Is The Batman OK for Kids? - Parent's Guide and Movie Review

(L-r) ZOË KRAVITZ as Selina Kyle and ROBERT PATTINSON as Batman and in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure “THE BATMAN,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

The caped crusader is back for the latest installment in the popular DC Comics franchise with the release of The Batman in March 2022.  The "dark knight" has always been a more brooding superhero, but this masked vigilante is still a fan favorite for kids.  But, is The Batman OK for kids?  Before we break down whether or not this movie is a good bet for your family in my parent's guide below, let's first take a look a the film itself.

The Batman - Movie Review

Always steeped in crime, Gotham City is in the days leading up to the next mayoral election when a series of high profile murders occur.  Each murder scene is carefully crafted with clues for Batman to solve as he works alongside one of Gotham's finest, James Gordon, and Catwoman, who is on her own quest for vengeance.  As they work together to identify the Riddler and end the violent crime spree, they must also unmask the corruption and greed that has plagued Gotham for years - while Batman must also face some hard questions about his family's secrets.  

ROBERT PATTINSON as Bruce Wayne in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure “THE BATMAN,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

Robert Pattison (yes, the Twilight actor all grown up) stars in The Batman and delivers a solid performance.  Quite honestly, I loved him as Batman, but he left me desiring a little more as Bruce Wayne.  Maybe it's his Twilight past that haunted me in the film, but anytime I saw him as Bruce Wayne I felt that he was a little too gothic teenager - not the more suave and polished Wayne that we've grown accustomed to in performances from other actors.  He did carry the bat suit well though!  Zoë Kravitz is a fantastic Catwoman - strong, beautiful, and not afraid to mix it up with the boys.  Also of note is Colin Farrell as The Penguin.  I wouldn't have recognized him if I didn't know that he was playing the character!

The Batman clocks in at almost three hours, but I thought it filled the time well.  It's part mystery whodunit, part action movie, and part love letter to DC comic fans.  The movie is dark - both in tone and just in its color scheme - but all of that adds to the mystery.  I felt like I was on the GCPD solving the clues along the way to piece together what was happening.  I'm not a hard core DC comics fan so I don't have the emotional connectedness to the film which probably also helps me just enjoy it for what it is - a very good movie that I will enjoy watching again!

The Batman - Parent's Guide

So with the praises that the movie is receiving, are you OK to take your kids to see it?  Short answer - no.

The movie carries a PG-13 rating and for some good reasons.  The violence in the film is a little more intense than some other superhero films.  It's not so much about the blood and gore as it is about the creepy, horror of it all.  The ways the Riddler carries out his murders are pretty twisted and would be unsettling to most young viewers. . .and maybe some older ones too.  Of course, language is also a concern.

ROBERT PATTINSON as Batman in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure “THE BATMAN,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

The biggest reason The Batman is not kid friendly is that the story is not kid friendly.  The 3 hour time frame may test the attention spans of some adults and would tire out young minds along the way.  I enjoyed the full 3 hours as a psychological thriller - kids won't be able to follow along with the Riddler's clues and the major plot lines.

My recommendation on The Batman - stick to 13 and up for this one.  I even think it would be a challenge to watch this with anyone younger than high school.  Leave the kids at home and make this a date night!  

The Batman releases exclusively in theaters on March 4, 2022.

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About The Batman (From Warner Bros.)

From Warner Bros. Pictures comes Matt Reeves’ “The Batman,” starring Robert Pattinson in the dual role of Gotham City’s vigilante detective and his alter ego, reclusive billionaire Bruce Wayne.

 

Two years of stalking the streets as the Batman (Robert Pattinson), striking fear into the hearts of criminals, has led Bruce Wayne deep into the shadows of Gotham City. With only a few trusted allies—Alfred Pennyworth (Andy Serkis), Lt. James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright)—amongst the city’s corrupt network of officials and high-profile figures, the lone vigilante has established himself as the sole embodiment of vengeance amongst his fellow citizens.

 

When a killer targets Gotham’s elite with a series of sadistic machinations, a trail of cryptic clues sends the World’s Greatest Detective on an investigation into the underworld, where he encounters such characters as Selina Kyle/aka Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz), Oswald Cobblepot/aka the Penguin (Colin Farrell), Carmine Falcone (John Turturro), and Edward Nashton/aka the Riddler (Paul Dano). As the evidence begins to lead closer to home and the scale of the perpetrator’s plans becomes clear, Batman must forge new relationships, unmask the culprit, and bring justice to the abuse of power and corruption that has long plagued Gotham City.