For decades, Batman has been a huge part of pop culture, appearing in comics, shows, movies, toys and anything else you can imagine. Especially in the movies, the role of Batman has become a prestigious and career-defining part, with each actor being remembered long after for their performance, whether good or bad. 

Now, a new era of Batman has been ushered in. 

On March 4, Matt Reeves’ The Batman was released, starring Robert Pattinson in the title role. Many people were skeptical of the casting, just as they were when Heath Ledger was cast as the Joker. However, I had the privilege of seeing it on March 3, a day before release, and I am here to lay that skepticism to rest.

The Batman is a three-hour-long masterpiece, full of spectacular performances, jaw-dropping visuals and a beautiful soundtrack. The atmosphere that Matt Reeves created is perfect and feels like the Gotham City in the comic books without losing any of the realism. The film borders on a thriller with multiple disturbing topics and visuals. Paul Dano plays the enigmatic Riddler and delivers an exceptional performance. He is a deeply disturbing individual, whose nuance and deliberateness will leave you scared and on the edge of your seat.

The plot follows a Batman that is two years into Batmanning (the technical term), as he tries to catch the Riddler, who is leaving behind a trail of bodies as breadcrumbs and is working to expose the lies of Gotham. In his hijinks, Batman meets Selina Kyle (Zoë Kravitz) and they form an unlikely and uneasy alliance. 

In my personal opinion, as someone who has seen and is a fan of all things Batman, this is the best Batman movie ever made. I highly recommend you see it and see it in theaters because this is a movie meant to be seen on the big screen.