Being one of the more anticipated movies of 2022, ‘The Batman’, directed by Matt Reeves, was nothing short of stunning. From usage of natural light to casting, this movie was truly a masterpiece in almost every demeanor. The film gives Gotham a more mystery feel rather than the classic super hero story, a role in which Robert Pattinson and the rest of the cast excels in. Although disconnected from other movies, The Batman is riddled with familiar faces making this movie all the more entertaining.

Watching this on the big screen was an experience I absolutely recommend. Even though the movie is nearly three hours long, two hours and 56 minutes to be exact, there isn’t a moment where I lost interest. Matt Reeves and company did a fantastic job twisting every turn and creating an environment of suspense. I think my overall favorite aspect of this movie is the characters. As simple as it may be, each character has a real world feel. For example the first villain we’re introduced to is The Riddler. Played by Paul Dano, The Riddler in this particular movie feels like a genuine serial killer. He’s obsessed with the Wayne family and their corruption leaving clues to his whereabouts and plans. In doing so Dano sells the part of a psychopath perfectly. In past films, the DC villains were portrayed as more comical and with exaggerated features. However, in this one, he’s an actual person with a serious tone. There’s a ton of realism poured into each character and it’s what I think makes this movie special.

Robert Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne is pretty easily my favorite live action Batman as well. He fits the Bruce Wayne character perfectly, and his development throughout the course of the movie really is visible and easy to understand.

In the beginning of the film he’s fueled by revenge and believes he’s making a difference by lurking in the shadows and taking out common criminals. By the end, he understands how to deal with his pain and offers a helping hand to the community by being openly present in Gotham. There’s one specific scene that comes to mind where Bruce practically becomes a detective. He’s cleared his floor and starts to sift through the Riddler’s clues and connections. I love this scene for how it portrays Bruce. He shows his intelligence and patience which he utilizes constantly throughout all 176 minutes.

The visuals in this movie are incredible. The use of natural lighting is an underrated part of pretty much every film that uses it, aside from maybe 1917. The best scene in the whole movie is used with natural lighting. It’s a simple scene but the soundtrack and lighting make it. The scene is after a high speed chase where Batman is walking towards a flipped over car with a massive flame in the background. The Batman theme plays and it really is a ridiculous scene. Another scene I like that uses this method is with a red flare. The shadows it casts and it’s reflection over the water lights up the whole screen with a reddish tint that sort of matches the mood of that specific point in the movie.

Overall this movie deserves every penny it made in the box office. I think it’s the best live action Batman to date and I thoroughly hope its sequel is on par. I recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys this type of cinema and considering it’s now out on HBO Max, I suggest everyone go watch it. Matt Reeves made a DC classic and created one of the most thrilling hero stories in a very long time.