Though "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" is seen as the launching pad for Warner Bros.' DC Extended Universe (the direct rival to Disney's Marvel Cinematic Universe), it was 2013's "Man of Steel" that marked the true beginning of the DCEU. That film, also directed by Zack Snyder, was met with mixed reaction at best and countless sighs of extreme disappointment at worst. Some moviegoers loved it and some thought it was trash. In a word, the film was divisive, especially among comic book die-hards.
That's one reason why film buffs are so interested to see what the reaction to "Dawn of Justice" is going to be. Although the movie doesn't officially hit theaters until Friday, March 25, countless special IMAX screenings kicked off Monday night. While the media is still embargoed from releasing official reviews until tonight, the lucky audiences that got to see "Dawn of Justice" early are free to tweet about the film to their heart's desire.
Before you dive into these early reactions, remember that there is no such thing as a perfect movie.
To this day, there are still a small group of critics that insist that "The Godfather" and "Citizen Kane" are the most overrated films in Hollywood history and that "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" was the greatest letdown in modern cinema. You are never going to get everyone to agree when it comes to films - and that's okay. You're allowed to like and dislike whatever you want.
As such, it's no surprise that Snyder's second DCEU offering is being met with its fair share of both praise and condemnation. However, the comments are largely positive, which is a good sign. The film's budget is listed at $215 million, but some rumors suggested that production costs ballooned to around $400 million, an unheard of amount for a single film. Suffice it to say, "Dawn of Justice" needs all of the positive word of mouth it can get before it is released worldwide Friday. If the movie isn't well-received and doesn't perform well at the box office, the DCEU may be over before it even really begins.