Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice Ultimate Edition was one of, if not the most, culturally relevant movies of 2016. This was the first time we got to see Batman and Superman together on the big screen (In a live-action movie). Fans have been waiting since the comic book Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, released in 1986. With the success of Tim Burton’s Batman movie and Richard Donners Superman movie before that, fans were almost sure there would be a cross over. There never was. More than 25 years after the release of Burtons Batman we finally got a cross over. The sequel to the second superman reboot Man of Steel, was the most anticipated movie of 2016. After the movie was released in March there were very mixed reviews. Some terrible, some amazing. The DVD release in late June with an extra 30 minutes of screen time is the version I will be going over.
There is a tremendous amount of imagery and symbolism carefully placed throughout this movie. The most important form of symbolism is the movies allusion to God figures. The first being that the film was released on Good Friday.
Throughout the movie, Lex Luthor constantly is throwing the blame of his childhood onto Superman. Lex tells one of the senators who visits his office, “Devils don’t come from hell beneath us, no they come from the sky.” He shows the senator a painting named The Fall of the Rebel Angels, that he reveals to be upside down. The picture shows angels from the sky fighting devils. When the picture is flipped, it looks like the devils are coming from the sky and the angels from the ground. In another scene, we see Luthor explaining to superman how we can manipulate a God saying “If God is all good he cannot be all powerful, and if he is all powerful he cannot be all good.” He tells superman he doesn’t believe in God because no one was there to save him from his father’s fists and abominations. The movie does an excellent job of showing Lex just throwing all his problems on Superman now that there is a God figure in the world.
On the other hand, Bruce Wayne looks at the situation in a very non-optimistic way. He thinks Superman could turn at any moment and use his powers for unspeakable outcomes. He decides he must try and stop him before this happens. The beginning of the movie shows Bruce racing through the city trying to save everyone while superman is fighting General Zod. Many people die and Superman is a hero even after he destroys most of the city while doing so. Despite the differences between them in Bruce’s mausoleum there is a painting of St. Michael killing a dragon. The catch, he is wearing red and blue. A clear foreshadow to the ending of the movie when the trio fights doomsday. Doomsday is the opposite of Superman also known as the devil. The movie tried to argue that man is arrogant and created God in their own image. Doomsday is a mixture of Lex Luthor blood and General Zod. In Leviticus 17:11, (“For the life of a creature is in the blood”) While fighting doomsday, who is of kryptonian decent, they need a kryptonite spear to defeat him. In the Bible when Jesus is crucified he is stabbed with a spear to make sure he is dead. This was on the cross. At the end of the movie Superman picks up the Spear and stabs it through the heart of Doomsday. Doomsday in defeat stabs Superman through the heart. Much like Jesus, Superman sacrifices his own life for the safety of everyone else. As the shot pans out there is a lot of rubble from the fight. In certain sections the rubble of wood forms crosses alluding to the cross Jesus was crucified on. We also see Louis Lane holding a dead Superman weeping much like Mary did.
The very end of the movie is a gigantic funeral for Superman Where a marching band is playing Amazing grace. There is a smaller funeral for just family as well. When the family funeral is ending, Louis throws the first handful of dirt onto a buried Superman’s casket. For half of a second you see some of the dirt levitate up. Superman has been confirmed for the movie Justice League meaning he will resurrect much like Jesus. Justice League will be the third movie (Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman) after BVS, another nod to Jesus being resurrected on the third day. The imagery of the shot also confirms a foreshadow from Lex Luthor’s upside down painting showing that even though devils may come from the sky, an angel will come from beneath us.
Overall, the movie was a huge success. It had very deep meanings and amazing shots. It payed homage to some of the most iconic comic books ever to come out: The Dark Knight Returns and the Death of Superman. People are still analyzing this movie and finding small Easter eggs dropped throughout the film. I strongly recommend taking some time and watching Batman V Superman Ultimate Edition.
Sources referenced:
https://moviepilot.com/posts/3838863
Batman V Superman Dawn of Justice Ultimate Edition (2016)
Looking at Movies Fifth Edition (Monahan, Barsam)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEPFaaMnQZ0 (Final Scene of Movie)
Dark Knight Returns (Frank Miller)
Death of Superman (Dan Jurgens)
Batman (1989, Tim Burton)
Superman (1978, Richard Donner)
Suicide Squad, Man of Steel, Wonder Woman, Justice League (DCEU 2013-Present)
The Bible
