'The Batman' Is Available To Stream: Here's How To Watch
By Kristin Myers on April 25, 2022 at 7:30 AM EDT
2022’s “The Batman” is finally available to stream after being released on March 4.
The latest “Batman” movie, which was directed by Matt Reeves, features an all-star cast of Robert Pattinson; Zoë Kravitz; Paul Dano; Jeffrey Wright; John Turturro; Peter Sarsgaard; Andy Serkis; Colin Farrell.
The official synopsis reads: “Batman ventures into Gotham City's underworld when a sadistic killer leaves behind a trail of cryptic clues. As the evidence begins to lead closer to home and the scale of the perpetrator's plans become clear, he must forge new relationships, unmask the culprit and bring justice to the abuse of power and corruption that has long plagued the metropolis.”
Here’s How To Stream ‘The Batman’ At Home
“The Batman” is officially available to stream on HBO Max. The film is pretty lengthy at 2 hours and 56 minutes long, but has received positive reviews from critics. According to Rotten Tomatoes, it’s certified fresh at 86% and the audience score sits just above it at 87%.
The Critics Consensus reads: “A grim, gritty, and gripping super-noir, The Batman ranks among the Dark Knight's bleakest -- and most thrillingly ambitious -- live-action outings.”
The Audience Says reads: “It's long, but The Batman looks and sounds great, and its grounded take on Gotham is a solid fit for this Caped Crusader.”
Here’s a look at some of the most notable reviews from critics and what they think of the film.
Critics Call ‘The Batman’ A ‘Welcome Return For The Caped Crusader’
Katie Smith-Wong of Music Movies and Hoops wrote, “Thanks to Pattinson and Danos compelling performances, as well as Reevess ambitious direction, The Batman is an enthralling thriller and a welcome return for the Caped Crusader.”
Kathryn Reklis of The Christian Century wrote, “I didn’t think I wanted another Batman movie. But it turns out that Matt Reeves’s The Batman -- starring Robert Pattinson, who played Edward Cullen in the Twilight films -- has the Batman we need.”
Victor Pineyro of Seventh Art Studio wrote, “Matt Reeves and Robert Pattinson made it look easy to make a new great Batman movie. Greig Fraser, Colin Pharrell and Paul Dano steal the show. The best Gotham out there in a universe full of potential.” Pineyro gave the film an 8 out of 10.
Jared Mobarak wrote on his website that “Reeves takes inspiration from numerous comic storylines, mixing and matching to concoct an elaborate tapestry that overflows with iconic characters in differing stages of repute. While not as emotive as his Apes films, the blockbuster spectacle remain.” Mobarak also gave the film an 8 out of 10.
Matthew Jackson of Texas’ The Huntsville Item wrote, “It doesn’t execute every second of its runtime perfectly, but its sense of ambition and drive buoy its entire
epic narrative, giving us a reason to get excited about Batman at the movies once again.”
‘The Batman’ Failed To Convince All Critics That It’s Worth A Watch
Matthew Passantino of Big Picture Big Sound said that the film “offers several great action pieces, but the movie does begin to crumble under its own weight, both in terms of the near-three-hour runtime and its own self-importance.” He gave the film 2.5 out of 4 stars.
PJ Nabarro wrote on his website that “Although Matt Reeves does make attempts to inflect the tired subject matter with some virtuosity, the universe's over-familiarity and essential stodginess overrides any novelty, to my mind, at least.”
Nick Soulsby of PopMatters left the film a scathing review, writing, “Matt Reeves’ meandering faux-profound take on Batman spends its over-long runtime telling women to shut up and do as they’re told or face the consequences.”
Neil Morris of NC’s Chatham News wrote, “If you strip down the characters iconography deep enough, you are left not with a film about capital-B Batman but rather just a sullen sociopath who dresses up like a bat to fight bad guys.” Morris gave the film a score of a C+.
Andy Klein of FilmWeek for KPCC – NPR Los Angeles wrote, “You can call it brooding – I call it irritating.”
Most reviews, even the positive ones, felt that the movie was starting to crumble under the weight of its lengthy runtime. If you have some time to spare on a rainy weekend, then “The Batman” may be worth a watch. If watching Batman fight crime in Gotham was never your thing to begin with, you’re better off giving this movie a pass.
For those who can't make up their mind, checking out the trailer below might help.
