Longer 'Batman v Superman' is better, but still frustrating

Most who saw Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill square off in theaters this spring didn't think their 152-minute film needed to be longer. Warner Bros. and director Zack Snyder beg to differ.

"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Ultimate Edition" - which is what the on-screen credits actually say - runs a hefty 183 minutes and is now available for digital HD purchase. It's also branded with an R rating, presumably for more violence, a glance at one of our hero's backsides and an F-bomb.

The "Man of Steel" sequel opens with Gotham City billionaire Bruce Wayne (Affleck) vowing revenge after Clark Kent's alter ego (Cavill) levels neighboring Metropolis in the climactic battle of the previous film.

What happens in the next hour or so is incredibly confusing in the theatrical version: Globe-trotting reporter Lois Lane (Amy Adams) is saved from terrorists by Superman, who is accused of killing African villagers in the process. Young tycoon Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) speaks almost entirely in Biblical and mythological allegory as he concocts a nebulous, nefarious plot. Bruce has a series of horrific dreams, including one where Clark seems to lead a death squad. (That's the scene when my fiancee turned to me and said, "I have no idea what the heck is going on.")

Luckily, the new extended cut of the film addresses most of these problems, pesky dream sequences aside. The bulk of the 31 minutes of added footage deals with Lois' investigation of Lex's plot, making for a much more coherent, better-paced film. Character motivations are made clearer, Adams shares a few scenes with the previously elided Jena Malone, and we get more glimpses of the film's Chicago locations.

Unfortunately, the new cut doesn't jettison any of its glaring set-ups for future DC movies, nor does it repair Snyder's dour, humorless image of Superman. (Honestly, I root for Luthor for most of the film.) There are no significant additions to the film's action scenes, so the titular showdown remains a dark bore. Weirdly, though, the climactic showdown featuring Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) - and her kick-butt guitar riff, courtesy of composers Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL - plays better on the small screen than an overwhelming IMAX theater.

Despite a sharper narrative focus, "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Ultimate Edition" still feels like a feature-length commercial that dodges the interesting questions it raises about a superhero's culpability. But the film is far too interesting a failure to dismiss, and I do think the extra 31 minutes are essential to whatever success it has.

You can get the extended film in a digital bundle with the theatrical cut and a January TV special about the DC movie universe from VUDU. The extended version also is available from Amazon Video, iTunes and other digital retailers. If you want a physical copy, you have to wait a few weeks - the Blu-ray/DVD combo pack hits stores Tuesday, July 19. Digital rentals also will be available that day.

• Sean Stangland is a Daily Herald multiplatform editor. You can follow him on Twitter at @SeanStanglandDH.