WHY have one superhero, when you can have an army of them? Comic books have always employed a "more the merrier" approach, teaming their gods and monsters in often unlikely alliances, seeking the synergy that will draw in ever more fans. So it’s not surprising that Hollywood, with its franchise mentality, would eagerly do likewise.

With Marvel leading the way with The Avengers, DC Comics has now followed suit, with Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice. The second part of the title alludes to the Justice League team of heroes and future films. For now, it’s all about the intriguing superhero bout: Batman v Superman, the Caped Crusader v The Man of Steel.

There are two reasons for curiosity here. The first is concerns fisticuffs. As able as Batman may be, he’s a mere mortal with some high-tech toys, no match for an indestructible alien. The Sampson and Goliath battle is eye-catching, made more so by the fact that it’s between two ostensibly good guys.

The other question is for anyone interested in whether these films are ever any good.

Of the plethora of recent comic book treatments, Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy stands head and shoulders above all others, as exceptional filmmaking for any genre. In contrast, Superman always gets a bit of a raw deal. His last outing was Zack Snyder’s 2013’s Man Of Steel, a commendable effort that descended into daftness. Snyder directs this new film, bringing his own Superman (Henry Cavill) to the table.

But while he has the reins, Nolan, as executive producer, casts a long shadow. And as a sub-textual face-off, Nolan v Snyder is a no-contest.

The story starts 18 months after Superman’s destructive introduction to Earth, Metropolis having been decimated in his spat with General Zod. Bruce Wayne/Batman (Ben Affleck) is still bristling with righteous anger and, ever the vigilante, plans to bring Superman to rights.

He’s not the only one questioning Superman’s saviour status. A US senator (Holly Hunter) makes the reasonable assertion that, “We’re so caught up with what he can do, no-one asks what he should do”, while mad billionaire Lex Luther (Jesse Eisenberg) has murkier motives for collecting a horde of Kryptonite to use against him.

Batman’s reputation is also under scrutiny – though there’s nothing new there. In a nice touch, while Wayne is pursuing Superman, Superman’s alter ego Clark Kent is investigating Gotham’s much-maligned crime-fighter. Thus the set-up raises the kind of moral questions that were at the heart of the Nolan movies.

With greying temples and hangdog expression, Affleck makes a good older Batman, experienced yet jaded. Hunter, Amy Adams as Lois Lane and Jeremy Irons as an authoritative Alfred operate stoutly in the wings. And Gal Gadot makes an alluring entrance as Wonder Woman, who you feel could pin both headliners to the ropes.

So the potential is here. And yet Snyder simply doesn’t have the calibre to deliver on his ambitions. And eventually Batman v Superman – the whole edifice – hits the canvas.

The script strains to bring so many characters together, with Luther the major casualty (Eisenberg is really quite irritating, though he doesn’t have much to work with). Some of the editing is so abrupt that we’re sometimes launched into scenes with no idea what we’re watching. And then there’s Snyder’s approach to special effects, which allies him to the Marvel camp of CGI mayhem, rather than Nolan’s more grounded use of real sets and in-camera effects.

Once Luther’s own monster enters the fray, we’re taken back to the chief weakness of his Superman debut – a wanton mess of destruction that leaves one cold.