Art by Samantha Miller
The world has had its eyes on Batman for over 80 years, and with Matt Reeve’s 2022 film “The Batman,” the DC Franchise updated the superhero for a Gen Z audience. Writer Bill Finger and artist Bob Kane created Batman for DC Comics in May 1939, and since creation, the hero has experienced his fair share of representation in Hollywood.
The superhero sulks on the streets of Gotham during the day as Bruce Wayne, and transforms into a brooding vigilante who fights crime by night. The hero has been at the center of 10 feature films, and is hailed as a fan favorite. In 2022, director Reeves has brought Batman back to Gotham in a new light.
The first film, “Batman: The Movie“, premiered in 1966 and hardly reflects the same dark and mysterious superhero that fans see on screen today. The original film had a far more lighthearted and campy feel to it and was intended for the whole family to enjoy.
In Reeve’s film, Robert Pattinson’s portrayal of Batman is the exact opposite of the original 1966 film. Starring Twilight’s teen heartthrob Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/Batman, and Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman, “The Batman” breaks tradition and appeals to the likes of Gen Z.
The Riddler, the film’s main villain, is a masked madman who runs rampant through Gotham and leaves ominous clues around town. Batman — labeled “Vengeance” in the 2022 film — allies with Catwoman to solve the Riddler’s sinister puzzle that threatens the safety of Gotham.
The villain makes his crimes and riddles known by posting unsettling videos on social media to draw attention to his actions. Targeting politicians and wealthy leaders, the Riddler leaves cryptic messages for the police and Vengeance to uncover the corruption that lies beneath the city.
Reeves revealed the Riddler acts as an omnipresent ghost, using anonymity to his advantage and keeping a watchful eye out for the corrupt. In true 2022 fashion, the Riddler attempts to cancel Batman when he discovers the superhero is actually Bruce Wayne, a billionaire and heir to Wayne Enterprises.
The Riddler, who once related to the Batman for his efforts as a vigilante, grows disgusted with his affluence and loses composure in his cell at the Arkham Asylum after the Riddler is caught. Though Wayne’s inherited wealth has been glossed over in most Batman movies, the modern-day adaptation acknowledges Wayne’s privilege and aims to shed light on the fact that even superheroes have imperfections.
Reeve’s film also tackles issues of corruption in government and abuse of power through the Penguin, a villainous businessman who runs an illegal drug operation under the corrupt Gotham. The Penguin in 2022 nods to the modern-day corruption and abuse of power seen in government both in Gotham and in the United States.
Zoë Kravitz reinvents Catwoman as the slick and savvy Selina. She proves she can fight her own battles, and oftentimes rebels against Batman when he tries to calm her storm. The film allows Catwoman ample screen time compared to earlier renditions and portrays Selina as a powerful and independent superhero on her own terms.
The superhero universe is far from perfect, but with Reeve’s “The Batman” in theaters, audiences are able to understand the superhero in a new context and for a new generation. “The Batman” is currently only playing in theaters.
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Email Emma Ibarra: emma.ibarra@pepperdine.edu
