in the great Kingdom Come story. I’m sure it’s flying in to drop off some canned goods to some orphans…
Oh, never mind. It’s blowing up some guys with guns. I’m sure it’s blowing them up in the most nonlethal way possible. Right, Bruce?
Man, Affleck is jacked. Unfortunately, his posture in this shot does create the image of a little Batpudge in the tummy region. Still, he looks more classically Batman than Bale ever did.
I know a lot of people have wanted to see the “white eyes” from Batman’s comic book imagery make their way to the big screen. We got a moment of that in The Dark Knight and it looked goofier than A Goofy Movie. This is a little more palatable, but its still silly. Why has no one had the simple idea of giving the actor white contacts? That would be spooky and fresh.
Superman pulls a Tim Tebow before reading a copy of The Dark Knight Returns and finding out that this fight is going to end badly for him.
Okay, I’m joked out. There were some other shots I could have taken a swing at, but it’s past my bedtime and I have to figure out when to force myself to rewatch Man of Steel. Maybe I’ll watch The Meteor Man instead.
Thanks to Chewers MichaelM for the Batsuit pic and Travis Newton for those sweet, sweet screengrabs.
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