A Parent’s Take on Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

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This post is sponsored by Fandango but all opinions are my own. Also, I hope you enjoy the quick, easy-to-read format that makes it easy to get all the info you need about this movie.

If you’re a parent, you’re probably wondering if you should take your kids to see Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and what to expect. I’m going to bluntly tell you to exercise caution when choosing to see this movie for a few reasons.

First of all, it’s a mess of story with about five different tangents that don’t entirely come together, even in the end. In fact, I leaned over to my son several times during the show to say, “I’m confused about what’s going on” and so was he.

The movie works to build a sentiment against Superman that I just never really bought into (and not just because I like Superman better than Batman). Batman frankly seemed like a jerk, but maybe that’s what makes him endearing to many.

If you can get past the complexities of the story (and so can your kid’s limited attention span), you’ll be surprised at the the violence in the movie and pretty graphic violence at that. And it’s long. But there is Henry Cahill and that might make it all worthwhile. Read on.

Setting the Scene

Movie: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Rating: PG-13

Running time: 2 hours, 31 minutes

Moviegoers: Mom (Fadra), 45; Kid (Evan), 9.

Family movie faves: Big Hero 6, The Adventures of Tintin, Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Fave movies for grown-ups: Bladerunner, The Matrix, Rushmore.

Review of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

What’s the story: Don’t hate me for this but I didn’t entirely get the story. There was the story of Batman and the death of his parents (although this isn’t an origin story). There was the story of an invader from Krypton who destroys Gotham City. There’s the story of Lois Lane investigating a terrorist in the desert. There’s the story of Lex Luthor and some evil plotting. There’s the story of Batman suddenly deciding he hates Superman and the ensuing battle that inspired the movie title.

Confused? I was too. In fact, it felt like two hours of the movie was the set up of the stories. And the last half hour tried to somehow bring it all together. It’s then that you see the actual battle and the introduction of Wonder Woman and the inevitable birth of the Justice League.

What parents may like about this movie: If you like action movies and feel like PG-13 movies are sometimes too watered down, you won’t be disappointed with the intensity of the movie. It’s definitely darker than similar Marvel-based movies but if you’re a Batman fan and/or Superman fan, you’ll enjoy the worlds of both.

What kids will like: It’s superheroes! But kids will probably be most impressed with Batman’s gadgets throughout the movie. The Batmobile (or some version of it) definitely made him seem almost indestructible.

Concerns: Get ready because there are many. It’s violent. Very violent. Lots of shooting and graphic fighting. And the storyline is very complex. It’s difficult for adults to follow so expect kids to not really understand what’s going on. There are also very intense and frightening scenes.

My Ratings

Positive themes: Good mostly wins over evil. You need to do the right thing even when your motives are questioned. But really these are a reach. 3/5

Violence/scare factor: This is a very violent film with an incredible amount of guns, shooting, and fighting. Lots of explosions and mass destructions. Scary dream sequences as well. Over the top for a PG-13 movie. 5/5

Sex/Romance: While the scenes are few, there’s an intimate scene between Lois Lane and Superman in the bathtub. I kept cringing because Lois was naked and while mostly coverage, there might have been a little visibility of her top areas. 3/5

Bad language: Very mild. In fact, I only noticed one bad word in the entire movie. 1/5

For more information about this movie or to buy tickets (that’s what we did!), visit Fandango. And read what other parents thought about this film and watch Mom’s Movie Minute on Fandango Family!