'Batman V Superman' Ultimate Edition Early Buzz, Plus Watch The First 10 Minutes Right Now
Today brings Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - Ultimate Edition to Digital HD, so you can finally see if the 30 extra minutes of footage does anything to improve Zack Snyder's superhero battle. For those who liked the movie, it will probably just give you more footage to sink your teeth into. But for those who didn't like the theatrical cut, they're hoping it will fix at least some of the problems they had the first time around.
Now you can get a little taste of some of the extra footage and edits made to the film as the first 10 minutes of Batman v Superman Ultimate Edition have been made available online. That's the entire sequence with Bruce Wayne's parents dying, as well as his witnessing to the fight between Superman and General Zod from Man of Steel.
But what you're probably really curious about is the Batman v Superman Ultimate Edition reviews. Is this new cut of Batman v Superman worth checking out? Does it change the minds of anyone who didn't like the theatrical cut? Find out after the jump.
First, here's the opening 10 minutes of Batman v Superman Ultimate Edition from Fandango:
There's not much new footage to be seen in these opening sequences, though there are added moments. If anything, it feels like the editing of the movie is what's most different, and that sentiment is echoed in the reactions from those who took the time to watch the movie when it hit iTunes and other VOD platforms overnight.
The first most concise and positive reaction comes from Steve "Frosty" Weintraub over at Collider who posted this to Twitter:
I'll never watch the theatrical cut of BATMAN V SUPERMAN again. The extended edition is a completely different movie and so much better.
— Steven Weintraub (@colliderfrosty) June 28, 2016
Meanwhile, Ben Kendrick over at ScreenRant writes:
Fortunately, the Ultimate Edition improves upon many of the film's biggest narrative shortcomings – clarifying and/or outright answering a number of questions that had, previously, presented major plot holes and often undermined the intelligence and integrity of Batman V Superman's starring heroes.
The Ultimate Edition is not going to make converts out of viewers who thought the "Martha" moment was an idiotic resolution to the title fight or rolled their eyes at Lois Lane's disposal (then retrieval) of a kryptonite spear. There are still moments of clumsy storytelling, a significant amount of shared universe setup, and an overall dour tone but the Ultimate Edition injects a considerable amount of quality character drama and plot development back into the experience – putting more distance between the clunky parts while also providing a much more comprehensible set of side arcs that elevate every character, every narrative beat, and every thematic through-line in the process...In the most basic sense, Batman V Superman doesn't just add back in key details to the plot, it also includes a number of extended scenes and subplots that (even in the most subtle instances) allow the audience to linger on interesting conversations longer than before while also clarifying entire story beats that, originally, made characters look stupid, careless, or downright unheroic.
Mark Hughes, who enjoyed the theatrical cut, had this to say at Forbes:
The result is proof that Batman v Superman was meant to be more than the theatrical cut, and if most critics and audiences had a chance to see Snyder's intended vision back in March, then it probably would've had a better reception. Again, those who hated this movie because of tone and/or the deconstructive elements might still dislike it overall, and some of those who like this version better might still find it flawed, but overall I think the consensus will favor this extended cut by a wide margin and rehabilitate the film's reputation going forward. That 27% Rotten Tomatoes score would surely be many points higher, perhaps even into the 50+% range, if the Ultimate Edition had been the theatrical cut we saw earlier this year. And in ten years, I think hindsight will even further improve Batman v Superman's reputation, and overturn the excessive and wrongheaded damage done to Zack Snyder's reputation, as this de facto director's cut takes root as the definitive and intended incarnation of the film.
Khalil Johnson over at Heroic Hollywood adds:
Turns out the big issue with the theatrical cut is editing. This happens in every film, but it wasn't any more prevalent that editing hindered the story of the film until watching the final cut. This version, while longer than the theatrical, just flows a lot better. There are great character building moments for many of the main characters that absolutely should have remained in the film. Fans who purchase the digital or Blu-Ray might be pulling their hair out wondering why specific scenes were removed from the film after seeing this. Lex Luthor is a better character and his diabolical plot makes more sense. The scene in Africa is fully fleshed out. Batman's motivation is much clearer, and we get to see more kickass Batman scenes. Clark Kent has his own arc where you get to see him do some actual reporter work. Even Superman even smiles! A few of the existing problems in the film remain, but overall this film is 100% better with all the cut scenes in it.
For more reactions to the Batman v Superman Ultimate Edition, you can read full reviews over at Collider, Flickering Myth and ComicBook.com.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Ultimate Edition arrives on Ultra HD Blu-ray, standard Blu-ray and DVD on July 19, along with the theatrical cut, but it is now available on Digital HD.