If You Seek His Monument Look Around You *spoilers*

Rating: 8/10 (27 March 2016)

Trepidation is the first emotion felt in my first viewing of Zack Snyder's Batman vs Superman. The second time not so much. I can describe the joy of seeing a spectacle of filmmaking like this pepper with great choreography, effects, and homages to not only comic book source material but great films and literature. It opens strongly with a familiar yet poignant retelling of Bruce Waynes two births- his parents deaths tinged with a little Citizen Kane and his introduction to the Superman giving rebirth to his newly unforgiving alter ego. This film cannot be discussed or analyzed without addressing the critical smear campaign surrounding it. In my first go round I feared that the film wouldn't be good. I was wrong to worry. However it does not mean the film is perfect. The reviews for this film are either mostly below a fair score or overblown to 10's from very protective fans. This film is so strongly divisive that I can say objectively they both are valid simultaneously. The editing, particularly one or two scenes out of place or unnecessary, characterizations, and tone are the film's real problems. Acting and visuals were far from it. From scenes of Perry White randomly asking where Clark Kent is, to Justice League post-credit scenes popping up in medias res, a lot more time in the editing room wouldn't be so bad. Manic Lex Luthor is hate it or love it but Eisenberg goes for it. Instead of explaining his every action he uses allegory and scripture. This will frustrate anyone who can't read between his complex motivation. As is with most of the film it won't hold your hand through any context and requires you to use clues sprinkled in not only this film but also Man of Steel. For example there is a strange cut back to Luthor spilling blood over general Zod, that will go over your head. However it hearkens back to the Macguffin codex from MoS, and Luthor using his own blood as such with Zod as the Doomsday clone's host. Kryptonian clones designed with singular purpose, remember? And that is less of a problem for fans but a huge issue for general audiences who may not get the film's many references, callbacks, and allegories it puts forth with very little exposition. That is the true flaw of the film. Upon second view, the ending and story choices toward the end don't improve but the overall themes when analyzed work really well. 75 percent of this film is a masterpiece of art cinema. Feeling more Birdman than Furious 7. Even if you dislike Snyder, you must acknowledge the cinematography, choreography, and his boldness to unflinchingly go for comic book adaptations no one has ever seen so vividly. Don't go in expecting the fight but oh wow the Batman highlights in this is are out of All-Star or other brutal interpretations. 7.5 is the perfect score for this. But for Affleck I will personally score 8 of ten. The fans will survive the public shaming of this film but we know. Look around we are it's monument.