Spoiler-Free First Impressions on “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”: I can’t believe how wrong the critics are on this movie. It is chaotic and overstuffed, but also insanely ambitious in its scope and timely messages. The cinematic big-screen experience can also get wildly exhausting by its third act. But it’s also exhilarating beyond measure. This is a crazy, crazed comic book film for our troubled times with emotionally torn superheroes. This movie also is a huge new direction for superhero films. Tonally, this movie is radically different from other Marvel movies and a very different approach to Batman from the Christopher Nolan films. As a comic book fan, this movie is as close to cinematic cocaine as you can get! There are a ton of Easter eggs that those familiar to comic book stories will appreciate far more than others. There are character motivations going on that those who are familiar with the characters will fully understand. Others will find their decisions to be rushed or not fully explained. For example, why does Lex Luther hate Superman so darn much? I enjoyed this movie 20 times more than “Man of Steel”. In fact, it made me look at “Man of Steel” in a completely different way with a new appreciation. This superhero film isn’t supposed to be Christopher Reeve Superman “joyful” or “fun”. It’s supposed to be topical, political, emotional, and cathartic. In the case of this dark world, it feels totally justified. The cinematography is gloriously beautiful. The lead character in this film isn’t even Superman or Batman. It’s the intensely powerful score by Hans Zimmer & Junkie XL! The movie works best when there’s no dialogue and we have just the thundering to angelic score speaking for it. This could be the best translation of a graphic novel to cinema that has ever been produced. You vividly see the $250 million being spent up on the screen. It’s crazy eye-popping. This movie is also extremely dark and violent, filled with political tension and xenophobic fear mixed with the trauma of loss and death. It’s practically a perfect, cathartic movie-going experience that directly ties into humanity’s collective trauma from 9/11 and the fear of the unknown. In this movie’s case, it is the battle and catastrophe of Metropolis from “Man of Steel”. We finally see the human toll in the beginning on this movie, and it drives the entire narrative. You finally see superheroes and super villains as gods doing battle amongst us. We see Batman being pulled into this world for the first time. And it’s damn near thrilling. We get to witness Wonder Woman in full battle mode. Superman is worshiped and feared. We see the enormous human divide of those that love Superman, and those who fear and hate him for how he’s changed and endangered the world. There are far deeper themes and currents going on here. We now live in a world of terrorist bombings and out-of-control violent criminals. This is a dangerous, uncertain world of miracles and madness, fantasies and fear. Even the so-called heroes are paranoid and flawed. I just couldn’t believe how great this movie is. It’s so much better than what the critics were saying. It’s over the top “Mad Max: Fury Road” operatic at times – a cinematic superhero opera pulsating to Hans Zimmer & Junkie XL. Enjoy the rush and the ride.