The long-awaited release of Batman vs. Superman/Dawn of Justice occurred on March 24. Since then there has been mixed reaction towards the film. Some critics have voiced their opinion believing that this movie stunk and fell short of its potential.  Comic book fans, whose word spreads faster than a virus on twitter, had other opinions. Even before the movie was released, following the many premiers around the globe, many praised the film’s accurate depiction of the iconic characters.

Now that critics and comic book fans have given their opinion, it’s time for your faithful Caravan critic to weigh-in on the most anticipated movie of his life. On April 2, I finally had the opportunity to watch Batman v Superman for the first time on the big screen to see what all the commotion was about.

So let me start with the pros before the cons. The acting was phenomenal. Gal Godat (who starred in the Fast and Furious franchise) portrays the strong, independent and bold Wonder Woman. She was definitely the best superhero in the movie because Henry Cavill did exactly what he did in Man of Steel and the new Batman, portrayed by Ben Affleck, failed to steal the show.

Affleck’s performance, while no better than the previous Dark Knight played by Christian Bale, was just as great and offered a unique portrayal. This new Batman was much more physical and brutal. I can only imagine how dark and emotional it would be if he is cast in a solo Batman feature in the future. Imagine a scenario in which the Bat goes against the new Joker portrayed by Jared Leto.  If that movie ever pans out it’ll certainly be dark.

In my opinion, the best actor of all, despite negative reviews from some critics, was Jesse Eisenberg, who plays the manipulative Lex Luthor. Jesse was perfect for the role. Everytime he spoke he conveyed a passionate obsession to defeat the metahumans (superheroes).

Another thing I liked was how the film referenced the existence of other members of the Justice League, like Aquaman, Cyborg, and the Flash. Even though Flash had more time than thes other characters, each scene made you excited for when they do arrive on the big screen.

Let’s turn now to why the movie fell a bit short, even though it was not a complete dud.

The title, Batman vs Superman, was pointless. The title characters fight for five minutes, then join forces to take on a greater threat. Their fighting scene was cool but I expected a lot more from the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight. Even the reason the fight comes to a halt was a bit corny, even if to some it was touching.

There were also many questions that went unanswered, like what caused the death of Robin? Why was Wayne Manor abandoned and destroyed? And what about the “knightmare” scene where the Flash warns Bruce that Superman is capable of everything he imagined? I’m sure all these questions will be answered in the future and were just easter eggs, but come on give us more.

The way the movie was directed was also bothersome. For example, the transition between scenes could’ve been smoother. There’s a scene where Wonder Woman is watching a video Bruce sends her; when she’s done the scene abruptly changes into Batman about to fight Superman. The beginning of the movie also seemed a bit scattered, although by the middle things balanced out.

Movie trailers often are deceptive. Even when trailers are released it doesn’t always mean the movie will be completely given away.  But the fact that multiple trailers were released for this movie spoiled some of that excitement about the new characters being introduced or the epic fight seen.

Overall my dreams were a bit crushed. Since Warner Bros. announced Batman v Superman three years ago the hype has been building, but I didn’t really get the movie I had hoped to see. Although it is the fastest grossing superhero movie ever, surpassing a half a billion dollars in three days (according to Wikipedia), it surely disappointed your Caravan critic. But this doesn’t mean I’m giving up in the future of the DC comic universe. I’m still looking forward to the next DC comic movie, Suicide Squad, but for me Batman vs. Superman/Dawn of Justice earns only 3/5 stars.