Critics Consensus

Is Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Critical Kryptonite?

Plus, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 is a stale sequel.

by and | March 24, 2016 | Comments

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This week at the movies, we’ve got a superhero battle royale (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, starring Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill) and a family reunion (My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, starring Nia Vardalos and John Corbett). What do the critics have to say?


Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) 29%

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice promises both an epic throwdown between two of popular culture’s most beloved characters and a world-building introduction to the DC Comics Extended Universe. Unfortunately, critics say this hotly-anticipated superhero flick is a big misfire — a narratively slack, overly self-serious action fest that fails to do justice to the essence of its titular heroes. Following the events of Man of Steel — in which much of Metropolis was reduced to rubble — Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) becomes deeply concerned about Superman’s unchecked power. Meanwhile, Clark Kent (Henry Cavill) has some quibbles with Batman’s vigilante approach to fighting crime in Gotham City. The critics say Batman V Superman benefits from strong performances (particularly Affleck and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman) and moments of striking visual panache, but overall, it’s less gritty than depressing, and less exciting than bombastic.


My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016) 28%

Back in 2002, former Second City member Nia Vardalos earned heaps of praise and a Best Original Screenplay Oscar nod for writing and starring in the surprise hit rom-com My Big Fat Greek Wedding. It’s unclear what prompted a sequel 14 years later, but it’s here now, and critics say it’s not likely to win any awards. Vardalos reprises her role as Toula Portokalos, who discovers her parents were never officially married and decides to organize a bigger, fatter, Greeker wedding for them. The pundits say My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 is predictably sentimental and harmless enough, but its recycled jokes and aimless narrative do little to justify its existence.


What’s Hot on TV

The Catch: Season 1 (2016) 74%

While the jury is out on its weekly worthiness, The Catch largely yields satisfying results with tried-and-true Shondaland production qualities, fun cases of the week, and bendy plot twists.


Heartbeat: Season 1 (1992) 20%

Heartbeat is a Frankensteined drama made up of hospital genre cliches and unlikable characters, though the cases-of-the-week are sporadically interesting.


Also Opening This Week In Limited Release

  • April and the Extraordinary World (2015) , an animated sci-fi adventure from France about a girl who finds herself wrapped up in a conspiracy after her scientist parents mysteriously disappear, is at 100 percent.
  • Everything Is Copy (2015) , a documentary portrait of writer/director Nora Ephron, is at 100 percent
  • Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures (2016) , a documentary about the work and life of the controversial photographer, is at 100 percent.
  • My Mother (2015) ,  a drama about a film director dealing with on-set problems and family issues, is at 91 percent.
  • Born to Be Blue (2015) , starring Ethan Hawke and Carmen Ejogo in a biopic of doomed jazz trumpeter and vocalist Chet Baker, is at 85 percent.
  • Valley of Love (2015) , starring Isabelle Huppert and Gérard Depardieu as ex-spouses who journey to Death Valley to fulfill the wishes of their deceased son, is at 80 percent.
  • Fastball (2015) , a documentary about baseball’s most powerful pitch, is at 78 percent.
  • Seve: The Movie (2014) , a biopic of legendary golfer Seve Ballesteros’ early years, is at 73 percent.
  • Baskin (2015) , a Turkish horror film about a group of cops who stumble into an otherworldly realm, is at 62 percent.
  • They're Watching (2016) , a found footage horror film about the bedeviled crew of a home improvement reality TV show, is at 60 percent.
  • I Saw the Light (2015) , starring Tom Hiddleston and Elizabeth Olsen in a biopic of country music legend Hank Williams Sr., is at 18 percent.
  • Get a Job (2016) , starring Miles Teller and Anna Kendrick in a comedy about a pair of recent college grads facing an uncertain job market, is at 11 percent.