A dark and gritty take (100% spoiler free)

Rating: 9/10 (25 March 2016)

Having been very much caught in the hype of this movie for the past 2 years or so, I was desperate to avoid spoilers at all costs, and thankfully the internet wasn't as spiteful as it had been on previous big releases (I'm looking at you Star Wars).
I was very ashamed at the bad press the movie instantly received when Ben Affleck was cast as Batman. People were quick to judge the movie and it's casting decisions before they even saw it, based on one bad role (Daredevil). I always remained optimistic that Ben would play the part well and was pleased to hear that it was met with standing ovations during an early screening, this further increased my enthusiasm for the movie.
On the day of release, bad reviews were starting to pour out and my expectations instantly dropped. I went into this movie suddenly expecting very little from it.
After seeing the movie, I can only assume that these reviews stem from people that were already sour about the casting of Ben Affleck as Batman, and wanted to maintain their dignity.
Granted the plot is shallow and some silly decisions are made throughout. I found myself thinking, why the hell doesn't he do this... on numerous occasions, but then I had to remember that this is a super hero movie, and a suspension of disbelief is absolutely imperative when watching a movie of this nature. We're not looking at a movie that is designed to show a deep and meaningful plot, we're looking at a movie, whereby the two most iconic characters in the history of movies have a scrap. That's what we're paying to see, and that is what you will see. Luckily, in my opinion it delivers this plus much more.
The majority of the movie is based around building the back stories of their hatred for one another, and in my opinion it successfully manages to give them both more than enough motivation to fight.
Ben Affleck's performance as Batman was on the mark. He deserves commendation for creating this dark and gritty character that is like nothing we've ever seen on screen before. He's clearly a hardened veteran that is not afraid of getting his hands dirty. I may get shot for this, but Ben has claimed the position as my favourite Batman.
Henry Cavill plays a fantastic and charming as always Superman. If you have seen MoS, you will already be aware that the Superman of this universe is not afraid of getting his hands dirty or taking morally questionable actions. He is not displayed as the passionate and loving Superman that we have grown to love all of these years. Many people hold this against him, but i think it is a complimentary and more believable take on the character whereby everything is not rosy coloured and rainbows.
For me, the stand out performance was Jesse Eisenberg as the absolutely deranged Lex Luther. He certainly has some of the most memorable quotes of the movie, and adds the necessary charisma to lighten up the relentlessly dark tone.
I would advise that anyone going to see this movie, expect it to be darker than any super hero movie before it. I have scored it 9 as opposed to 10 because I'd have liked to have seen more action scenes and the big fight was far too short. Considering the fight was what everyone really came to see, I feel that this particular section of the movie let it down.
I would recommend this movie to anyone, but I feel they really need to go into it with an open mind to get the most out of it. This is not a Marvel movie with tonnes of eye candy, but when it delivers on this front, it is wonderful to watch. I'm really looking forward to seeing what else Ben has to offer the character of Batman in future DC universe instalments.