Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice=Mind. Blown! (No Spoilers)

*Deep breath*

Aaaaand another one.

There ya go.

***SPOILER-FREE REVIEW***

There will be nerds who rage at Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. Some will be audibly upset after viewing it; others will quietly vent with friends. Still others will retreat into their preferred comics. A few may actually leave the theater with loving afterglows.

Pros:

• IMAX is the *only* way to see this movie. You’ll be sorry if you don’t.
• Batfleck wasn’t half bad!
• Batfleck’s voice is probably the best since Michael Keaton. (Talking live-action only; shut up, I know, I know, Kevin Conroy.)
• WONDER WOMAN. Just all of her. Grace, class, charm, warrior goddess. Gal Gadot portrays pre-Justice League Diana perfectly.
• Amy Adams gives a stellar performance as Lois.
• There’s a Superman scene or two that might make your heart ache a little.
• Wild dychotomies appear!
• Cavill does the best he can with the material he’s given. He gets a chance to be Clark.
• Snyder’s really good at that gritty/dirty look everyone liked in 300.
• Fans will squee at the reveals, nods, easter eggs, and random references.
• It’s not the shitshow the trailers made us think it would be!
• The music.

Cons:

• The plot is THIN. For as much as what’s thrown into the mix, some will expect more from the villainy.
• You might start to wonder if we’re tossed into a parallel universe.
• Batman fans will love and hate him at varying intervals throughout the whole shebang.
• Lois Lane fans may not like this version of her.
• The music.
• Snyder might’ve tried a little too hard to be Nolan.
• More questions asked than might be feasible to answer in future films.
• Sister Hazel’s “All for You” is playing in my head, because it encapsulates my feeling toward BvS at the moment.
• Lex Luthor. All of him.

Those who’ve seen DC animated films are used to heavy thematic implications versus actual villainous characters with petty machinations. There’s this running habit to make political and social statements separate from character studies. In this instance, the attempt is made to set up the reason for forming a Justice League. Problem is, the personalities we’re shown hardly prove it. Unless, of course, it’s assumed that you’ve seen all of the Batman and Superman films over the past ten years. There are moments when you’ll mentally (or actually) scream at the screen, “WHY?!”

That said, go into this throwing your preconceived canons out the window. BvS is almost perfect because it’s not everything you want it to be. It’s not the summer season blockbuster kick-off film, nor is it everything you probably hope. Plenty of action to be had, but it’s not a non-stop thrill ride or [insert more critics’ buzz words here]. It’s better because it’s unexpected. Yes, there are little things that will make you rage. There are also little things you’ll adore. What’s unfortunate is that mixed reviews will prevent people from watching, and it’ll be the die-hard fans who’ll carry the DC flag. See it more than once to fully wrap your head around it.

Remember that BvS is a set-up film. There’s more to come in the next few years, and this is only the beginning. Hell, it even says so in the title. Hold your breath just a little bit longer.