“The Batman” is one of the best movies of the year.

OK, the year’s still young.

Even so, “The Batman” is the best superhero movie in years. Comparisons can be made to “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” which opened in December 2021.

The two movies symbolize differences, at least for now, between the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Extended Universe.

“Spider-Man: No Way Home” uses multiple multi-verse images (Spider-Man in triplicate, for example), bright, splashy, computer-generated images that bend reality, and action scenes that flip by faster than the pages of a Marvel comic book.

“The Batman” is more visually rooted in reality, with a dark, rain-drenched Gotham City hiding not other universes but underground lairs (Batman’s, of course; a nightclub within a nightclub), and bone-crushing action scenes that shake your seat in the Dolby Cinema at AMC.

Playing the role of Batman has become a rite of passage (if you can, pun intended, get the right to do so) for Hollywood A-Lister actors.

Here’s a “Batman 101” refresher course on Caped Crusaders in recent theatrical motion picture releases starring the Caped Crusader:

Ben Affleck, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” 2016; “Justice League,” 2017

Christian Bale, “Batman Begins,” 2005; “The Dark Knight,” 2008; “The Dark Knight Rises.” 2012

George Clooney, “Batman & Robin,” 1997

Val Kilmer, ”Batman Forever,” 1995

Michael Keaton, “Batman,” 1989

Robert Lowery, “Batman,” 1949

Lewis Wilson, “Batman,” 1943

Will Arnett was the voice of Batman, “The Lego Movie,” 2014; “The Lego Batman Movie,” 2017; “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part,” 2019.

Adam West brought the “Pow! Bang! Zoom!” to the campy Batman TV show (1966-1968) and a theatrical release, 1966

Batman, created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, first appeared in Detective Comics No. 27 in May 1939.

Portraying Batman on the big screen is not unlike assaying the role of Hamlet on stage. Each actor, working with a director, of course, brings his interpretation to the role.

Robert Pattinson (“The Lighthouse,” 2019; “The Twilight Saga,” 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012), the sixth Batman in contemporary theatrical releases, portrays a brooding Bruce Wayne aka Batman in “The Batman.”

Pattinson uses a deep voice with a deliberate delivery. He moves in an economical style. What’s more, Pattinson has the physical stature for the role. Even though for most of the film, Pattinson is in the bat suit with only lips and eyes revealed, he projects a sense of power and foreboding.

Zoey Kravitz (TV’s “Big Little Lies,” 2017-2019) is amazing as Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman. She is charming, humorous and packs a powerful kick. Kravitz and Pattinson are well-cast opposite each other.

The entire casting is excellent, no more so than an almost unrecognizable Colin Farrell (The Penguin), Jeffrey Wright (Lt. James Gordon, a city police department officer), Paul Dano (The Riddler, behind a mask for most of the film and then really creepy when unmasked), John Turturro (Carmine Falcone), Andy Serkis (Alfred, Bruce Wayne’s servant), Peter Sarsgaard (District Attorney Gil Colson).

But it all comes down to an excellent screenplay co-written by Matt Reeves and Peter Craig (“Bad Boys for Live,” 2020; “The Hunger Games,” 2015, 2014), which connects the dots, has good dialogue and provides a good mix of scenes that develop each character and dispense action. There’s a backstory that involves Bruce Wayne’s father, the charitable foundation his father founded, and an orphanage the foundation funded.

More important than the plot and storyline, however, is the brilliant direction by Reeves (“War for the Planet of the Apes,” 2017; “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” 2014; “Cloverfield,” 2008). Reeves creates a world of woe, a world that seems oppressive and heavy. It is the world of Batman, the world of Gotham, a world of corruption and intrigue.

Batman, working with Lt. Gordon, becomes the Caped Sleuth, following the clues to solve the crime of the murder of the mayor of Gotham. The movie becomes, by turns, a gripping procedural, a Crime Scene Investigation, a sort of “CSI: Gotham.” Call it “Law & Order: Special Batman Unit.”

The screenplay references the latest in technology, utilizing real-time cell-phone streaming, pre-set explosive devices prompts, TV news coverage and the like to advance the plot. The movie depicts these occurrences unfolding in fascinating and unexpected ways. The plot also involves cyber-terrorism, an eco-terrorist and a sociopath bomber.

Director of Photography Greig Fraser (Oscar nominee, cinematography, “Dune, Part One,” 2021) uses a lot of closeups, interesting camera angles and standard scene-setters to give the film the feel of a traditional studio film.

Production Designer James Chinlund (“War for the Planet of the Apes,” “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”) has created a world unto its own that is startling, disturbing and intriguing.

The costume designers includes David Crossman and Glyn Dillon for the batsuit and Jacqueline Durran.

Batman and Catwoman ride custom track-racing style motorcycles. The Batmobile looks like it’s a rocket-powered muscle car.

The score by Michael Giacchino (Oscar recipient, original score, “Up,” 2009) is thematic, propulsive and engrossing.

It’s called “The Batman” for a reason. “The Batman” sets a new standard for the DC Batman franchise, superhero movies and blockbuster theatrical movie releases.

“The Batman,”

MPAA Rated PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. Parents are urged to be cautious. Some material may be inappropriate for pre-teenagers.) for strong violent and disturbing content, drug content, strong language, and some suggestive material; Genre: Action, Crime, Drama; Run time: 2 hours, 56 minutes. Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Credit Readers Anonymous:

“The Batman” includes a glowing green cursor-style “Good Bye ?” at the very end of the concluding credits. The film was lensed in Chicago; Glasgow, Scotland; and Liverpool, London and Leavesden Studios, England. The soundtrack includes “Something in the Way” by Nirvana.

At The Movies:

“The Batman” was seen in Dolby Cinema at AMC. It’s a great theater in which to see a big, action, special-effects film.

Theatrical Movie Box Office,

March 11 - 13: “The Batman” continued at No. 1 for the second week in a row, with a still strong $66.5 million in 4,417 theaters, $239 million, two weeks.

2. “Uncharted” continued in place, with $9.2 million in 3,725 theaters, $113.3 million, four weeks. 3. “BTS Permission to Dance on Stage - Seoul: Live Viewing,” opening, $6.8 million, in 803 theaters. 4. “Dog” dropped one place, $5.2 million, in 3,407 theaters, $47.6 million, four weeks. 5. “Spider-Man: No Way Home” dropped one place, $4 million, in 2,702 theaters, $792.2 million, 13 weeks. 6. “Death on the Nile” dropped one place, $2.4 million, in 2,430 theaters, $40.7 million, five weeks. 7. “Radhe Shyam,” opening, $1.8 million, in 800 theaters. 8. “Sing 2” dropped two places, $1.6 million, in 1,998 theaters, $155.8 million, 12 weeks. 9. “Jackass Forever” dropped two places, $1 million, 1,981 theaters, $56.2 million, six weeks. 10. “Scream” stayed in place, $469,395, in 664 theaters, $80.9 million, nine weeks.

Box office information from Box Office Mojo as of March 13 is subject to change.

Unreel,

March 18:

“The Outfit,”

R: Graham Moore directs Mark Rylance, Zoey Deutch, Dylan O’Brien and Johnny Flynn in the Crime Drama. A tailor must outwit mobsters on a fateful night.

“Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre,”

No MPAA rating: Guy Ritchie directs Jason Statham, Aubrey Plaza, Josh Hartnett and Cary Elwes in the Action, Comedy, Thriller. A special agent recruits a Hollywood movie star for an undercover mission.

“X,”

R: Ti West directs Jenna Ortega, Mia Goth, Brittany Snow and Martin Henderson in the Horror film. Young filmmakers making an adult film in rural Texas in 1979 are caught in the act by some elderly folks.

“Umma,”

PG-13: Iris K. Shim directs Sandra Oh, Odeya Rush, Dermot Mulroney and Fivel Stewart in the Horror film. A woman and her daughter living on an American farm are haunted by the remains of her dead mother from Korea.

“Jujutsu Kaisen: The Movie,”

PG-13: Seong-Hu Park directs Chinatsu Akasaki, Aya Endô, Kana Hanazawa and Show Hayami in the Animation, Action, Fantasy. A high school student enrolls in the Tokyo Prefectural Jujutsu High School.

“Alice,”

R: Krystin Ver Linden directs Keke Palmer, Common, Jonny Lee Miller and Gaius Charles in the Drama. A slave in the antebellum South escapes a plantation.

Movie opening dates from Internet Movie Database as of March 13 is subject to change.

Five Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes