The Batman a top three favorite movie? That’s a bold claim to make. 

This movie seriously may be the best movie to be released in 2022–even though it’s only April. 

When I first saw Robert Pattinson starring as Batman in the new movie I was honestly a bit taken back. I saw this and all I could think was “Edward Cullen from Twilight? No way.”

But Pattinson is a young and mysterious Bruce Wayne. I might even call him “emo” or broody, even wearing eyeliner. He seems to use the traumatic passing of his parents to fuel his masked crime fighting. He provides such a different level of eeriness to an already dark plot. 

There are other qualities of Pattinson’s Batman that really separate him from the likes of Adam West or Christian Bale (considered two of the greatest Batmans). This Bruce Wayne is far from the philanthropist playboy we know–instead, he is secluded. He doesn’t communicate with anyone, especially the city. 

I honestly have to say, I was very surprised by Pattinson’s performance. I think this Batman is so much darker, because the film is trying to appeal to younger audiences. In today’s world I feel as though younger generations don’t enjoy the typical sunshine and rainbows of the world due to the Covid-19 pandemic and being locked up for weeks.

Paul Dano portrays the Riddler and his version is a nerdy tech wiz, as opposed to the quirky, comedian Jim Carrey Riddler seen in Batman Forever.

Dano provides a bone chilling appearance as he sports a simple coat and winter face mask, nothing like Carreys suit covered in the iconic question mark.

SPOILERS AHEAD

The movie begins as we follow Bruce Wayne (Batman) as he’s been fighting crime amongst Gotham city until the Riddler begins a mission to expose corruption within Gothams government and police force.

At this point in Batman’s life, the city sees him as a vigilante and no good for the city. He is yet to be an experienced crime fighter as director Matt Reaves hopes to explore possibilities to make the Batman ‘fully formed’. 

Along with this idea of him not being fully formed, his suit doesn’t appear as his other ones do in past Batmans. It’s high tech as all Batman suits are, but what sets it apart is the fact that it does have its flaws, which, to me, helps portray the idea of Batman not having reached full potential.

As the Riddler continues to go on his killing spree, he leaves letters to Batman and very publicly live streams all of his killings. 

Batman is forced to create new alliances in order to take down the Riddler as he joins forces with police commissioner James Gordon (Jeffery Wright) and Catwoman (Zoe Kravitz). 

I think what sets this movie apart from other Batmans and movies today is the dark and depressing atmosphere within the film. The entirety of the film is literally dark, It also rains the entire movie. Contributing to a more depressing Gotham.

 From all of the different recurring themes within the movie which add so much to the style and depth of the film.

Ultimately, this movie has the capability of being a very well performing film and maybe even series of movies. Batman has come a long way from the Adam West tight suit to what we have today.