Spoiler warning: This article contains spoilers for The Batman (2022). 

After months of heavy advertising and build up, The Batman hit the big screens last week. The Batman was a nearly three hour-long movie starring Robert Pattinson as Batman, Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman and Paul Dano as the Riddler. Directed by Matt Reeves, The Batman drew from elements of Se7en and featured a villain based on the infamous Zodiac Killer, making this movie an intense action thriller with iconic characters and a dark tone.

From the first scene, the movie grabs your attention and never lets go. It begins by introducing us to the Riddler, a maniacal villain with a rubber mask that muffles his voice and breath, creating an uneasy feeling in the viewer. This is followed by an introduction to this version of the Batman, a young angry man calling himself “vengeance,” who uses fear as a weapon to intimidate his enemies. 

The pace of the movie rarely slows down, and you can feel the tension in every scene as Jim Gordon and Batman investigate each clue left by the Riddler at his crime scenes. Villains such as Carmine Falcone and the Penguin get a good amount of screen time while Batman and Catwoman try to take them down and connect it all to the clues left by the Riddler. 

The action, cinematography, and characters were the major highlights of the movie, but the relationship between Selina Kyle (Catwoman) and Batman is one of the best aspects of the movie. Their complicated relationship is something that you can’t predict and it brings out more emotion than you’re used to seeing from a traditionally closed off Batman character. Robert Pattinson’s portrayal of the Dark Knight is a younger, inexperienced Batman, who seems to have not yet found his way and can’t find a balance between being Bruce Wayne and Batman.

The film deals with themes of corruption, morality, and finding one’s identity. This movie features great acting performances across the board and sets the standard for how a comic book movie should be made. Critics and casual moviegoers alike have compared it to The Dark Knight, even calling The Batman the best Batman movie ever. Overall, The Batman is a must-watch movie for anyone who enjoys superhero, mystery, or action movies. Be sure to view this masterpiece in a theater near you.