Superhero movies are perhaps the most prevalent genre of the day. It’s almost guaranteed that there’s going to be a superhero movie playing when you walk into a theater, as the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Extended Universe continue to release movies. They’ve been exceedingly popular too, with Avengers: Endgame being the second highest grossing movie of all time.

Yet, there’s been some criticism that comes with this too. Many critics and several high profile filmmakers have accused the genre of becoming stale and over-represented in cinema, the most famous being Martin Scorsese, director of Goodfellas, The Wolf of Wall Street, and The Irishman.

Now, I like superhero movies. They’re fun little adventures that can get you a good time at the movies, and they bring forward classic characters to the screen.. But at the same time, as a writer and storyteller, I very much agree with Scorsese and co about the over-dominance of superhero movies in cinema. And as someone who is very critical of the capitalist system, I feel that studios are squashing original and groundbreaking stories in favor of sequels, reboots, and IP franchises, and that includes superhero movies.

Which is why I can confidently say that The Batman manages to stand out in a genre that is perhaps becoming a bit too oversaturated. It’s very much a film that appeals to both cinephiles and superhero fans at the same time, and most importantly, it feels like an auteur film. It feels like a movie that was made by a director with a vision.

But how does it do this? First, the color. The film has a dark orange tint to it that gives it a unique color scheme when compared to other superhero films. It’s shot like a noir thriller, which gives it a unique look that sticks with you even after you leave.

For comic fans, this one manages to add a whole new dimension to Batman/Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson), namely with the use of his detective abilities. A lot of previous Batman movies haven’t truly shown this side to the character, which allows this one to stand out. It also adapts his relationship with Catwoman (Zoe Kravitz) from the comics, which gives this film something else to give it energy. The Riddler (Paul Dano) is also given a Zodiac Killer vibe, that expertly updates the character for the 21st century.

Finally, the film feels like it was a story that needed to be told and wanted to be made. It expertly combines a superhero story with a gritty detective noir, with themes focused on corruption and abuse of power. It’s what superhero movies should be and it’s what I hope to see much more in the future.