Matt Reeves' The Batman (2022) is a dense, three-hour "super-noir" that successfully reboots the franchise by trading typical superhero spectacle for a grounded, serial killer procedural. A New Vision for the Dark Knight This iteration finds Bruce Wayne in his second year as a vigilante, operating as a "nocturnal animal" driven by raw vengeance rather than polished justice. 10 sites “The Batman” (2022) Review - Victor DeBonis - Medium Mar 5, 2022 —

The answer, the film suggests, is method and empathy. The Riddler targets specific corrupt figures (the mayor, the police commissioner, the DA) and broadcasts their sins to a disenfranchised online following. Batman, by contrast, is initially driven by a vague, primal need to “strike fear.” He is not a detective solving crimes to help victims; he is a creature of the night lashing out at criminals. The film’s brilliant midpoint revelation—that Bruce’s beloved father, Thomas Wayne, was not the saintly man he believed, but a man who made a corrupt bargain—shatters Batman’s moral certainty. He is forced to realize that the rot he fights begins at home.

As of May 2026, you can legally stream, rent, or buy the full movie across several major digital platforms:

The main plot revolves around a serial killer known as The Riddler (played by Paul Dano), who is terrorizing Gotham City with a series of gruesome murders. The Riddler, aka Edward Nigma, is a former obsessive-compulsive disorder patient who has become fixated on proving that everyone is as corrupt as he is.

Watch a collection of Batman movies and shows on HBO Max. Plans start at $10.99/month. The Batman Director Explains Why It's Not Rated R - Variety