Review Detail

I think this is a good proof-of-concept fan edit, meaning that if you cut out all of the Justice League stuff, you really do get a much better movie. The problem is, however, you're still not getting the best possible edit of BvS.

What I like is that, once it hits its stride, the film has a much better pace and tone. With all the attempts at building shared universe jettisoned, it doesn't have that all-over-the-place feel that the original cut had. It is very focused on Batman and Superman, Lex's machinations, and Lois' journalistic work, and that is this edit's greatest strength.

Also good is the fact that Lex is far less irritating and as a result much more menacing and even frightening. His motives are also much clearer, and this fan edit basically redeems Lex and Jesse Eisenberg's protrayal of him.

However, the fan edit suffers primarily because the end feels very truncated. There is no showdown with Doomsday, and there is no death of Superman. Yes, we all hated the inclusion of Doomsday in BvS, but without it, the film just seems to end in the middle despite the faneditor's best efforts at a resolution.

Also, while I understand the purpose of the fan edit was to remove the Justice League stuff, most people who watched the film actually liked the inclusion of Wonder Woman. The larger problem, however, is that the faneditor didn't actually fully remove her from the movie. It is very jarring to see her walking around in the background yet not have her be acknowledged.

These editing decisions ultimately take this fan edit of BvS out of continuity with the critically acclaimed Wonder Woman film, the upcoming Justice League film, and future DC films. I think if one were to maintain continuity with existing and upcoming films, they would have to grudgingly include Wonder Woman and Doomsday and Superman's death, even if they pushed them to the background. What really needs to be in the foreground is the conflict--might I add the ideological conflict--between Batman and Superman. As much as I appreciated what the faneditor did to drastically improve Lex, the problem is that the more involved Lex is with his behind-the-scenes manipulations, the weaker and more pathetic it makes Batman and Superman look. I think this fact was a huge let down for audiences, i.e., that Batman and Superman were played by this total loser, and I think it is at the core of what's wrong with this movie.

So Lex is also something I would push to the background. And along with that, I would diminish if not completely eliminate the Lois subplot. It was convoluted and boring. Batman has enough motivation to take out Superman without Lex's meddling, and while Superman may need that extra push that Lex provides, Lex's involvement doesn't need to be overly complicated.

A better vision for a fan edit would be one that cuts out non-essential plot elements, focuses on and empowers Batman and Superman, and eliminates the Justice League stuff ONLY insofar that it doesn't break continuity with other DC films. That said, I still highly recommend this fan edit. It succeeds in what it set out to do, and it is by far more enjoyable than the original cut.