The Batman: Captivating Twist on the Classic Story

The long-awaited The Batman film hit theaters on March 4, with raving reviews and an 85% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film is all many students can talk about. Starring Robert Pattinson as Batman, the film pulled in a younger “fangirl” audience due to his appearance in the Twilight saga. He has definitely made a mark.

The Batman grossed over $506 million worldwide from ticket sales. Within the United States, the film earned $258 million at the 12-day mark. According to Forbes, they surpassed the gross profit of Tim Burton and Sam Hamm’s Batman movies which made $250 million. This number does not account for inflation. In fact, Forbes claims that The Batman is now the highest-grossing film ever that focuses on a serial killer.

In my opinion, The Batman was better than Burton’s version, yet the decision is hard to make because of their extremely different takes on Batman and the vengeance he brings to Gotham. Matt Reeves and Peter Craig directed a film that is more diverse and has new ideas regarding the classic DC storyline.

For instance, consider their take on Catwoman. Played by Zoe Kravitz, Selina Kyle (Catwoman) is the most interesting Catwoman character we’ve seen. More than just a pretty face or eye-candy, as she was mostly portrayed as in the previous Batman movies, Kravitz brings a plotline of her own to The Batman. Her storyline, while still tying into Batman’s, is her own and many are glad to see it. Giving females an independent part that is not entirely centered around the male gaze is important within modern feminist ideals.

Overall, the film has a very dreary tone and a dark atmosphere. The constant rain, along with the color schemes and sets, symbolizes the urban demoralization which is rampant throughout Gotham. While this darkness and dreariness certainly shifts the movie in the direction the directors are going for, it does become excessive. By the end of the movie, I was convinced it was actually raining outside of the theater.

The only true grievances I have with the film is my dislike for the Riddler and the relationship between Bruce Wayne and Alfred. The Riddler, played by Paul Dano, is the main villain. Despite his villainous acts, the character has no clear attributes that caused my dislike; it’s just that his overall vibe seems off somehow.

And for the first time in Batman history, the relationship between Bruce Wayne and his servant Alfred is somewhat hostile. This is seen most evidently when Bruce Wayne starts to question his father’s morals and therefore Alfred’s. Wayne’s confusion results in a slight hostility and negative manner towards Alfred. This is the most repulsive part of the movie, as I felt it really didn’t add to the plotline and is just a silly way to differentiate the new spin-off from past Batman films.

Overall though, The Batman’s appeal was great and I would rate it a 9 out of 10. The extreme length of the movie, just missing the 3-hour mark, was a turnoff for some audience members. But I felt the movie kept me engaged throughout the entire 3 hours. You are also getting more of what your money’s worth with buying tickets to longer films.