Batman v Superman: Critic's Whipping Boy...

First of all: I have not seen the theatrical cut of Zack Snyder's latest smash-em-up blockbusting extravaganza – my first exposure to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice has been in the 'Ultimate Edition' extended cut, which adds 30 minutes of footage not found in the original version seen in cinemas.

My first impression of the movie, however, was the stunning critical backlash it received. The sheer hatred it drew from film critics seemed to step beyond the parameters of reasonableness after a while. Indeed, the lambasting that Suicide Squad has received from critics feels like more of the same – a 'media narrative' with clickbait intentions. Considering the mess that was Green Lantern, and the excessive destruction of Man of Steel, some of the criticism aimed DC's way has been justifiably earned – but to this degree? It's ridiculous – but a sensible middle-ground opinion doesn't yell “DRAMA!” nor does it suck in curious surfers of the web. As much as we know that article titles featuring phrases like “and people can't handle it” or “what they look like now is unbelievable” are nothing short of completely asinine, the curious cat inside us all still itches and our index fingers click those links.

The truth of Batman v Superman, though, is that it absolutely does not deserve the blood-soaked drubbing it has received. The 'too long, didn't read' answer to “Was Batman v Superman unjustly savaged?” is YES. But that is not to say Snyder's heavyweight effort isn't flawed – because it most definitely is.

But let's not fart around any longer and get stuck in...

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Batman v Superman's Extended Version: More Movie Rating Madness...

The sales people will no doubt be out there nudging various superhero movie fans in the side - winking up a storm and mumbling a range of suggestive sounds - at the thought of an 'R-Rated' Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice ... but, as director Zack Snyder has stated several times, unlike Deadpool, there will be no geysers or gore and flashes of flesh. And with word of just a standard issue single 'F-word', it leads to an interesting issue of America's rating system - doled out by the not-so-user-friendly Motion Picture Association of America (check out "This Film Is Not Yet Rated" for more on that).

BvS is getting an extended 'ultimate edition' director's cut - much like Watchmen did - which likewise pushes the running time over three hours. The theatrical version was rated PG-13 in America (for "intense sequences of violence and action throughout, and some sensuality") - and 12A here in the United Kingdom by the now far more open British Board of Film Classification. However, the extended version nabbed itself an R-Rating from the MPAA (no-one under 17) - simply due to added 'intensity' from some extended violence which 'tips the scale', according to Snyder.

Want to know what the extended director's cut was rated in the UK? Does a jump from PG-13 to R in America mean a leap from 12A to 15, or even 18, in Blighty?

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