Why do people love these superhero films? It’s not because these characters were really popular beforehand. The Avengers are totally B-Squad in comic land, and nobody cared about them until Robert Downey Jr. played Iron Man. So is all of this reaction to one man’s charm? Is it because Joss Whedon is a nerd hero (deservedly so for Firefly)? Nah, his name alone only sells so many tickets. Guardians Of The Galaxy and Ant-Man were both really good comedies, is it because they’re comedy first, and everything else second? I need more than this. I want a really good story first. Then in a superhero movie I want great heroes and villains. I want great battles. But that story comes first, not last! 
Through the entirety of the 80s and 90s, filmgoers were wondering why all big budget Hollywood productions produced dumb films. People wondered why all sequels were terrible, and wanted to know why their genre films couldn’t have the base of a good drama. Well guess what? They do now. Batman V. Superman is one such film. But now people want it to be more fun and dumbed down!? This reminds of me of the unfair treatment the amazing Speed Racer movie got. It’s a long action movie, with some great themes, and heartfelt drama, but because it’s drama first and action second, it’s not fun enough!? All that being said, let me give you some reasons as to why Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice is worth seeing, and really why it’s the opposite of what Marvel’s doing (even though it’s a superhero film that’s leading to the building of a team). Without giving any spoilers away, I will tell you that Batman v Superman is an ambitious film in every sense, and its foundation is a drama with a complex story. Despite what Joss Whedon says, this is not the case with the Marvel films. His films have good characters and a good script, and moments of good drama (the Avengers films are the best of the Marvel films), but most people’s complaints about Avengers 2, were that its plot was too complex, and that its moments of drama dragged. And I think it’s their best film! Go figure. But to a much greater extent than Age Of Ultron, Batman v Superman is complex and heavy, so people hate it more. 
BVS is a direct sequel to Man Of Steel. The fight at the end of Man Of Steel destroyed a lot of Metropolis, and presumably left many dead and wounded. The world doesn’t know how to react to Superman. Some love him; some hate him. Many think he is doing good, but is too dangerous and frightening. Some think he is God. The government doesn’t know how he should be subject to laws. And all of this weighs heavily on Superman, which is one of the strongest points of the film. Everything has consequences and Superman is not just hearing the worldwide debate about him, he is having that same debate with himself all the time. It makes him a very compelling protagonist, and plot device. I read that Batman v Superman was “really a Batman film” or “made by someone who wanted to make a Batman film, and not a Superman film”. They’re wrong. BVS’ first third is pretty Batman heavy, but that’s to give both characters equal weight when they finally clash, and help to establish Batman’s character in a new franchise. The entire second half of the film is 100% a Superman film. Just because this movie is dark, doesn’t make it a Batman film. Superman can be serious and heavy too, he just isn’t that often. I was pleasantly surprised to see how much BVS was a sequel to Man Of Steel. 
This film is probably partially a reaction to the fan backlash about the destruction of the end of Man Of Steel. I know many said they’d just wished Superman would’ve saved a few people during his battle with Zod, but it was his first big fight. He’s a young hero. This was a huge, tragic event for him. I’m sure this was deliberately thought of by Zack Snyder and company, and that they wanted to make a film about the world debating Superman. Batman V. Superman is very much made through the lens of someone who has spent a lot of time with Watchmen. Superman is a Doctor Manhattan-like figure: a being with ultimate power, who changes the state of the world just by existing. Dr. Manhattan was likely written as a realistic take on the world’s reaction to a Superman-like figure, and it’s interesting to see a version of Superman based on a character created in reaction to him. Click on thru to page three…