The Batman had tons of hype to live up to. After the first trailer broke the internet (literally) in August 2020, the film quickly became the most anticipated superhero flick for many fans. Well, after over 2 years since filming started, the movie is done and has screened for critics. To nobody’s surprise, it’s looking like Warner Bros. has another hit on their hands. Take a look at some of the first reactions below:
I've seen #TheBatman and it is a ferocious detective drama punctuated by moments of incredibly visceral action. Matt Reeves' direction is dark, deep, intense & flooded w/ instantly iconic imagery. A live-action BATMAN movie unlike any we've seen. Brilliant & badass. BIG recommend pic.twitter.com/SreOnnFnHC
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) February 28, 2022
#TheBatman is like a living, breathing graphic novel come to life.
— Chris Killian (@chriskillian) February 28, 2022
It’s grounded in realism like the Nolan films yet drenched with a neo-noir pulp that captures the comic book vibe of Batman better than anything since the animated series. @mattreevesLA understands Bats. pic.twitter.com/OrptBIjsgp
#TheBatman is the BEST BATMAN MOVIE EVER. @MattReevesLA has created an intelligent Dark Knight story. The grounded tone with the dark interior create the most memorable Gotham City ever. Dano is terrifying, Kravitz is mesmerizing and Pattinson IS The Batman. @WarnerBrosCA pic.twitter.com/AaBDG16qBy
— Shahbaz – The Movie Podcast (@shayhbaz) February 28, 2022
#TheBatman is an ALL TIME BEST FILM. @MattReevesLA has crafted the DEFINITIVE take on The Caped Crusader that Pattinson will define for generations to come. Brooding and brutal. I didn’t want it to end. This is the movie we’ve been waiting for and changes the game. @WarnerBrosCA pic.twitter.com/0uOAEDe3Sa
— Daniel Baptista – The Movie Podcast (@dbapz) February 28, 2022
#TheBatman is a visceral, good movie.
— BD (@BrandonDavisBD) February 28, 2022
Matt Reeves mashes several Batman stories into a raw, real take for an epic detective noir. An impressive, lengthy cinematic journey.
Brilliant visuals. Repetitive, revolving door of locations. Tremendous music from @m_giacchino!! pic.twitter.com/SZSDbvvMcU
📣 #TheBatman is the ultimate detective story for Bruce Wayne and I think Robert Pattinson has made his mark as this character! Matt Reeves gives us 3 hours of a Gotham that you’re totally consumed by with all its perfectly crafted details! FULL REVIEW ➡️ https://t.co/N0fVqYyp1d pic.twitter.com/VKbxo63t60
— Ryder Maldonado (@Mister_Alewood) February 28, 2022
#TheBatman is one of the greatest Batman stories ever told on film. Matt Reeves delivers a fascinating world, filled by rich characters & limitless possibilities. Loved its twisted film noir story, slow-burn pace & heavy focus on the detective side of the hero. @TheBatman pic.twitter.com/LeqxkxSMF4
— Fico (@FicoCangiano) February 28, 2022
Matt Reeves #TheBatman FINALLY gives us the most comic accurate portrayal of the DARK KNIGHT DETECTIVE in film. The movie to me is an homage to the great Batman writers like Denny O'Neil, Frank Miller, and Jeph Loeb. Pattinson did the homework and delivered. #TheBatmanMovie pic.twitter.com/rLCzPG5OYK
— Umberto Gonzalez (@elmayimbe) February 28, 2022
WOW. #TheBatman is the BEST crafted Batman film of ALL TIME. Robert Pattinson is PERFECT for the role & Matt Reeves’ direction shines with all departments firing on all cylinders. A masterful technical achievement that becomes one of the greatest comic book movies of all time pic.twitter.com/ROIOCKExkQ
— Diego Andaluz (@thediegoandaluz) February 28, 2022
Matt Reeves' #TheBatman is a film that rivals The Dark Knight trilogy. Here's my review.https://t.co/MInZfcvaN9 pic.twitter.com/iX9qIHF3dz
— Michael Thomas (@novicecinephile) February 28, 2022
absolutely **loved** @mattreevesLA #TheBatman. Reeves has crafted an amazing film that happens to star Batman. The filmmaking on display from all departments is brilliant. @GreigFraser_dp cinematographer + @m_giacchino score + James Chinlund’s production design is superb. pic.twitter.com/jcS2mAiATA
— Steven Weintraub (@colliderfrosty) February 28, 2022
Stunning and thrilling, #TheBatman was an amazing ride. Very Zodiac-like in detective work, and some of the fight scenes literally had me gasping in astonishment. And Zoe as catwoman… *chef’s kiss*
— Beatrice Verhoeven (@bverhoev) February 28, 2022
Here is my #TheBatman review for @DiscussingFilm! https://t.co/POfpzNrLpY – It's an easy ★★★★★ from me.
— Ben Rolph (@TheDCTVshow) February 28, 2022
"What makes The Batman stand out amongst cinema’s most lucrative genre is exactly how it internalizes Batman's struggles" pic.twitter.com/2UnIx6Rlcf
#TheBatman is a ridiculous, bold, brilliant event, absolutely jam-packed with style & a surprising sense of humor. It’s like nothing else in this space, and that has only made me love it more with each passing moment. I’m obsessed. pic.twitter.com/TPdCSeX5JT
— Jenna Anderson (@heyitsjennalynn) February 28, 2022
#THEBATMAN serves as a successful re-interpretation of the darkest superhero, filled to the brim with enough plot twists, combat sequences, eerie moments and hints at the future to appease the most dedicated fans.
— Noah Levine (@ZProductionz) February 28, 2022
Read my full review here: https://t.co/SYqMH0kXoT
#TheBatman is the definitive Batman movie we've been waiting for. A detective film noire with a splash of 90's grunge aesthetics, @mattreevesLA delivers a gripping complex narrative that forces you to pay attention. No one else but Robert Pattinson could have been this Batman! pic.twitter.com/ZGTxeLOjrA
— The Batman Film News 🦇 (@TheBatmanFilm_) February 28, 2022
Cinema of a spectacular order, #TheBatman’s the most artistically stunning CBM ever made, Matt Reeves wows with a sprawling detective tale showcasing the magnificence of Greig Fraser, bathing Gotham in an amber glow, Robert Pattinson owns the brooding Batman, WB has a winner—9.5 pic.twitter.com/FpZN7oVNBG
— EW (@ErickWeber) February 28, 2022
#TheBatman is a dark crime noir that floors you from start to finish. This isn’t just one of the most Unique comic book movies to date…. It is easily the BEST Batman Adaptation YET & Yes Robert Pattinson is everything the trailers have promised you & more. He is INCREDIBLE pic.twitter.com/GgeSTqS7B9
— Zach Pope (@popetheking) February 28, 2022
#TheBatman is a triumph – it’s thrilling, cerebral, funny, heartbreaking. Dragging around a fucking enormous magnifying glass in nearly every scene, Robert Pattinson finally delivers a Batman who really feels like The World’s Greatest Detective. Best DC film since DARK KNIGHT
— ben mekler (@benmekler) February 28, 2022
Reminiscent of "Seven" and "Zodiac," Matt Reeves’ five-year journey to bring #TheBatman to life is a gorgeous detective thriller with a perfectly cast Robert Pattinson. It will challenge everything you think you know about the Caped Crusader. My review: https://t.co/Bk5tClec8z
— Kirsten (@KirstenAcuna) February 28, 2022
I saw #TheBatman and it really took me by surprise. I loved how it felt like the classic comics and a proper Batman film. I’m excited to see it again! pic.twitter.com/5zyzLC7lFg
— Corey Van Dyke (@Corey_WolfPack) February 28, 2022
I think that @mattreevesLA has given us a perfect look into Gotham and Bruce Wayne in #TheBatman. It's what I've been waiting years to see for Batman. Check out my review of @TheBatman here: https://t.co/K7Kr5J0P3V
— it was rachatha all along (@RachelLeishman) February 28, 2022
#TheBatman is a gripping crime thriller featuring the most authentic Gotham City you have ever witnessed on screen. Reeves’ vision is dark, gritty, moody, grounded, extremely close to the source material, and is more story-driven than most
— Geek Vibes Nation (@GeekVibesNation) February 28, 2022
Read our review https://t.co/WGamMfl6fs pic.twitter.com/dtYSIxjghY
As only a casual viewer of DC, #TheBatman totally blew me away! Pairing Pattinson & Kravitz’s performances with a plot that keeps you guessing, I was totally sucked in by this new, younger, & darker take on the Gotham hero. I want to see more in this story & highly recommend it! pic.twitter.com/0IdiyXRwbO
— Aubree ✨ Pure Pazaak (@SatelliteTides) February 28, 2022
Just like everyone else, I adored @WarnerBrosUK's #TheBatman – it is one of the greatest thrillers I've ever seen, and is sure to go down as one of the best films of this decade. Matt Reeves has delivered a pure masterwork.https://t.co/GvImQE2tji
— Sab Astley (@sab_astley) February 28, 2022
#TheBatman: I loved it. It's the most gorgeous-looking Batman movie ever (@GreigFraser_dp and @mattreevesLA killed it), it's a straight-up detective epic, and Pattinson is so good (as is everybody else). Unlike what you might be expecting, and all the better for it. 🦇 pic.twitter.com/4z0YAyuUCR
— Drew Taylor (@DrewTailored) February 28, 2022
Really, really dug Matt Reeves' #TheBatman.
— matt rorabeck (@mattrorabeck) February 28, 2022
It embraces its Detective Comics roots delivering a methodical movie that feels grounded while still having fun comic book-y moments & characters.
Dano 's Riddler is diabolical & more theatrical than I was expecting, in a good way.
#TheBatman is unlike any Dark Knight movie we’ve seen.
— Jake Hamilton (@JakesTakes) February 28, 2022
One part Fincher’s ZODIAC.
One part FRENCH CONNECTION.
One part classic Batman.
This new interpretation of Gotham feels intimate, dirty, morose and hopeless — and I dug it.
A great origin story for our favorite villains. pic.twitter.com/f4JuRrs3qy
When #TheBatman ended, I would've sat there and watched 3 more hours. It's not a movie so much as a world that @mattreevesLA has created, and if you appreciate the seedy, sprawling tapestry of Gotham, you will devour this. The cast is stellar, the car chase is an all-timer. 4.5/5 pic.twitter.com/VQtj28EmOR
— Sean O'Connell (@Sean_OConnell) February 28, 2022
THE BATMAN is tremendous. From Giacchino's score to Pattinson's voiceover narration to Reeves' directing and Fraser's cinematography, it's an atmospheric neo-noir psychological crime thriller ala SE7EN and ZODIAC. Best BATMAN since BEGINS. I'll have more on POP 'N' PIZZA Friday. pic.twitter.com/RfOrIVGRJW
— Adam Frazier (@AdamFrazier) February 28, 2022
I saw an early cut of @mattreevesLA #TheBatman months ago. Can finally share what I thought: the movie is a masterpiece. It’s an epic three hour film noir detective movie where we finally get to see Batman be the world greatest detective. Can’t wait to see it again.
— Timothy Dowling (@TimothyDowling) February 28, 2022
The Batman will have fan screenings starting March 1 before a worldwide theatrical release on March 4. Are you excited for The Batman? Let us know!