Superhero movies aren’t known for their realism, but for their impressive heroes who bravely take down menacing villains and persevere despite cuts and injuries. Reality doesn’t allow for this luxury of exaggeration, however, because if Batman were to fight criminals in real life, the Caped Crusader would have a higher body count than the Clown Prince of Crime.
You’d be surprised at the consequences of superhero fight scenes taking place off-screen. One licensed emergency room doctor described it in very disturbing detail, using Zack Snyder’s 2016 film starring Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill.
Batman fight scenes from the perspective of an emergency doctor
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice may have divided fans, but the warehouse fight scene – in which Ben Affleck’s Dark Knight infiltrates the assassin-infested KGBeast headquarters – is arguably one of the most iconic action scenes in DC history. Whatever the case, Zack Snyder’s vision – as breathtakingly noir as it was – is nothing but bloodshed from an ER doctor’s perspective.
Emergency room physician Dr. Ed Hope meticulously analyzed the real-life diagnoses of all the enemies Affleck’s Batman so heroically took down, and given all the blood and broken bones, it seems Snyder went overboard with the violence (via Men’s Health).
We have what the doctor calls “tertiary explosion injuries” right at the beginning, when the fight scene in the warehouse begins with an explosion, followed by numerous facial injuries from further mini-explosions, which probably also lead to a “Eye vesicle tear.” One of the most brutal moments of the scene is when Batman directly stabs one of the henchmen.
We have to rule out a pneumothorax or hemothorax, the mortality rate for these injuries is 50 percent (…) In summary, the most likely assumption is: 2 are stable, 4 in serious condition, 6 in critical condition and 4 died at the scene.
As the action sequence continues, Hope points out the numerous fractures, dislocated joints and “penetrating injuries” the enemies suffer. And let us not forget all the head injuries, multiple bone fractures and blunt force trauma that all “life-threatening” Risks. Oops.
Ben Affleck sympathized with fans who hated his film
On the one hand, Zack Snyder’s troop of loyal fans was impressed by the dark portrayal of Batman in Dawn of Justice when two of the most indefatigable superheroes faced off against each other. And then there’s the remaining portion of the fanbase that just couldn’t stomach the violence and cruelty shown in the film, and that too at the hands of the crime-fighting vigilante himself. But Affleck gets it.
In an interview with Empire magazine, the Ex girlfriend Star explained that he could understand why many viewers found Batman v Superman “too dark,” claims that it is “fair criticism” for their part (via Esquire).
I can understand people saying Batman v Superman is too dark or doesn’t match the tone I’m used to from a Batman story, and I think that’s a valid criticism.
You know it’s a real film when the main actor stands up to the critics on equal terms.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice can be streamed on Max or rented on Apple TV+.
