Loved it. One of the greatest superhero movies ever made...

Rating: 10/10 (26 March 2016)

...right up there with "The Dark Knight" Trilogy and the first "Avengers," IMHO. I don't agree with a single critique from the legions of haters. The script was imaginative, philosophical, tight and witty - yes, it had some great humor, so it was not the relentlessly downbeat bummer you might expect, based on inexplicably negative reviews - in fact, I found the camaraderie and chemistry between the main protagonists quite inspirational. The politics were timely, the morality was compelling debated, the special effects and dreamlike cinematography were stunning, and the lead characters were all suitably complex, emotionally and psychologically.
For my money (literally), this movie fired on all cylinders, from casting to pacing to tone to interwoven story arcs to spectacular (and sensible) set-up for "The Justice League." It wasn't nearly as "dark" and much more fun than I was led to believe - moody and atmospheric, yes, but hardly nihilistic. The Nolan Bat-films were far more violent and brutal (and way less kid-friendly), though this latest incarnation should satisfy Bat-fans all of all generations, from Bob Kane and Bill Finger (finally given his due screen credit!!) to Frank Miller, borrowing elements from each era, forming the most faithful live action version of the character yet (though Adam West will always have a soft, sentimental place in my heart, and he was the ideal "camp" doppelganger, totally true to the comics of his time).
Ben Affleck absolutely nails the role, in and out of the costume, which is also the best yet - doesn't look like melted down tires for a change (sorry, Christian Bale - you know I still love you, affected deep gravelly voice and all). Batfleck's triumphant acting here reminded me of the backlash against Daniel Craig when he was first announced as Bond - and then he went ahead and proved he was more than worthy of that storied, beloved legacy. In fact, this is my favorite big screen portrayal of both Batman and Superman to date, and while no one can ever replace Lynda Carter in my heart, Gal Gadot kicked serious ass on every level, adding a uniquely exotic, intriguingly mysterious, mystical, mythical allure to the character. I am now even more anxious to see her solo "Wonder Woman" next year. I hope Affleck does a solo Batman soon too, since this movie perfectly balanced screen time between him and Superman, so despite the length, which literally flew by without a dull moment, it just left me wanting more. Batman's action sequences and fight scenes were brilliantly choreographed and executed.
Cavill really steps up his game here as well. This movie plays successfully as both a far superior sequel to "Man of Steel" and an ingenious followup to the Nolan trilogy. Superman here is brooding and conflicted, but also soulful and heroic - much like Batman, qualities which ultimately bond them. The depictions of both icons were both refreshingly original and canonically correct, as opposed to pointlessly revisionist. Initially I was most skeptical about the casting of Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor, but by the end, he was an entertainingly offbeat yet ultimately definitive take on that legendary super-villain. Casting-wise, Zack Snyder's instincts were right on the money.
When this project was first announced, I was hoping for another cinematic comic book on the level of "Watchmen" and he did not disappoint (me, anyway). Contrary to some reports, there were only a couple of (extremely interesting) "dream sequences" that did not interrupt the flow of the narrative whatsoever, Basically, I don't understand any of the vitriol aimed at this neo-noir pulp epic - which totally winds up feeling like an issue of "World's Finest" or an episode of "Super Friends" during the finale, which was a bit too CGI-heavy for my tastes, but so are all of these blockbusters nowadays. In short, this was just further evidence of why I always ignore mainstream film critics and reserve judgment until I've seen the object of raging fan boy controversy myself. Cheers.