Jason’s review published on Letterboxd:
First Viewing: No Spoilers
It's true, Batman v Superman is a mess, but like many of the positive reviews say, it's a beautiful mess. The movie does in fact have a lot of problems, but it also has a lot of fantastic moments.
The script is probably the second biggest problem with the movie. It's muddled, and it's a bit all over the place. Some of the plot is overly complicated and in general, there's just too much in it. The dialogue is fine for the most part, but certain lines do come off as overly cheesy.
The editing is the biggest problem. Huge tonal shifts are regular after the first 45 minutes and happen throughout. It is not a movie ruining flaw however.
The movie's biggest and best asset is its cast. Cavill returns as the Man of Steel, and delivers a performance matching that of his previous outing in the red cape. Affleck is phenomenal as Batman, proving the doubters wrong in a similar way to how Heath Ledger did. His Batman is a scary and dangerous hero, but has the right intentions. A hard life and years of pain have scarred him, turning him into a demonic hero more than a dark beacon of goodness. Gal Gadot is also great as Wonder Woman. Her scenes as Diana Prince are fine, but when WonderWoman appears on screen, it's amazing. Amy Adams was the biggest flaw I found with the rest of the cast, she just doesn't seem to fit the character. Jesse Eisenberg's Luthor annoyed me at first but by the end, I was beginning to enjoy his performance. Jeremy Irons deserves mention for his performance as Alfred, his sarcasm is the funniest part of the movie.
But in my opinion, the critics reviews are too harsh. This movie is not as terrible, or as dark, or as loud as they claim. There are jokes, and there are flaws, but there's also a lot of good moments. I'd recommend this to anyone with an interest in superhero films. But yes, it is a beautiful mess.
4/5.