The Batman has finally arrived in movie theaters and fans are beside themselves with excitement. Having been delayed several times due to the Covid-19 pandemic, The Batman was worth the wait and serves as a gritty new take on everyone's favorite Caped Crusader. Ben Affleck did a solid job as Batman but Zack Snyder's Batman movies fell short of expectations and fans have been clamoring for another solo Batman franchise ever since.
Thankfully, Matt Reeves did not disappoint and his direction was flawless, mixing material from the comic books with original ideas. Each main character had a solid backstory and with a 3-hour runtime, all of them were properly introduced and fleshed out throughout The Batman. While some things may feel familiar to previous films, Reeves added new mythology to the character and nailed important elements to create a refreshing Gotham City.
Warning: This list contains spoilers for The Batman
10 Robert Pattinson Was Outstanding And Might Be The Greatest Batman Ever
Although his Bruce Wayne left a little to be desired, Robert Pattinson's Batman might be the greatest portrayal of the character to date. Previous Batman films have showcased Bruce Wayne as the integral character, but The Batman does an amazing job of focusing on the masked vigilante himself.
Pattinson's Bat-voice was strong, mixing Michael Keaton's whispery voice with some of Christian Bale's louder voice when he's provoked. Pattinson captured the essence of the character and moved seamlessly in the Batsuit throughout The Batman.
9 It Portrayed An Inexperienced Batman Who Is Already A Solid Detective
The Batman focuses on Batman during his second year of crimefighting in Gotham, working with Jim Gordon and the GCPD. Batman is still learning in terms of fighting, deception, and theatricality, but he shows promise as a young detective. Alfred helps Batman decipher some of the Riddler's mystery letters and Gordon includes him when working a crime scene.
Yet, Batman is still a physical force to be reckoned with and shows his intensity when beating down a group of thugs in an early scene. His overall skills seem to get better throughout The Batman, but it was refreshing to see a Batman that wasn't immediately talented at everything, emphasizing his very human nature.
8 Paul Dano's Riddler Performance Was Frightening And Served As A Perfect Foil To A Young Batman
Paul Dano has been one of the best actors in Hollywood for several years and his portrayal of the Riddler continued his streak of phenomenal performances. The opening scene of The Batman depicts a heavy-breathing Riddler watching the Mayor and his family in their apartment. His stalking and brutal murder of the Mayor set the tone for The Batman, as did his unusual look and soft speaking voice.
Using cell phones and computers to get his messages out to the world, the Riddler eventually encourages civilians to dress like him and wreak havoc on politicians, the police, and Batman. This Riddler was more than just a B-list villain and served as a dangerous threat for the young Caped Crusader.
7 Batman And Catwoman Have Extraordinary Chemistry That Grows Increasingly Stronger
Batman and Catwoman have a long and storied history in the comics, however, The Batman gives them both a romantic relationship and a pertinent work partnership. Batman and Catwoman work together to find her missing friend, which uncovers police and political corruption. While Catwoman is hesitant to work with Batman, the two end up working together frequently.
They gain mutual respect for each other, with each of them saving the other at least once. Their chemistry was spot on and it was refreshing to see Catwoman as an equal to Batman.
6 Gotham City Was Aesthetically Pleasing And Felt Bigger Than Previous Iterations
There are several shots in The Batman that make Gotham City look as if it came off the pages of a graphic novel. While Tim Burton's version and Christopher Nolan's take were unique, Reeves took it up a notch in The Batman and made the largest Gotham to date.
In addition to the size, Reeves' Gotham mixed elements of other familiar cities, like having a giant sports arena that resembled Madison Square Garden and a different version of Times Square. There were a lot of neon lights and large buildings, but it still maintained a dark and dreary tone.
5 Reeves' Neo-Noir Style And Batman's Narration Gave The Film A Graphic Novel Feel
Graphic novels and comic books tend to show Batman's inner monologue, which The Batman did by having him narrate the film. The narration worked really well and helped the viewer to understand why Bruce became Batman and how he felt about his city.
Batman's narration worked for long-term fans and casual viewers, giving this dark and complicated story a true voice. The Batman is a neo-noir and scary murder mystery, which worked beautifully and was unique from prior Batman movies.
4 A Beautiful Score By Michael Giacchino
Michael Giacchino's score complements The Batman beautifully and adds to the importance of every sequence. Having scored Lost and Spider-Man movies, Giacchino understood the importance of the film score and why it carries so much weight for the viewer.
Batman films have been blessed with great composers such as Danny Elfman and Hans Zimmer, both of whom gave legendary scores for the Caped Crusader. Thankfully, Giacchino hit the right notes for all of the scenes he scored. Nirvana's Something In The Way played over several scenes, which made Batman look even cooler.
3 Every Character Felt Like The Perfect Amalgamation Of Original Ideas And Source Materials
Many comic book movies have made the mistake of packing too many characters into one story. However, The Batman used its 3-hour runtime to its advantage and invested in each character. Zoe Kravitz was spectacular as Catwoman, even stealing scenes from Pattinson's Batman. In addition to Paul Dano's psychotic Riddler performance, Colin Farrell was unrecognizable as The Penguin, and John Turturro's Carmine Falcone played a more pivotal role than most believed he would.
Jeffrey Wright was excellent as Jim Gordon and had most of the comedic lines in The Batman. Andy Serkis' Alfred may not have had as much screen time as fans wanted, but he still played a large part in the overall plot. There wasn't a weak performance in The Batman, so it will be fun to see other characters introduced in sequels and who is cast.
2 The Riddler Meeting The Joker In Arkham Paves The Way For Sequels And Spinoffs
Having been portrayed many times over the past few years, the Joker may feel overused to some fans. Although, he's integral to Batman's journey. In The Batman, the Riddler's actions inspire other people to finish his psychotic destruction of the city and he surrenders to the police on his own accord.
After explaining everything to Batman, who saves countless lives after their conversation, Riddler hears a strange voice in the cell next to his. Barry Keoghan's Joker appears and the two share an evil laugh after realizing what they could do together. Whether it's in the direct sequels by Reeves or the HBO Max spinoff shows, having these two legendary villains together provides a slew of important stories that can be told.
1 Batman's Journey From Vengeance To Hope Is The First Step In Him Becoming A Legend
The Batman may have been extremely dark and gloomy, but the story and performances were so incredible that they didn't take away from the main message of the film. At the beginning of The Batman, Pattinson's Dark Knight claims to be vengeance for Gotham City, but he quickly learns that Gotham needs more than that.
Although he is helping the city, Bruce also realizes that his becoming Batman was something he was doing for himself. He's been filled with anger since his parents' death, using Batman as self-medication and a violent release. However, he finally understands that Gotham needs to believe in good and that Batman can inspire as much hope as fear.