First, congratulations to the film’s producers for not giving us yet another origin movie. The Batman character is already very well known, and that particular story was overdone in the ‘Dark Knight’ movies.

Second, this is a very different type of Batman. This version is more realistic than Christian Bale’s apathetic incarnation. The film feels closer to The Joker from 2019. It is dark and gritty. Batman relies much less on technology, his grappling hook being his main weapon of choice and the Batmobile is a more believable muscle car.

The Riddler takes centre stage, challenging Gotham to face its many lies and accept that even people like Thomas Wayne had their faults. Corruption is still at the heart of the city and, the Riddler believes, violent destruction is the only means of cutting it out. This is a violent film. Batman relishes in getting his fists bloody, even if it means fighting cops.

Selina Kyle, AKA Catwoman, and the Penguin make creditable appearances, each suggesting that there will be more to come from Robert Pattinson’s Batman. If future scripts follow this lead then that will be a good thing. There is something much more satisfying about this representation of the vigilante. For the most part, Bruce Wayne is banished to the side-lines but when he does appear it is Andy Serkis as Alfred who steals their scenes.

Despite avoiding the backstory of Batman this is a long film, running for nearly 3 hours, but the story is engrossing. The Riddler’s plot is not overly intricate, but it does lead to a very forceful examination of corruption at the higher levels of society, which sends political shockwaves through the city almost as powerful as the disaster that has been planned for it. Whilst the Riddler is wrong in what he does there is no escaping the fact that he is right in revealing the ugly truth; whether crime boss, cop, politician, or philanthropist, everyone is tainted.

After the glitz and glamour of the Dark Knight, The Batman returns to the shadows, where he truly belongs, and seems all the more interesting for doing so.