New Blu-rays: ‘Batman v Superman: Ultimate Edition’ ‘Demolition’
For the week of July 19th, Warner Home Entertainment is releasing Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice in a more expansive version this Tuesday. With over 30 minutes of new footage re-inserted into the film, fans can experience Snyder’s original version on home media. Also out this week are Jake Gyllenhaal’s Demolition from 20th Century Fox and the romantic comedy, The Perfect Match from Lionsgate.
When Batman v Superman was released this past March in theaters, it was met with much negativity. In its 150 minute run time, there was a laundry list of what Batman v Superman had to accomplish. It’s a Man of Steel sequel. It’s our first introduction to Batman in the new DC Cinematic Universe. It pits Batman against Superman. And most importantly, it expands the cinematic universe, leading the way to the Justice League duology, due out in 2017 and 2018.
In Batman v Superman, the world is feeling the aftermath of the events of Man of Steel. Some view Superman (Henry Cavill) as a savior from the skies, while others see him as a dangerous force who can’t be controlled. Ben Affleck’s Bruce Wayne/Batman sees him as the latter, being a first-hand witness to the battle between he and General Zod (Michael Shannon). Due to the carnage, many of Wayne’s employees become collateral damage, which fuels his personal vendetta. Supervillain Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) also has it in for Superman, hellbent on pitting the two heroes against each other in an epic showdown.
Batman v Superman was heavily panned by critics and audiences alike, garnering a 27% on Rotten Tomatoes. From its grim storytelling to its cluttered and unfocused narrative, Batman v Superman wasn’t what many wanted out of this clash of heroes. And even despite claiming the March opening weekend record at the box office, the film pulled in over half of its entire run in those three days. Fortunately, Batman v Superman is being given a second chance on home media, being released as an R-rated Ultimate Edition. Early reviews, including our 4K UHD review by Patrick McCabe have highlighted the major improvements.
Warner Home Entertainment is releasing Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice – Ultimate Edition in various formats and retailer exclusives. The standard version available include a Blu-ray, DVD, UltraViolet combo pack. There will also be a 3D version available, which contains a Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray and UltraViolet options. A 4K UHD combo pack will be available, which includes 4K UHD, Blu-ray and UltraViolet copies. Amazon will be releasing an exclusive, which includes the standard version plus figurine variants of Batman and Superman. Target is offering an exclusive DigiBook, while a reversible steelbook can be found at Best Buy this week. While there are Batman and Superman variants of the steelbook, there is no difference between the two. Batman is technically the cover of both variants.
Fox Home Entertainment is debuting Demolition this week on Blu-ray combo pack. In Demolition, Jake Gyllenhaal plays Davis, a successful investment banker whose life nosedives after the death of his wife. Together with an customer service rep (Naomi Watts), Davis begins to tear down his old life and begin again even with many emotional and financial obstacles. Ashley Menzel saw the film at SXSW this year, calling it an extremely cathartic experience. The film is directed by Jean-Marc Vallée, who’s brought us recent Academy Award nominees, Dallas Buyers Club and Wild. Fox is releasing Demolition as a Blu-ray, DVD, UltraViolet combo pack this Tuesday.
Last up for the week is The Perfect Match from Lionsgate. In this romantic comedy, a playboy named Charlie (Terrence Jenkins) finds Eva (Cassie Ventura) after telling himself all his previous relationships are dead. It starts as a simple affair, but after time Charlie wants more from Eva. The film is directed by Billie Woodruff (Addicted) and also stars Warcraft’s Paula Patton. Lionsgate is releasing The Perfect Match as a Blu-ray, UltraViolet combo pack.
