As the lights of Gotham and Metropolis dim, the vigilantes of these cities rise to protect the public, seek revenge, and possibly even destroy one another. In the newest DC Comics film, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, two of the most iconic DC heroes do the unthinkable: they try to destroy one another. This highly-anticipated superhero movie has plenty of suspense, intensity, and epic battle scenes, but is that all that can be expected of a high-action film?

The film begins just where Man of Steel left off, leaving Metropolis in a state of ruin and chaos. Even though this scene is from a Superman movie, the perspective is now from that of Bruce Wayne. Bruce sees the destruction and death that has been caused due to Superman’s new position as the hero of the world, and he even begins to hate him and dedicate his efforts to ending Superman’s control over the universe.

Both Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne are seen to have started a war against each other, but other than that, not much else happens for the rest of the two-and-a-half-hour film. From this point on, the rest of the movie is a confusing and unnecessary set of scenes that are flat and lack heart and substance. The one moment of the film that fans can really look forward to seeing is the epic battle scene between Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Doomsday. Other than this one extremely monumental and thrilling scene, there is not much to get excited about.

I personally thought that Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was decent, but it simply cannot compare to the films that Marvel has produced. DC has yet to master an action film that has both intensity and some lighthearted moments. This movie also has many plot holes and lacks any convincing scenes of romance or scenes that show any real relationship between the characters — unless you count the two seconds of passion between Lois Lane and Superman that is completely forced and unrealistic. The one element that was worth seeing was the interaction between Wonder Woman and the two main heroes, but not even Princess Diana can save this sinking ship.

Similarly to DC’s other films, such as The Dark Knight Rises and Man of Steel, the action was incredible, but the story was lacking many crucial elements for any successful film. Loyal fans of the company may still enjoy the stunning visuals and sinister villains, but any other viewer is sure to leave the theater unimpressed and unsatisfied with the overall plot. For those looking for hours upon hours of action and explosions, this may be a film for you; otherwise, skip this DC misstep altogether and save your money for a superhero movie that actually offers viewers a coherent story and a heavy dose of heart to go along with it.