Batman, one of the most famous superheroes, has had many film reincarnations. Played by a variety of different actors, from George Clooney to Christian Bale, Batman is a notable film character that spans across different generations. 

On March 4th, 2022, the most recent film adaptation of Batman was released named The Batman. Directed by Matt Reeves, this film follows Batman, played by Robert Pattinson, who has been previously known for his work in movies like theTwilight franchise and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, during his second year as a vigilante. He lets darkness cause fear in criminals, as he sometimes lurks in the shadows to stop criminal activities, but when The Riddler, played by Paul Dano, gruesomely kills notable political figures, Batman joins forces with Selina Kyle, played by Zoë Kravitz, and James Gordon, played by Jeffrey Wright, to attempt to stop The Riddler. They attempt to decipher different riddles The Riddler leaves for him to anticipate the next killing and encounter different obstacles, such as The Penguin, played by Colin Farrell, Carmine Falcons, played by John Turturro. At the end, The Riddler is relatively successful with his plans for Gotham, and Batman helps the city rebuild.

Many students have watched this film recently, as it is gaining notable traction from its positive Rotten Tomatoes Score and early reviews  and the fact that Robert Pattinson is in the film. Amber Han (12) believes that the “film is good but surprisingly long,” and she felt “the pace was lagging” at some parts. She adds that “the action scenes were fun and creative” and commends Pattinson and Kravitz’s acting although she believes that “there was no need for romance between Batman and Catwoman.” Renee Li (12) felt that “the movie was boring at first but started to pick up after an hour.” She loved the fact the costumes for Batman and Catwoman were on point and adds that “Zoë Kravitz is such a good actor.”She also thought it was cool that the filmmakers “actually made a website for the fans.”

While the Joker is Batman’s most popular antagonist, many people thought The Riddler was an intriguing villain. Hannah Bucklin (12) thought “it was sick how they chose to twist an originally B-tier villain in the comics into a psycho serial killer which had an engaging storyline for Batman to solve and follow. Li adds that The Riddler’s “origin was tragic” and his “motives of showing how Gotham’s political structure was corrupt was solid,” and “in his mind, he was probably doing the right thing. ”

In my opinion, The Batman was an interesting film with excellent acting, storytelling, and cinematography. Every actor in this film did a wonderful job, and Pattinson’s performance as Batman is one of my favorite ones. The dynamic between Pattinson and the other actors was realistic and entertaining. The film had a captivating detective story, as Batman tried to solve The Riddler’s Zodiac Killer-like ciphers. However, at some parts, I felt like the movie was too long, and they could have cut out the other villains and focused on The Riddler. Also, the film is stunning to look at. With a clear dark color palette, the film seems very cohesive. The directing of two scenes, the upside down car fire and the pitch-black gunshots, caught my eye, as it was very creative and unique from a directors standpoint. Overall, The Batman was a solid movie that I definitely recommend.