Skip to main content
  • TotalFilm
  • Edge
  • Newsarama
  • Retrogamer
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Best Netflix Shows
Don't miss these
Hero Fiennes Tiffin as Sherlock Holmes during the new show, Young Sherlock.
Streaming Services 6 new movies and shows to watch this weekend on Netflix, Prime, Disney Plus, and more (March 6-8)
David Corenswet as Superman
Superhero Movies How to watch DC movies in order (release date and chronological)
Barry Keoghan as Duke Shelby walking in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man
Crime Movies Netflix's new Peaky Blinders movie debuts to rave reviews and a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams in Wonder Man.
Superhero Shows Wonder Man review: "A low-key gem that's up there with the MCU's best"
Best Batman games: Batman getting ready to punch someone with Gotham in the background.
Action Games Ranking the best Batman games
Jessie Buckley in The Bride
Horror Movies The Bride first reactions say Jessie Buckley's new Frankenstein movie is "what Joker 2 desperately wished it was"
Ralph Fiennes as Dr. Kelson in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
Horror Movies 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple review: "The wildest and weirdest entry into the franchise yet"
Oona Chaplin as Varang in Avatar: Fire and Ash
Sci-Fi Movies Avatar: Fire and Ash review: "Still a technical marvel, with some of the year's best action filmmaking"
Jessie Buckley as Ida/Penny in The Bride
Horror Movies The Bride earns mixed first reviews, as critics call it everything from "a modern classic" to "unholy mess"
Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace in Project Hail Mary
Sci-Fi Movies Project Hail Mary review: "Large scale sci-fi with tons of heart"
Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers in Scream 7
Horror Movies Despite mixed reviews and a poor Rotten Tomatoes score, Scream 7 opens to franchise best $97.2 million worldwide
Mabel and a lizard in Pixar's Hoppers
Animated Movies Hoppers debuts to $88 million at the box office, the best opening weekend for an original animated movie since Coco
Hoppers
Animated Movies Bonkers beaver comedy Hoppers earns Pixar's highest Rotten Tomatoes score in almost 10 years
Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne during The Batman
DC Movies The Batman 2 release date, cast, plot, and everything else you need to know about the upcoming DC movie
Best superhero movies: close-up images of Captain America, Batman, and Wonder Woman.
Superhero Movies The 25 best superhero movies of all time
  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies
  3. Action Movies
  4. DC Movies
  5. The Batman

The Batman fans react on opening weekend: a "masterpiece" and the best comic book movie ever

News
By Bradley Russell published 4 March 2022

Paul Dano's Riddler matches up to Heath Ledger's Joker

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

The Batman
(Image credit: Warner Bros)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Get the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter

The Batman is here – and fans on opening weekend are already falling over themselves to shower the movie with praise on social media.

Let’s start big. "10/10, best [comic book movie]" wrote one fan on Twitter. "I can honestly say Robert Pattinson is my favourite live-action Batman."

The overwhelmingly positive reactions don’t stop there. "No way around it. This movie is a masterpiece," another remarked. "The way Matt Reeves reels you in from the cinematography and hair raising music score from Michael Giacchino. The Batman is THE Batman movie."

You may like
  • Ben Affleck as Batman in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice Zack Snyder explains why Ben Affleck is the best big-screen Batman we ever had: “Of anybody who’s played Batman, Ben is the best Bruce Wayne.”
  • Best Batman games: Batman getting ready to punch someone with Gotham in the background. Ranking the best Batman games
  • Superman kisses Lois Lane in James Gunn's Superman The 20 best movies on HBO Max to watch right now

Journalist Richard Newby also put the spotlight on Giacchino’s soundtrack: "Michael Giacchino always been a GOAT but #TheBatman score might be his finest work. I mean people were talking about the music leaving the theater, which in my experience is a rarity."

Elsewhere, those who have already seen The Batman made a point of focusing on Paul Dano’s performance as the Riddler.

The verdict? "Dano might be a better villain than [Heath Ledger’s Joker], need a second watch to confirm." Another said, "Paul Dano’s performance as the Riddler will go down in history." One account felt similarly, adding that, “Paul Dano is the best villain since Heath Ledger.”

Others praised the entire cast: "Robert Pattinson is now my favorite Batman," a viewer wrote on Twitter. "Zoë Kravitz is now my favorite Catwoman (I need that spinoff). Jeffrey Wright is fantastic. Paul Dano’s Riddler is up there with Heath Ledger’s Joker not even kidding."

Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

One simply put: "The Batman = kino." We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.


Seen The Batman? Do we have a treat for you. Here are all the guides on the movie, from Easter eggs to secret messages, and beyond.

  • The Batman Easter eggs and references
  • The Batman secret message you missed
  • Was Joaquin Phoenix's Joker meant to be in The Batman?
  • When is The Batman on HBO Max?
  • The best Batman movies, ranked!

Plus, if you’re down for more DC fun, here’s a rundown on how to watch the DC movies in order.

CATEGORIES
Netflix Amazon Prime Video Streaming Services
Bradley Russell
Bradley Russell
Social Links Navigation
Senior Entertainment Writer

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.

Read more
Ben Affleck as Batman in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice
Zack Snyder explains why Ben Affleck is the best big-screen Batman we ever had: “Of anybody who’s played Batman, Ben is the best Bruce Wayne.”
 
 
Best Batman games: Batman getting ready to punch someone with Gotham in the background.
Ranking the best Batman games
 
 
Superman kisses Lois Lane in James Gunn's Superman
The 20 best movies on HBO Max to watch right now
 
 
Barry Keoghan as Duke Shelby walking in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man
Netflix's new Peaky Blinders movie debuts to rave reviews and a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score
 
 
David Corenswet in costume Superman, with a blue GamesRadar+ Best of 2025 logo in the top right
Superman captured my heart as the 2025 movie of the year with its hopeful rejection of cynicism
 
 
Jessie Buckley in The Bride
The Bride first reactions say Jessie Buckley's new Frankenstein movie is "what Joker 2 desperately wished it was"
 
 
Latest in DC Movies
Ben Affleck as Batman and Henry Cavill as Superman standing in the rain during the DC movie Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
Zack Snyder didn’t think Batman v Superman needed Dawn of Justice in the title: "They're just massive IP"
 
 
Ben Affleck as Batman in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice
Zack Snyder explains why Ben Affleck is the best big-screen Batman we ever had: “Of anybody who’s played Batman, Ben is the best Bruce Wayne.”
 
 
Zack Snyder's Justice League
Zack Snyder says "we talked about" continuing the Snyderverse in a comic or animated movie
 
 
Ben Affleck as Batman and Henry Cavill as Superman standing in the rain during the DC movie Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
Zack Snyder thinks "it's fine to make fun of Martha", but Batman v Superman criticism is coming from the wrong place
 
 
Ben Affleck in Zack Snyder's Justice League
Zack Snyder would "still make Dark Knight Returns as a film" even though he admits he did "steal" from the comic
 
 
A legion of different incarnations of Brainiac
James Gunn explains his comic influences for Man of Tomorrow's Brainiac, including the classic story he's not adapting
 
 
Latest in News
Yuta getting ready to attack in Jujutsu Kaisen season 3
Jujutsu Kaisen actor offers perfect response to why AI should stay out of anime
 
 
Pickmon
Pokemon fan artist alleges new Palworld clone Pickmon "stole one of my designs"
 
 
Life is Strange
Join Chloe and Max on a "fiery weekend" for a better glimpse into Life is Strange: Reunion at the Future Games Show this week
 
 
Mortal Kombat movie
Mortal Kombat 2 star joins in with Street Fighter movie beef after Game Awards dig because he "loves a good rivalry"
 
 
Mackenyu as Zoro in One Piece season 2
One Piece season 2 actor Mackenyu says he learned Roronoa Zoro's 15-minute 1 vs 100 fight in just 6 hours
 
 
Fujino and Kyomoto eating in Look Back
Live-action adaptation of Chainsaw Man creator's Look Back will escape Japanese cinemas and come to the west
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Virtual Boy for Switch 2 sitting on coffee table with TV in backdrop displaying Wario Land gameplay.
    1
    I respect the Virtual Boy as a collectable Switch 2 gadget, but it’s not exactly a retro console remake
  2. 2
    Bizarre Lineage codes (March 2026) for free Stat Point Essence, Rare Chests, and more
  3. 3
    The Thrustmaster T248R is making me question where a sim racing wheel with no direct drive and no modular wheelbase fits in the market in 2026
  4. 4
    These Mario Day-inspired Switch 2 accessories will power up your console more than a super star
  5. 5
    Pokemon fan artist alleges new Palworld clone Pickmon "stole one of my designs," saying "they didn't even try to change something and make it a bit less obvious"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...