---
title: "The Batman: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-batman/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-batman"
critics_score: 73
critics_reviews: 21
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# The Batman (2022): what the critics said

Critics' score 73 from 21 reviews: 15 positive, 5 mixed, 1 negative.

Most critics come away impressed. The reviews agree that Matt Reeves has made a detective story first and a superhero film second: a grim, noir-inflected procedural about corruption in Gotham, with Se7en and Zodiac named more than once as touchstones. Robert Pattinson’s Batman is the most consistently praised element, described as haunted, terse and sorrowful, and Paul Dano’s Riddler and Colin Farrell draw approving notices. The look of the city, the cinematography and the score are singled out repeatedly.

The reservations are about length and the finish. Even admiring critics note that nearly three hours is a lot, and several find the final act falls back on the spectacle the rest of the film avoids. The spread is wide. The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw finds the third act tiresome and the ending feeble; Sight and Sound’s Kim Newman thinks it plays like an extended introduction, and The New Yorker’s Richard Brody finds little beneath Pattinson’s performance.

## Screen Daily

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 28 February 2022. 

An absorbing, visually arresting epic crime saga that justifies its nearly three-hour length with a moodier, more mythic portrait than Nolan's trilogy, strong performances and noirish detective elements.

[Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/the-batman-review/5167862.article)

## The Hollywood Reporter — David Rooney

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 28 February 2022. 

The film is a grim but gripping brooding noir detective story that folds superhero elements into an intricately plotted tale of institutional corruption. It singles out Robert Pattinson's magnetic, intense performance as a sorrowful Batman for particular praise.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/batman-robert-pattinson-1235100390/)

## Evening Standard — Charlotte O'Sullivan

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 7 March 2022. 

The critic finds this a brilliant, wacky yet woke Batman reboot that trusts audiences and delivers an epic for our times with superb performances, especially from Pattinson as a spoilt, emotionally damaged Bruce Wayne and Dano as the intense Riddler. She singles out the homage-filled set pieces and the way it recontextualizes the character amid Gotham's corruption.

[Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/the-batman-movie-review-robert-pattinson-zoe-kravitz-paul-dano-b984673.html)

## Total Film — Jordan Farley

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 28 February 2022. 

The critic hails it as an outstanding return to form and a gripping, grimy detective story that delivers exactly the fresh start needed, centering a convincing Pattinson Batman in a realistic, noirish Gotham. She singles out the brutal fight scenes, atmospheric cinematography, and faithful detective focus for praise while noting the long runtime and busy final act as minor drawbacks.

[Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-batman-review/)

## Variety — Peter Debruge

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 28 February 2022. 

Reeves delivers a grounded, brutal, nearly three-hour film noir that ranks among the best of the genre by dismantling superhero tropes while incorporating noir, horror and strong performances from Pattinson and others.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/2022/film/reviews/the-batman-review-robert-pattinson-matt-reeves-1235188970/)

## Empire — John Nugent

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 28 February 2022. 

The critic calls it a gripping, beautifully shot neo-noir take that makes the character feel new through evolution, with an excellent Gotham, strong Pattinson performance, and chilling Dano as Riddler. She singles out the Fincher-esque detective plot and visual craft as standing out amid the runtime.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/the-batman/)

## The i Paper — Christina Newland

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 28 February 2022. 

The critic praises the film as sinister and disturbing, a noirish mystery with an impressive, terse Pattinson as Batman and strong supporting turns, plus thrilling action sequences. She singles out the compelling early mystery and atmosphere but notes it loses punch in the over-extended second half with padding and a tepid conclusion.

[Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/the-batman-review-robert-pattinson-zoe-kravitz-1489293)

## The Times — Tom Shone

Rating ★★★★☆. 6 March 2022. 

The review praises Robert Pattinson as a captivating grunge Batman in a darkly splendid, fully imaginative reworking of the Detective Comics era, lifted by muscular performances. It notes the film may not top The Dark Knight but delivers a leisurely, noir-infused take.

[Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/robert-pattinson-batman-review-h9vk2sptk)

## Vulture — Bilge Ebiri

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 28 February 2022. 

The Batman is sad, scary, and even a little sexy, a dark procedural that sustains tension through its long runtime without becoming boring. It singles out the austere, immersive production design, cinematography, and long-take action sequences for praise.

[Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/movie-review-robert-pattinson-in-the-batman.html)

## Little White Lies — Adam Woodward

Rating 4/3/3. 28 February 2022. 

Reeves recalibrates the character for a new audience in a noirish thriller that succeeds in spreading its wings in fun ways; it is too long but a neatly self-contained blockbuster with a strong Pattinson turn.

[Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/the-batman)

## Radio Times — Huw Fullerton

Rating 3/5. 28 February 2022. 

A gorgeous-looking film with striking style, photography and score that creates a strong myth around its lead but struggles as an overlong and underwhelming mystery that doesn't fully justify its length or ambitions.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/batman-review-robert-pattinson/)

## The New York Times — A.O. Scott

Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 1 March 2022. 

The critic finds the pervasive darkness and three-hour length a slog through familiar crime and corruption territory but notes glimmers of humanism and looks forward to the next chapter after a mixed experience.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/01/movies/the-batman-review.html)

## Sight and Sound — Kim Newman

Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 28 February 2022. 

The film is a muted early-career superhero story with a narrow emotional register, impressive in its detective focus and Pattinson's haunted performance but feeling like an extended introduction rather than a fully realized tale.

[Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/batman-muted-early-career-superhero-story-with-narrow-emotional-register)

## The New Yorker — Richard Brody

Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 9 March 2022. 

The film is a baseline artistic achievement that is sit-through-able for much of its runtime with clever direction but ultimately lacks complex mental life or substance beyond Pattinson's performance.

[Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/the-batman-reviewed-eh-its-fine)

## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 28 February 2022. 

The critic finds Matt Reeves’ film spectacular and well-cast but notes that an intriguing saga of corruption devolves into a tiresome third act. A classy turn from Pattinson is highlighted amid complaints about the overlong runtime and feeble non-ending.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/feb/28/the-batman-review-robert-pattinson)

## Den of Geek — David Crow

Rating 4.5/5. 28 February 2022. 

The critic calls it a magnificent achievement and true noir crime epic with a richly realized Gotham, broken Bruce Wayne, and standout performances from Pattinson and Kravitz. Some issues are noted with a tacked-on final act of spectacle and certain characters getting lost.

[Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-batman-review/)

## /Film — Chris Evangelista

Rating 9/10. 28 February 2022. 

The critic calls it a tremendous, sprawling epic that mixes mystery, noir, horror and romance, and wonders if it may be the best Batman movie yet. They single out its innovative feel despite clear influences like Se7en and Zodiac.

[Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/780391/the-batman-review-the-dark-knight-returns-in-what-may-be-the-best-bat-movie-yet/)

## Deadline — Pete Hammond

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 28 February 2022. 

The film is a dark, gripping detective mystery that treats Batman like a classic noir sleuth. Reeves crafts an atmospheric, compelling three-hour ride with strong performances and standout action sequences.

[Read the review](https://deadline.com/video/the-batman-review-robert-pattinson-andy-serkis-paul-dano-colin-farrell-zoe-kravitz/)

## Collider — Ross Bonaime

Rating B+. 28 February 2022. 

The critic calls it the best Batman film since The Dark Knight for its focus on Gotham's corruption and shadows as a living, breathing city, with strong performances from the entire cast (especially Pattinson, Kravitz, and Farrell), gorgeous cinematography, and a powerful score. They note it occasionally falls back on expected superhero tropes in the third act.

[Read the review](https://collider.com/the-batman-review-best-since-dark-knight/)

## The Ringer — Miles Surrey

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 4 March 2022. 

The critic praises the film for finally realizing Batman on screen as the world's greatest detective in a hard-boiled procedural mystery with Fincher-esque elements, making it feel fresh and immersive despite its length and PG-13 constraints. They highlight the obsessive detective work, grungy atmosphere, and faithfulness to the character's core as its biggest strengths.

[Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2022/03/04/movies/the-batman-movie-review-detective-matt-reeves-robert-pattinson)

## The Wrap — Todd Gilchrist

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 28 February 2022. 

Pattinson brings complex humanity to an even darker Knight in Reeves' somber, Seven-inspired take. The lengthy film delivers philosophical nuance and impressive action while risking a self-contained story over franchise setup.

[Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/the-batman-review-robert-pattinson-zoe-kravitz/)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-batman.md