Released at the beginning of March, The Batman has taken the internet by storm, but not for the typical reason you would expect from a superhero movie.

The movie is nearly three hours long. I know, usually long movies get you relatively bored at some point or another. Yet, this one is actually enjoyable, which is a feat given how monotonous some tend to be. The pacing, ambiance, and plot of the film were all so well executed that you feel catered to for once, as though the movie is taking you along for the ride instead of being dragged through it. 

Regarding what you’ve likely seen all over Twitter, Zoe Kravitz and Robert Pattinson were the stars of this movie. What makes these two beyond the typical attractive leads is their progressive appeal to their audience and genuine depth. Robert Pattinson isn’t forced into a heteronormative, overly masculine role; he plays his role to be a rather depressed but morally just person. Zoe Kravitz plays the role of Catwoman as strong and driven, and she makes sure to squash any of the audience’s possible objectification of her as a helpless love interest. She takes care of herself, fulfilling her own goals while holding her ground and calling Batman pet names. These characters don’t feel like typical eye candy, nor do they act like it.

The Batman is also a good reflection of the world recently, specifically regarding corruption in the government and society’s responses to it. The movie dives into how convoluted the systems in place are, as well as the dangers of the opposite extreme of vigilantism. The dangers of hive mind and the internet are brought up, and how moral righteousness in vigilantism is rare. Above all else, nobody needs to tell us that the world has shown its uglier colors lately, and this movie does well in representing the anger that comes with an unjust society. There is pessimism that things will never get better in both the movie and real life.

Yet, this movie also portrays a middle ground: one of not wanting to harm but recognizing how horrid the current systems are. Both Batman and many in our world have the will to keep trying. Many situations are complicated, and conflicts should not be categorized as black and white. All we can do is move forward and try our best within the gray area. “Restoring faith” in any of our systems is difficult because of blatant corruption, but they don’t ignore that in the movie. The movie doesn’t just bring these points up but adds to the conversation smoothly with its plot. It’s real and doesn’t feel like a thinly veiled attempt at relating to the audience’s struggles. Having such parallels with real life, combined with the attractive leads, the ambiance and pacing, and wonderful execution, all contributed to why The Batman has been such a hit.