Ever since the announcement of The Batman, fans have been anxiously waiting to see how director Matt Reaves might take his vision of the caped crusader. With a lot of doubt and uncertainty surrounding the movie prior to its release from fans. With hurdles such as casting, how it holds up against Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, or even just how Reaves could have handled the story and atmosphere of his new Gotham City, he took the torch and ran with it.

The casting of roles in The Batman was met with a lot of hesitation at first from fans, such as Robert Patinson taking up the mantle of Bruce Wayne. People have gotten the wrong impression of Robert Patinson, due to his previous roles of Edward in the Twilight series, that has left him with the lasting image of being that vampire in the notorious teen drama, but he doesn’t let this stop him. He depicts Batman in a way that makes him feel real and more human and it comes across in a way that makes you really understand the character more. Even without the costume he depicts Bruce in a way that makes what he has been through and the effect it had on him apparent.. 

Another controversial choice from fans was actor Jeffery Wright, who played Commissioner Gordan. He gives the character justice and portrays him in a way that’s true to source material while also having his own spin on it. The viewer can tell he brings all he has to the table as he acts. He shows the sense of justice and fearlessness Gordan is known for. You get a very good visual of this sense of justice as the story unfolds and as he has to pick up more and more of the slack and responsibility that it comes with. 

Another big hurdle that this movie had to clear was the shadow of director Christopher Nolan’s infamous Dark Knight trilogy. Fans of Batman see the trilogy as sort of the high bar for Batman movies. This is due to the atmosphere and characters that Nolan has brought to life and intertwined to make the story flow, especially with Heath Ledger as the Joker. However Matt Reaves doesn’t want to just jump the high bar with this movie. He doesn’t try to outperform Nolan at his own game or anything, instead he wants to set his own high bar, and he accomplished just that. By setting up the movie in his own vision and completely different path, he created a world that embodies what Batman is to its core.

Reaves took the chance to stray from the joke cracking Batman in Justice League and Batman v. Superman, and took the route of setting up a dark and gritty Gotham City.He shows the city as a dark and unwelcoming place through cinematography. A city filled with crime and danger that could be lurking in every corner, and showing the fear that the Batman has over the criminals in the city, scared he could be lurking in the shadows whenever that signal hits the sky. This world he has created sets this sense of dreadfulness from the get go. Paired with the daunting uneasiness that some of the music makes you feel. For example, Something in the way by Nirvana is present in the movie and Kurt Cobain’s raspy and ghostly sounding voice in the background is genuinely unnerving. To pair this alongside the cinematography in the movie, it draws the viewer in at every moment it can, using everything to its advantage to make sure you feel present and involved with the movie.

The only downside to the movie would be its run time. With it nearly lasting 3 hours it is quite the long film. Even with it being lengthy you never really find yourself getting bored, due to all that is going on in the movie it keeps the viewer drawn in and engaged just waiting to wow you at the next opportunity it gets.

Overall, The Batman has been met with extremely good reviews and feedback and it is rightly deserved. With remarkable performances, it is an amazingly crafted story. It has exceeded many expectations and is doing extremely well in the box office. This movie is a must watch for any superhero fan or even just casual watchers looking for a gritty atmospheric crime movie. Matt Reaves did a remarkable job, and it is well worth the praise it’s receiving, and is well worth 5 stars.