Batman stories have been done over and over again and the list of Batman actors keeps getting longer and longer. With the recent release of The Batman, moviegoers may be asking themselves if they should go see this newest iteration. My answer is a qualified yes.
We meet this newest Batman (played by Robert Pattinson) two years into his crime-fighting efforts. He is young, trying to make a difference, and tragically lost in his quest to rid Gotham of its criminal element. If you have seen the trailers, you already know this film is gritty and rough.
The Batman is not just a movie that shows us how tough and creative Batman is and glorifying violence. We see the effect of corruption and we feel the weariness of Gotham. Robert Pattinson does a great job wearing the weight that would go along with trying to single-handedly change a crime-ridden city. He looks tired, discouraged, and morose at the start of the film, despite his declaration that he is vengeance. But of course, as many of us older and wiser folks know, vengeance takes its toll. 
I enjoyed the movie and I am not usually a fan of films based in Gotham. I do not like the dark and gloomy atmosphere, the over the top characters, and the violence that usually accompanies Batman movies. It took me about 10 minutes to adjust to the Gotham feel and give the movie a chance. I am glad I did. I enjoyed Pattinson’s version of Batman. He is young and still figuring things out, yet secure in his desire to help those in need. I also liked Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz) and her feistiness and passion to set things right. Another notable performance was given by Paul Dano who plays the Riddler. I was not familiar with Dano, but I was impressed with his portrayal of the Riddler, a scary psychopath.
Appropriate for the Kids?
I generally tell parents to know their kids when deciding if a movie is appropriate for their children. This time, I am still advising to know your kid, but I am also suggesting a minimum age of 13 years old to see this movie. There is a bit of profanity; more than I expected. There is one f-word, 20 s-words, and various other profanity. There are also many misuses of “Jesus” and “God.” Gotham is plagued by drug use so there is some of that in the movie (via eye-drops). There are no sex scenes, although there is some suggestive material.
This movie is a pretty hard PG-13. Some argue it should have received an R rating. I think the harshest part is the violence and disturbing content (the Riddler is not kind to his victims). By the end of the movie, it is pretty clear that Batman’s “I am vengeance” declaration needs to change. The violence is never really portrayed as a good thing and we see the toll it is taking on everyone. But if your children (whether 12 or 17) would be unable to understand this, maybe leave them at home.
Details
Rating: PG-13 for strong violent and disturbing content, drug content, strong language, and some suggestive material.
Scene after credits: No. Although, some would say there is a clue.
Runtime: 2 hours 56 minutes
I attended a media screening of this movie to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own.
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