Batman returns to the big screen

USD students discuss the latest installment of the franchise

ISABELLA SANCHEZ / ASST. A&C EDITOR / THE USD VISTA

Vengeance returns, but in a different costume and in a new Gotham. The newest addition to the dark vigilante’s dreary universe is all one sees on various entertainment platforms. From broody TikToks to the film’s lamentful track “Something In The Way” by Nirvana, and countless cast interviews on Youtube, “The Batman” is truly everywhere.  

“The Batman” features a newly crowned Bruce Wayne, played by Robert Pattinson, as he navigates the dark underworld of Gotham City with a new sadistic killer on the loose. The latest reboot takes on a darker theme than Christopher Nolan’s highly praised “The Dark Knight” and follows a younger, broodier Batman. The three-hour film pans out like a murder mystery thriller, with The Riddler, the supervillian of the film, With a much anticipated release of any film comes fan discussion and criticism. Many USD students had opinions on the newest addition to the DC Comics’ beloved superhero’s story. Unlike its predecessors, “The Batman” nearly hits three hours. USD junior Francesca Meyer didn’t see the length as an issue.

“I don’t mind the length of a movie if it is actually using that time well,” Meyer admitted. “I honestly think ‘The Batman’ managed the almost-three-hours perfectly.”

USD sophomore Brennan Martin agreed with Meyer. 

“I think for someone who didn’t enjoy the movie, it would have dragged but I personally feel that it was a good length and would have felt incomplete if it was shorter,” Martin said.

However,  because people’s attention spans are accustomed to   15 to 60 second TikToks, it begs the question if people even have the patience and interest to sit in a theater for so long anymore. 

USD sophomore Shae Tavares thought the length was  a bit long, but necessary, she was unsure if others would view it similarly.

“I think with lots of social media platforms like TikTok, people nowadays have a much shorter attention span,” Tavares said. “I’m sure that it was an issue for some when they saw the movie.”

Regardless, the three hours are jam-packed with action, intrigue,and most importantly, new faces. 

Alongside Pattinson, Zoe Kravitz suits up to play Selina Kyle, more formally known as Catwoman. 

While the pair’s chemistry was put to the test, Pattinson’s portrayal of the infamous Caped Crusader was too. 14 years after his breakthrough role in “Twilight,” some were skeptical of a gloomy vampire turned broody vigilante. 

“The funny part is that I have heard lots of friends not willing to give the movie a chance because of ‘Twilight,” Meyer said.

For others, that role is behind Pattinson now. 

“I think people enjoy joking about Robert   Pattinson’s previous role in Twilight, but it doesn’t come close to overshadowing his image,” Martin argued. “Both Pattinson and Kravitz played their characters very well and the dynamic between the two was captivating.”

Although the characters are a focal point of the film, the cinematography, the disturbing villain, and the soundtrack all make the film what it is. 

Though, a new Batman flick is sure to be under heavy scrutiny, especially if it is following up Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” trilogy. 

Tavares found it hard not to compare the new film to the trilogy.  

“I was a very big fan of ‘The Dark Knight,’ so I did have some high hopes for this movie,” Tavares said. “Overall, I thought it was a very good movie, although not as good as ‘The Dark Knight.’ The next two movies, though, might have the potential to be better than it.”

While for Meyer it was the film’s mystery and thrilling plotline that made it so great, the characters and cinematography for Martin gave the film an edge on Nolan’s “The Dark Knight.”

“I thought that Pattinson’s Batman was more down to earth and believable than Christian Bale’s version of Batman,” Martin said. “I also felt that ‘The Batman’ was much more visually appealing.”

From its breathtaking cinematography and its chilling new direction in the antihero’s story, “The Batman” is intriguing and gripping enough on its own to stand beside the other films in the Bat-verse. Though for some USD students, the reviews of the film varied, one thing stands true: “The Batman” made its mark in the media and most importantly on loyal Batman fans.