Content warning/Editors note: this review will feature spoilers for “The Batman” (2022).

Batman. The character several kids grew up loving and that adults still love to this day. But Batman is one character that has been remade and recast in Hollywood, with the total number being about eight times. The latest remake, “The Batman,” was directed by Matt Reeves with Robert Pattinson casted as the Caped Crusader himself.  

From the get-go “The Batman ” sets itself apart from the typical Batman movies. The opening sequence starts with action right away and sets the tone of the movie with the first murder of the film being committed by the Riddler, a psychopath obsessed with Batman. Instead of the classic, Martha and Thomas Wayne being shot in an alley— which almost always occurs in the first movie of a Batman Trilogy. After the opening murder scene, the title screen flashes and then there is a chilling monologue voice-over by Robert Pattinson as Batman while the screen shows various criminal activities— all giving the feel that Batman is there watching and waiting.

With a three-hour run time, it can be a tricky balance to keep the audience engaged and entertained. “The Batman” was able to make a three-hour movie feel like a normal feature-length film, but oftentimes I was left wondering what else could possibly happen with so much time left in the film. This is not the live-action Batman we are used to, instead, it’s more of a murder mystery with elements of horror. Rather than more of an action movie; which previous Batman movies have been in the past. Throughout the film, we only see Bruce Wayne as himself a few times because he is in the Batman suit for the majority of the movie. 

While this movie was overall a hit and a thrilling experience, there were some character choices that didn’t flow well with the storyline. One of those choices can be Bruce Wayne’s haircut; he looks like a rundown emo teenager 90 percent of the time he’s not Batman. Wayne is a comically-rich character; he should not be wearing clothes that are worn down and have holes in them, even if the writers are trying to portray Wayne as someone who only cares about being Batman. 

One performance that surprised me was Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth, who is Wayne’s beloved Butler. From the previous works I’ve seen Serkis in, I was unsure he would be able to bring sincerity to this character. But he did a phenomenal job of portraying Pennyworth and bringing justice to that character. Both Pattinson and Serkis beautifully portrayed the relationship between Wayne and Pennyworth, which not many live-action Batman films have been able to do. There have been a lot of worried fans since Pattinson was announced to be playing Batman on whether or not he would be able to do the character justice. Pattinson has surpassed all expectations with his portrayal of Batman and has certainly proven to fans that Batman is in good hands, at least for now.

If you are a fan of Batman or just comic book movies in general, I would highly suggest finding the time to go see “The Batman ”— especially before it leaves theaters. There’s something about seeing this movie in the theaters that make the viewing experience special. I would not suggest going to see this with kids under 13; it may be way too violent for kids that young. This is by far my favorite Batman movie. “The Batman” brings a new life to the characters and the story that has been reused for decades.