The Batman

Parents say
Based on 67 reviews
Kids say
Based on 161 reviews
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The Batman
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Batman is a new/rebooted take on the iconic superhero. This Batman (Robert Pattinson) is conflicted and violent but also uses his head and learns as he goes along. The movie's action violence is intense, with killings and dead bodies, guns and shooting, explosions and crashes, lots of fighting (punching, kicking, hitting with objects, choking, etc.), a severed thumb, violence against women, descriptions of upsetting events, and more. Language isn't constant but includes several uses of "s--t," "son of a bitch," "goddamn," and more. Characters kiss, there's sex-related dialogue, and a woman is seen in her underwear as she dresses. Part of the plot revolves around a fictitious drug business; the drug consists of drops placed in the eyes (addicts are called "dropheads"). The movie is more diverse than previous takes on the Dark Knight, deals thoughtfully with the nature and cost of vengeance, touches on how social media can spread misinformation, and, even with a 175-minute runtime, is one of the best Batman movies to date.
Community Reviews
"The Batman" Isn't Meant for kids, It's meant for those who understand Batman
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Read this for a accurate age review for the Batman..
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What's the Story?
In THE BATMAN, it's Halloween night, and the mayor of Gotham City is brutally murdered. The killer leaves a clue behind for the Batman (Robert Pattinson), who's still in the early years of his superhero career. The clue is a riddle that reveals the fact that the mayor had a secret mistress. Batman finds out that the woman is under the protection of Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz) -- but she still gets kidnapped. To try to find her, Selina helps Batman infiltrate a secret nightclub where politicians and criminals are entertained. There, Selina catches the attention of the district attorney (Peter Sarsgaard). Then the mayor's killer, known as the Riddler (Paul Dano), strikes again, killing the D.A. and leaving more clues for Batman and Lt. Gordon (Jeffrey Wright). They learn they must find "the rat" -- i.e., someone who has been leaking sensitive information. But even when this mystery is solved, can The Riddler be trusted?
Is It Any Good?
This riveting take on Batman is, refreshingly, more of a detective story than an action spectacle -- although it does offer that element, too, as well as complex characters and relevant themes. Directed by Matt Reeves, The Batman makes wise adjustments in just about every respect, finding a solution for Christian Bale's aggravating growl/whisper line delivery (Pattinson speaks softly, but he never strains) and for the soulless, gray color scheme of the Zack Snyder movies. Reeves' movie is dark (and often rainy), but he bathes the images in a warmer brown tone, with orange and yellow highlights, bringing a weariness and a desperation to the proceedings. And, while there are many villains here, the film -- unlike the 1990s sequels -- never feels cluttered. The Riddler, Catwoman, Penguin (a completely disguised Colin Farrell), etc., each occupy their own space in the story.
Moreover, Batman is more human and vulnerable here, "oofing" at the impact of blows and occasionally getting winded. Blessed with Pattinson's wounded, armored performance, this is arguably the most interesting character arc we've seen in a Batman movie. At the start, he sees himself as an avenging angel, but as the story goes on, he learns that things aren't that simple, that there are gray areas. There are consequences. A third-act climax touches on the dangers of misinformation and social media, paralleling certain terrifying real-life events. Reeves needed a lot of time to lay all this out, as well as some much-needed downtime to build characters and relationships; the result is that The Batman clocks in at a jaw-dropping 2 hours and 55 minutes. But it honestly never feels too long. It's arguably the most confident and mature Batman film to date and one of the best.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about The Batman's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
How are drugs depicted? What do the drops appear to do? Are they glamorized? Does the movie focus more on the effects of the drug or on the business around it?
What does Bruce/Batman learn over the course of the movie about vengeance?
The Riddler is able to summon up an army via his social media posts. How does this reflect real life? What can be done to avoid the potential negative effects of social media?
Did you notice diverse representations in the movie? Do you consider any of the characters to be role models?
Movie Details
- In theaters: March 4, 2022
- On DVD or streaming: May 24, 2022
- Cast: Robert Pattinson, Zoe Kravitz, Peter Sarsgaard, Paul Dano
- Director: Matt Reeves
- Studio: Warner Bros.
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Topics: Superheroes
- Run time: 175 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: strong violent and disturbing content, drug content, strong language, and some suggestive material
- Last updated: October 8, 2022
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