"The Batman" by Matt Reeves embodies everything that makes a great Batman movie. The dark and gritty detective story reminiscent of David Fincher's "Se7en" is brought to life by an all-star cast including Robert Pattinson, Jeffrey Wright, Andy Serkis, and Paul Dano. As a mysterious killer begins to target Gotham's elite, Batman enlists the help of Selina Kyle to uncover the conspiracy before the city is destroyed. Robert Pattinson delivers an outstanding performance as Batman, while Zoë Kravitz shines as Selina Kyle. The villains are equally impressive, with John Turturro, Paul Dano, and Colin Farrell all giving pitch-perfect performances. The action scenes are spectacular, with well-realized fight scenes and a stunning car chase scene. The cinematography by Greig Frasier and the score by Michael Giacchino only add to the film's overall excellence.

There are a few minor issues I had with the film. Although it never felt slow, I couldn't shake the feeling that it didn't entirely warrant the nearly three-hour runtime. Additionally, there was a moment when an untrustworthy character told Batman something, and Batman appeared to believe them without questioning the information. This seemed like an unnecessary diversion that didn't add much to the story, and in turn, it made Batman appear less astute than he should have been. Also, regarding Pattinson's performance, there is almost no differentiation between his Bruce Wayne and his Batman. This may be due to the limited screen time given to the Bruce Wayne character, leaving little room for Pattinson to showcase his acting range. 

Those minor gripes aside, this film delivered exactly what I wanted from a Batman film. It has stunning cinematography and sound design, and I look forward to the inevitable sequels that Matt Reeves has in store for us next.

— 5 / 5 ⭐