How Twitter Reacted To The Batman

It's been just over a year and a half since we were delivered one of the best movie trailers of all time, and now that film has landed on the big screen. At 2020's DC FanDome event, the first teaser of "The Batman" was released to the world, and it promised to be a spectacle from the get-go. Now that some lucky audiences have been able to check out the movie, it's confirmed that this film is everything it was suspected of being — a riveting dark thriller with one of the best Batman's ever to don the cowl.

Even before fans were able to get themselves in seats, critics and press members were able to see Matt Reeves' take on the Dark Knight, and they too — for the most part — were beyond impressed. Some of the first reactions to "The Batman" called it "sensational," "gripping," and "one helluva movie." When it comes to our newest Caped Crusader, it was also said that "Pattinson will be your new favourite Batman."

Of course, critics and audiences don't always align — unless we're talking about Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight" — so let's see what the fans had to say on Twitter about "The Batman" and if it lives up to all the hype.

As to be expected, the biggest thing fans are talking about on Twitter is Robert Pattinson's portrayal of Batman and Bruce Wayne — which are two very different things, by the way. It's hard to find a criticism of Battinson on the bird app, with many praising his performance as the Dark Knight. User @collihelo wrote, "I admit I'm in love with Robert Pattinson's Batman," while @meerienaa added, "Just saw #TheBatman and honestly Robert Pattinson was born to play this role. DAMN!" Others continued to praise Battinson, as @OkayWithLokay tweeted, "Pattinson is the best film adaptation of Batman we have seen."#RobertPattinson is the Batman all fans have been waiting for he was amazing the whole movie was amazing," @stoatyhedgehog added.

Moviegoers are ecstatic over Pattinson's ability to capture the essence of the titular character as well as his billionaire counterpart. "Yeah... Robert Pattinson is the best Bruce Wayne/Batman combo," @Lcyance tweeted. But how does Battinson compare to all those Caped Crusaders before him? Batman fans on Twitter definitely had their opinions on the matter. User @edgar_m89 wrote, "Robert Patterson just made it in my top 3 Batman. The cast was amazing and the riddler was great and Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman was phenomenal." 

There are actors with impressive range, and then there's Paul Dano. When Warner Bros. announced the "Prisoners" star would be playing the Riddler in 2019 (via The Hollywood Reporter), there wasn't much worrying from Batman fans on whether he'd be able to satisfy the character. There definitely was no need to worry, as Dano's performance in "The Batman" has been one of the major talking points on Twitter since its release.

One word seems to be coming up over and over again, as @edgerton_harvey wrote, "Paul Dano is simply terrifying as Edward Nashton/Riddler. His performance might be considered over the top for some but he is genuinely creepy, menacing and obsessive. Perfect casting for this character," while @stephc_3_ noted, "Riddler was creepy AF." Dano finds himself in the ranks of some of the best Batman villains ever to don the big screen, joining the likes of Heath Ledger's Joker and Tom Hardy's Bane. "Rob excels, but Dano's #Riddler is up there with some of the best villain performances in Batman history," @DarthCinema wrote.

Not only is Dano cementing himself as one of the best Batman villains, but one of the best overall. "Paul Dano absolutely killed it as the Riddler. His monologue towards the end of the movie is fantastic! One of the best live action supervillains in CBM history," exclaimed @loanie912.

Zoë Kravitz joins an impressive list of actresses who have played Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman, over the years. From the unforgettable Michelle Pfeiffer in "Batman Returns" to Eartha Kitt in television's "Batman," to the bad-but-not-Halle-Berry-bad Anne Hathaway in "The Dark Knight Rises," Kravitz certainly had some thigh-high boots to fill. It seems like she did the job, as @ZayyanFarooqi wrote, "Kravitz the greatest live-action #Catwoman, the entire cast is amazing," while @wickedjolie said, "I only have one thing to say, ZOE KRAVITZ's Catwoman is the best Catwoman. y'all better give her her own movie."

Some "The Batman" audience members felt Kravitz was the star of the show, as @NikkiFowler28 tweeted, "Zoe Kravitz is an absolute amazing actress and she stole this movie with her pure talent and smoldering performance as Catwoman." In a movie centered around Batman and the Riddler, the actress was not to be outshined. "Zoe Kravitz IS CATWOMAN," @thelilmountain wrote.

Oswald "Oz" Cobblepot, aka the Penguin, isn't a major player in "The Batman," but Colin Farrell's portrayal certainly has fans talking about the smaller role. "Colin Farrell BODIED that role! Like you wouldn't have even known that was him. Not even a hint. Gary Oldman couldn't have transformed better than he did here. And the makeup team that is responsible for that look deserves all the nods too," @arilimbrick tweeted shortly after seeing the film. That seems to be the consensus among fans, as many fans couldn't believe it was Farrell they were looking at. "I think I really enjoyed Colin Farrell as The Penguin. He stole the show for me. Really looking forward to the spin-off show, OZ is just starting," @DCPRIMETV added.

In such a dark tale, it was nice to have something to laugh at once and a while. More often than not, those chuckles came from Oz. "Colin Farrell's performance was *chef's kiss* He's maddening, cunning, sappy, and deliver such a great comic relief," @sadturngirl tweeted. Other moviegoers feel this could be a turning point in Farrell's career, with @e_zraa writing, "What an Oscar performance from Colin Farrell as the Penguin."

Jeffrey Wright also had some large shoes to fill, especially with two Academy Award winners playing James Gordon before him. It looks like Wright excelled, and some felt he did so because of his connection with Robert Pattinson. "Pattinson[s] presence, the chilling sound design, and the dynamic between Batman and Gordon are EXCELLENT," @LeoRydelGG tweeted. "I thought Jeffrey Wright as Gordon and his relationship with Battinson was at the heart of the movie," @daavidthompson added.

Many were excited when Wright was cast in the film, as the actor has certainly built up a well-respected reputation over the last decade. His talents definitely carried over to "The Batman." "Jeffrey Wright as Gordon IS SO DAMN GOOD. Such a sense of earnest intentions and his relationship with Batman and by proxy the rest of the GCPD is played perfectly," @BatmanFiles tweeted. "Jeffrey is what commish Gordon should be," @portjc24 wrote. Although Wright dodges questions left and right about his role in the upcoming HBO Max Gotham PD series, his performance in "The Batman" will undoubtedly have those who aren't subscribed signing up — if he's in it, that is. "Jeffrey Wright needs to be the star of the Gotham PD show. He's not supposed to be, but he needs to be. That dude killed it as Gordon," @Knuckle_HeadTV tweeted after watching the film.

There were two other prominent actors in supporting roles in "The Batman," but they didn't seem to generate as much conversation as their co-stars. This doesn't mean they weren't good in their own right; they just didn't steal the show. When it came to John Turturro's Carmine Falcone, fans seem to be divided. "Turturro is magnetic as Falcone," @iAmMarkusStan tweeted, while @TheSubraman wrote, "Unfortunately felt Carmine Falcone was miscast — expected Vito Corleone, and got Fredo."

As far as Alfred Pennyworth is concerned, viewers seemed to be on opposite sides of the spectrum yet again when it came to Andy Serkis' role. "FORGIVE ME ANDY SERKIS FOR I HAVE DOUBT ON YOUR ALFRED PENNYWORTH," @sadturngirl shared on Twitter. "Sadly, Serkis' Alfred barely registers, to the point that he may as well have not even been in the film," @arcticninjapaul added to the conversation. To balance things out, one Serkis supporter wrote, "Andy Serkis is amazing as usual with his portrayal of Alfred Pennyworth but he unfortunately doesn't get to do much."

Most comic book movies have that one scene that gets everyone talking on their way out of the theater. The Battle of Earth in "Avengers: Endgame," No Man's Land in "Wonder Woman," and that whole Martha conundrum in "Batman v Superman" were all major talking points after the movies debuted. "The Batman" is no different, as it has one clear scene that seems to stand above all the rest. We won't spoil what exactly goes down in this scene, but it is the opening of the movie.

"The opening scene is so powerful and one of my favorite scenes in all of film. Thank you @mattreevesLA & co. for this masterpiece," @4themarauders tweeted with excitement. "Can't stop thinking about #TheBatman and THAT opening scene. Definitely not gonna be able to sleep much tonight," @reneiscursed added of its creepy nature. "The opening scene in #TheBatman was one of the greatest I've ever seen," @reneiscursed added.

"The Dark Knight" has an amazing opening scene that really gave viewers an insight as to how horrific that Joker (Heath Ledger) was going to be. Some viewers think "The Batman" might take the cake on openers, though. "Best Batman movie opening that I've ever watched," @utamadima wrote. "I fell in love with this movie after its brilliant opening sequence," @Burly__Bear added.

You can't have a Batman movie without a Batmobile, and most fans have their favorite iteration from over the years. Robert Pattinson's Batmobile is another great addition to a very lengthy list, and it looks like it might rank toward the top. "Holy s*** the Batmobile in #TheBatman was something else... and that just the first iteration of it????" @Sam_Woodforth asked with a ton of energy. "The Batmobile in #TheBatman totally gives off vibes of Stephen King's Christine in my opinion. That whole car chase sequence you've seen from the trailer is intense and frightening in all the best ways," @nkvaughn1224 added.

A lot of "The Batman" viewers were also really surprised with the energy in the theater when the Batmobile made its debut. It appears as if the intense sound paired with its reveal was enough to rev anyone's engine. "Batmobile is insane. The sound it makes on the big screen and how Bat controls it is ridiculously fun," @bryw00d wrote. "Standout moment: The intro of the Batmobile. Felt it in my bones," @kieran_shaker added.

Not only is "The Batman" a visual spectacle, but it's one hell of a treat for the ears as well. A surprising amount of tweets praised the score by Michael Giacchino ("Spider-Man: No Way Home," "Rogue One"). "@m_giacchino 's batman theme is stuck in my head. it's just so damn good," @eobardthawnedcu tweeted. "THE MUSIC SCORES ON BATMOBILE CHASE SCENE ARE EFFIN GOOOOOOOOOD," @zaimfikri_ added.

A movie's score is so important to the experience and the film itself, and casual moviegoers can easily overlook it. But when that score is absolute perfection, it becomes a major talking point. "My god the music was PHENOMENAL," @xbrandi tweeted, while @RyanOTooleMR wrote, "Michael Giacchino's Score slaps so freaking hard!!"

For comic book movie fans who were ecstatic about Giacchino's work on "The Batman," they'll be pleased to know he is also the composer for the upcoming "Thor: Love and Thunder."

There was no way "The Batman" wasn't going to be compared to "The Dark Knight," which many long hailed as the best superhero movie of all time. Fans who were able to catch the new film early started comparing it to the Christopher Nolan film right away. "#TheBatman is the second best superhero movie of all time, just behind The Dark Knight," @batmznr wrote, while @pchidichimo3 was on the opposite side of the spectrum saying, "@mattreevesLA gave me #TheBatman film of my dreams. Something I've been waiting for since Batman: The Animated Series. I've never seen something & have been absolutely sure if something but I'm 100% sure this is the best Batman film we've ever gotten. & my absolute favorite ever."

A general consensus seems to be that the movies are also hard to compare, with many fans unable to make a choice between the two. "The Batman >= The Dark Knight," @yury_machadooo tweeted. "#TheBatman might be the single greatest batman movie I've ever seen. Is it better than The Dark Knight?!!!" @InJEVONweTrust wondered.

Every party has a pooper, and that's why we invited these Twitter users. Unfortunately, not everyone who has seen "The Batman" was absolutely blown away. Keep in mind negative tweets were very few and far between — but still out there. "If there's one critique I have of the movie, it's that I really do think it would've benefited from having a hard R rating. There definitely were some parts that felt restrained so they could keep it PG-13," @POTK_Ken tweeted. Okay, so maybe the negative tweets really aren't even that negative. It's a true testament to how excellent this film is — even the tweets that aren't bowing down are still excited about the movie.

"First two acts i'm thinking this is the best Batman film ever made. The third act was very mediocre," @chrisfawkes added to the conversation. "It was missing that WOW factor for me. There is a lot to digest and unwrap and I will watch it again and maybe love it the 2nd time around, who knows," @DwaneDaze wrote of their experience.

It hardly looks as if anyone who saw "The Batman" was completely disappointed with it. Moviegoers were either absolutely enthralled or had a few things they'd do differently. We'd call that a major success, especially in this over-the-top comic book movie era.

Overall, it seems like "The Batman" has cemented itself as one of the greatest comic book movies of all time. While it technically is a superhero movie, it doesn't necessarily feel like one. "The Batman" is an action-thriller to its core, and fans couldn't be happier with it. "10/10 This is the live-action Batman film I've always wanted," @NamorIsRight wrote. Another user, @lousmurdock, added how taken they were with the whole experience, writing, "#TheBatman WAS SO AMAZING IM SHAKING." Some fans were so ecstatic with what they saw they were speechless. "Just walked out of #TheBatman and I have no words," @dorkseid38 tweeted.

Other sentiments for "The Batman" suggest it's an incredibly well-rounded flick. "They nailed #TheBatman from start to finish," @Johnny_Mizzou_ wrote, while @ashen_gd added, "#TheBatman is a masterpiece. One of the best superhero movies ever." Another fan believes "The Batman" is going to kick off something bigger and better for the studio, as @dlmh_7 tweeted, "Just [saw] #TheBatman and that was AMAZING!!!! #WarnerBros has a new legacy on their hands!!!"

Several moviegoers couldn't wait to get back in the theater, with it looking like one viewing isn't enough. "#TheBatman was freaking amazing. Can't wait to see it again Saturday. Robert is Batman hands down," @Cusnik1 wrote. "I need some time to process this masterpiece," @leleoaragao added. All in all, fans of the Dark Knight are not going to be disappointed with "The Batman," and it's been worth the years of hype and production delays.