16. The Batman
Emphasizing the “dark” in the Dark Knight, The Batman begins by showcasing Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson) as a rage-filled vigilante, unsure of his role, who finds himself hunting a sadistic, riddle-obsessed serial killer (Paul Dano) with ties to the Wayne family, the Mafia, and more. The Batmanthankfully set itself apart from other Bat-movies by focusing on the hero as a detective, but was made equally memorable by Zoe Kravitz’s excellent take on Catwoman and the relentless, utterly fantastic car chase after Penguin (an unrecognizable Colin Farrell). But what truly makes the movie one of 2022’s best is how at the end, it lifts Batman out of darkness—literally and figuratively—as the vigilante learns what Gotham City truly needs is a hero, not an avenger. We can’t wait to see what’s next.
