Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice commits to a conclusion that not everyone will appreciate. I found it perfectly right — it refuses easy comfort. If you want tidy resolution you may be frustrated. If you want truth, it delivers.

I first watched Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice as a teenager and thought it was fine. Rewatched at 30 and it hit completely differently. The fear of unchecked power undercurrent makes total sense now in a way it didn't before.

Some elements of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice show their age, but the core of it — manufactured conflict, Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman debut — hasn't diminished at all. Films this good age better than almost anything else.

The music in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is so deeply married to the images that you almost can't separate them. It stays in your head days later and when you hear it again the emotions return immediately.

I didn't expect Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice to affect me so deeply. The way Zack Snyder handles the dawn of a superhero world is unlike anything I'd seen before. I came out of it looking at the world differently.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice deals with the dawn of a superhero world in a way that's genuinely uncomfortable at times. But that discomfort is the point. Zack Snyder never lets you look away, and the film is better for it.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice builds so carefully to its conclusion that when it arrives you feel genuinely moved. The manufactured conflict thread pays off in a way that's earned rather than manipulative. Couldn't sleep afterward.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is technically accomplished and I understand its place in film history. But it left me cold. The fear of unchecked power element felt mechanical and I never connected emotionally. Maybe I'll try again.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice has been praised so heavily that no film could live up completely. It's an excellent film — the director's cut improvement is genuinely remarkable — but it's not the untouchable masterpiece some claim.

I went into Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice knowing nothing — no trailer, no plot summary. I strongly recommend that approach. The manufactured conflict hits much harder when you haven't been primed for it. Go in cold.