BvS Ultimate Edition Trailer

[BatmAngelus]

It looks like we'll be getting an extended African sequence as well as Clark investigating Batman in Gotham. Jena Malone's character appears to have a scene with Lois Lane.

[johnnygobbs]

BatmAngelus, how do you think this Ultimate Edition could possibly improve upon/rectify the mistakes of Batman v Superman?

[BatmAngelus]

Good question. Depends a lot on the leftover footage they had.

More scenes exploring Clark/Superman in the first half would help. Anything that'll actually make us emotionally invest in him.

I'd rather not see more of Eisenberg's Lex but he came out saying that there were a lot of "editorial decisions" made in postproduction that he wasn't aware of when he was performing as Lex so, assuming he was being genuine and not just trying to do damage control, who knows what was missing that would improve his character and performance.

I also wouldn't mind if certain scenes or sequences were cut. I wouldn't miss it if the Knightmare sequence/Flash cameo or the Batmobile chase/"Do you bleed" scenes or the Batwing blowing up Lex's thugs on his way to save Ma Kent were gone, but since this is the "ultimate" extended edition, I doubt they'll leave anything out.

[johnnygobbs]

I'd rather not see more of Eisenberg's Lex but he came out saying that there were a lot of "editorial decisions" made in postproduction that he wasn't aware of when he was performing as Lex so, assuming he was being genuine and not just trying to do damage control, who knows what was missing that would improve his character and performance.

Eisenberg's performance is what it is.  I don't think more footage could necessarily make his performance any worse, but if we were given more reasons to care about and understand the character, and why he is so motivated to destroy Superman (perhaps he suffered an intensely abusive childhood), it might potentially improve this version of Luthor, evoking a sense of pathos and complexity arguably missing from the theatrical cut.

Fingers crossed.

[BatmAngelus]

why he is so motivated to destroy Superman (perhaps he suffered an intensely abusive childhood)

This is very briefly covered in the film when Lex says:

No man in the sky intervened when I was a boy to deliver me from Daddy's fists and abominations...I've figured it out way back, if God is all powerful, he cannot be all good. And if he's all good, then he cannot be all powerful. And neither can you be. They need to see the fraud you are. With their eyes. The blood on your hands.

This doesn't explain why he then agreed to work for an even bigger "God" in Darkseid (or Steppenwolf or whichever Apokolips figure he's working for), though, or why he thought creating a killing machine that could annihilate every human being on Earth (and even try to murder him once it was born) was a good idea...

[johnnygobbs]

why he is so motivated to destroy Superman (perhaps he suffered an intensely abusive childhood)

This is very briefly covered in the film when Lex says:

No man in the sky intervened when I was a boy to deliver me from Daddy's fists and abominations...I've figured it out way back, if God is all powerful, he cannot be all good. And if he's all good, then he cannot be all powerful. And neither can you be. They need to see the fraud you are. With their eyes. The blood on your hands.

This doesn't explain why he then agreed to work for an even bigger "God" in Darkseid (or Steppenwolf or whichever Apokolips figure he's working for), though, or why he thought creating a killing machine that could annihilate every human being on Earth (and even try to murder him once it was born) was a good idea...

True.

But this is all why I want some further elaboration as to the extent of abuse Lex suffered.  One vague line about 'daddy's abominations' isn't enough motive for me.

[BatmAngelus]

Oh definitely agreed. Besides, the abusive father scenario is a cliche for villains at this point and already covered ground as far as Lex is concerned. Hints of Lex's dad hating him stem back to Gene Hackman and Smallville spent a good 7 seasons having Lex deal with an emotionally manipulative father.

Tying that into his mistrust in gods is the only real fresh part of that take, but it's again completely marred by Lex's involvement with more powerful beings in the second half of the film.

The best, most interesting versions of Lex Luthor are the ones who believe they can save the world. So, I wish they had gone the opposite route by having a more sane Lex be aware of Darkseid, but see him as a threat rather than work for him. He could believe that Superman was the first part of Darkseid's invasion on Earth, using the Metropolis battle with Zod as a way to win people over and gain their trust, and it's down to him to expose this false messiah as a servant to Darkseid and bring power back to the human beings before the bigger threat arrives. On a deeper level, though, his ego just can't handle the idea of there being someone better than him who's more equipped to be the hero.

Instead of watching a rambling psychopath who revels in hurting others, I would've been far more interested in an egotistical, but initially well-intentioned genius Lex Luthor who gradually becomes corrupted into a supervillain by his jealousy and paranoia. This would've served as the origin of Lex Luthor and his hatred for Superman, on a deeper level than how he became bald.

[Silver Nemesis]

So, I wish they had gone the opposite route by having a more sane Lex be aware of Darkseid, but see him as a threat rather than work for him. He could believe that Superman was the first part of Darkseid's invasion on Earth, using the Metropolis battle with Zod as a way to win people over and gain their trust, and it's down to him to expose this false messiah as a servant to Darkseid and bring power back to the human beings before the bigger threat arrives.

I would've preferred something along these lines. If you're going to feature a fake alien threat (Superman) and a real alien threat (Apokolips) in the same film, it makes sense to have one mistaken for the other. It makes less sense to have a character passionately reject one alien threat, only to then welcome another when it suits the narrative. Maybe the extended cut will reveal Lex had some foreknowledge of Apokolips and that this informed his mistrust of Superman.

[The Laughing Fish]

I don't think johnnygobbs is the best person to talk to about the flaws of BvS, BA. He's gone on record saying he has no desire to see the film and judge it for itself, yet he'll still jump on the bandwagon to hate it and dismiss it. Very disappointing.

[johnnygobbs]

I don't think johnnygobbs is the best person to talk to about the flaws of BvS, BA. He's gone on record saying he has no desire to see the film and judge it for itself, yet he'll still jump on the bandwagon to hate it and dismiss it. Very disappointing.

The Laughing Fish, I'd very much appreciate it if you went back to addressing me directly rather than speaking of me as a third person with other posters.

I'd like to get on with posters like you, since I have no issues with you, but that means accepting that we aren't always going to agree with one another.  Besides, unless I've misread something, some of your own posts have been critical, albeit marginally so, of Batman v Superman.

Plus, my hope has always been for a good film.  If Snyder can correct some of the vocal criticisms directed against BvS with his ultimate edition, then I wish him the best.