Surprisingly, I really liked it

Rating: 7/10 (1 April 2016)

Let me start by saying, unequivocally, I LIKED this film.
I know, I'm as surprised as you are.
Now, I'm trying to figure out why. Sometimes, when you watch a movie, you catch the mood and internal thinking of the film from the start. In BvS, I understood what was going on during some head scratching moments early on and had a theory as to the reasons behind some of these scenes. That understanding helped me get through the slow, grim first part of this film, I sensed there was a greater whole and it paid off for me later on.
The surprise to me is that BATMAN vs SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE is really two movies. There is the first hour and a half - BATMAN vs SUPERMAN and then there is the last hour DAWN OF JUSTICE (League).
The 2nd movie is the better of the two.
Picking up at the tail end of the grim MAN OF STEEL, BvS shows us the aftermath of that film through the eyes of Bruce Wayne/Batman - and boy is he angry. Ben Affleck ably dons the scowl (of Bruce Wayne) and the cowl (of Batman) and grimly picks up the pieces. Affleck is a good choice for Batman (and future JUSTICE LEAGUE films) as Batman needs to be less of a loner and more of "team player. Meanwhile, Henry Cavill's Superman (a portrayal of the Man of Steel that I like) is trying to make sense of his new world and his relationship with Lois Lane (a strong Amy Adams).
Not coincidentally, this film really picked up upon the arrival of Wonder Woman (a perfectly cast Gal Gadot), she brought an energy that helped lift the last hour of this film. When we finally got Batman, Superman AND Wonder Woman on the screen, I kept thinking "now THIS is how a Comicbook Superhero should be".
Director Zach Snyder toned down the endless carnage that was overdone in MAN OF STEEL. Don't get me wrong, there is still PLENTY of carnage, but it is only a fraction of what was in MOS. I would have preferred this film to be less dark and moody, but Snyder has a strong vision that he had the nerve to stick with, so "good for him".
Snyder does benefit from a strong cast. In addition to Affleck, Cavill, Gadot and Adams, BvS also includes stalwarts Lawrence Fishburne (Perry White), Holly Hunter (Senator Finch) and Diane Lane (Martha Kent). The highlight for me was Jeremy Irons' portrayal of Alfred, he was a breathe of fresh air. Only Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luthor didn't work for me - though I blame the writing more than I blame Eisenberg's performance.
Did this movie earn it's 2 1/2 hour run-time? Well...no. I could tell director Snyder where he could trim some time out of the first hour and a half. HOWEVER, to speak out of the other side of my mouth, I'm looking forward to the 3 hour DIRECTOR'S CUT where some scenes that seemed chopped up will be fleshed out.
The action in this film works well. The fight scenes are well choreographed and the motivations and actions and goals of the characters during the action scenes were clear. I didn't once wonder why someone was doing something nor did I ever tell myself "I have no idea what is going on, so I'm justing going to roll with it".
It is with great surprise that I recommend this film to you. 7 (out of 10) stars and you can take to the Bank (of Marquis).