With the hypesurrounding theDCUandSupermanat an all-time high, the way the superhero epicBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justicedivided fans and critics feels like a distant memory, butthe early DCEU movie’s proponents remain stalwart in their defense. In fact, it’s an enthusiasm that has endured for nearly ten years.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justicewas released on July 26, 2025. At that time, the MCU was not only well-established but flourishing as it entered Phase 3 withCaptain America: Civil Waron the immediate horizon. The DCEU, by comparison, was in its infancy, with 2013’sMan of Steelbeing its sole installmentat the time.
WithMan of Steel, the DCEU had already distinguished itself from most other superhero movies that dominated theaters.Man of Steelexplored a darker and more stylized approach to the genre than its contemporaries, andBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justicewas poised to follow suit, but its success was debatable.
Why Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice Was So Negatively Received By Critics
Critics Said It Was “Humorless”
Whereas movies likeX-MenandIron Manpainted a positive picture for the future of their respective franchises, the DCEU was not so fortunate. To this day,Man of Steeldisplays a modest 57% critics' scoreonRotten Tomatoes. Three years later,Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justicefared much worse.
Critics knowledgeable about the source material accused Batman v Superman of fundamentally misunderstanding the characters.
With a 28% critics' score,Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justiceremains one of theworst-ratedmodern superhero movies. By comparison, the MCU’s lowest-rated movie (out of 36),Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, boasts a comparatively respectable 46%.
Batman v Superman’s attempts to distinguish itself from the more colorful and lighthearted tones of its rivals fell flat,drawing ire instead for being “humorless” and over-reliant on stylized action sequences. Critics knowledgeable about the source material accusedBatman v Supermanof fundamentally misunderstanding the characters.
This is where critics and audiences find common ground.Batman v Supermanwas Ben Affleck’s introduction as the titular Caped Crusader. Despite his portrayal being largely praised,his arrival was tainted by the decision to have him flout Batman’s sacrosanct no-killing rule.
The same could be said for Jesse Eisenberg’s rendition of Lex Luthor. The frenetic depiction flew in the face of all convention, with critics pointing out that he more closely resembled Heath Ledger’s Joker fromThe Dark Knightthan any traditional characterization of Luthor.
Despite Reviews, Batman V Superman Inspired A Devoted Audience
Audiences Rated The Movie Better And Remain Stalwart In Their Support
Although some critiques are largely accepted on both sides of the aisle, audiences generally responded much more positively toBatman v Superman.With an audience score of 63% onRotten Tomatoes, it remains one of the best examples of aDCEU movie that divided critics and audiences.
Where the MCU strove to make its superheroes as grounded and relatable as possible, the DCEU leaned into the inherently mythological aspects of its main stars.
WhereasBatman v Superman’s action sequencesdidn’t win over critics, the same can’t be said for its supporters.The movie epitomized Zack Snyder’s distinctive style, which has its fair share of diehard fans. Meanwhile, its muted tones arguably evoked the most gothic Batman comics while leaning into the spectacle inherent in having two superhero icons duke it out.
Proponents were also won over by the darker tones that fueled the accusations of humorlessness from some critics. In a climate where the MCU - particularlyAvengers: Age of Ultron- was being accused of being too irreverent in places,Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justicefelt distinct.
Where the MCU strove to make its superheroes as grounded and relatable as possible,the DCEU leaned into the inherently mythological aspects of its main stars. The move was seen as an ambitious breath of fresh air and continues to inspire its fans to this day.
Foibles were overlooked due to established precedents. Batman has, after all, been known tokill long beforeBatman v Superman(including in the critically acclaimed 1989Batman), andthe warehouse scene in which Batman makes quick work of multiple goons is largely celebratedas one ofBatman’s best cinematic fight scenes.
Batman V Superman Has A Lasting Legacy In DC Movie History
It Was Lambasted But Was One Of DC’s Highest-Earning
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justicetypified the first half of the DCEU.Zack Snyder’s vision for DC’s cinematic franchisewas in its infancy whenBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justicedoubled down on the motifs ofMan of Steel,securing the DCEU’s identity as wholly distinct from other superhero movies.
It also made a pretty pennyat the box office.Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justiceisthe DCEU’s second-highest-grossing moviebehindAquaman's $1 billion, earning a global box office total of $872 million according toThe Numbers.
Sadly, with it missing the mark so severely with critics,this began an unfortunate trajectory for the DCEU. Over four months later,Suicide Squadwould safely secure itself asthe DCEU’s worst-rated movie.Wonder Womanwould change the DCEU’s critical fortunes with its release one year later, butJustice Leaguethen further hampered the franchise’s reputation.
Justice Leagueearned just $656 million globally, falling short of the MCU’s equivalent,The Avengers, by more than half. AfterAquaman’s almost anomalous success,the DCEU would never again reach a box office as high asBatman v SupermanorAquaman.
What makes these circumstances so frustrating for DC fans is the fact thatthe extended/director’s cuts for bothBatman v Superman: Dawn of JusticeandJustice Leaguewere largely seen to be vast improvementson the originals. HadBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’s full cut been released initially, the entire franchise’s fortunes might have looked different.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justicedebuted at a time when a rival franchise dominated the genre and made some bold moves. Ten years later, it has benefited from hindsight. Now thatSupermanlooks like it will flip the script on the tone of DC movies,Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justiceis worth remembering for better or worse.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Cast
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice features the iconic clash between Gotham’s Dark Knight, played by Ben Affleck, and Metropolis’s Man of Steel, portrayed by Henry Cavill. As these two heroes confront each other, a looming threat endangers humanity, setting the stage for larger challenges ahead in the DC Extended Universe.
