The Batman
When a sadistic serial killer begins murdering key political figures in Gotham, the Batman is forced to investigate the city's hidden corruption and question his family's involvement.
Despite a major studio investment of $185.0M, The Batman became a box office success, earning $772.3M worldwide—a 317% return. This commercial performance validated the ambitious narrative scope, confirming that audiences embrace innovative storytelling even at blockbuster scale.
Nominated for 3 Oscars. 39 wins & 175 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
The Batman (2022) exemplifies meticulously timed plot construction, characteristic of Matt Reeves's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 11-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours and 57 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.6, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Bruce Wayne narrates his journal about fear and vengeance as Batman, establishing his identity as a creature of the night who strikes fear into criminals. Gotham is drowning in crime and corruption.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 20 minutes when The Riddler kills Commissioner Savage and leaves another message for Batman with a cipher. Batman realizes he's being specifically targeted by a serial killer who sees him as part of the game, escalating the stakes beyond random crime-fighting.. At 11% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
At 88 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Significantly, this crucial beat Batman and Gordon discover that District Attorney Gil Colson has been captured by the Riddler with a bomb collar. At the funeral, Riddler forces a public revelation that everyone in power is compromised. The stakes raise massively—this is now a public spectacle and the corruption goes deeper than imagined., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 132 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Batman visits Alfred in the hospital and learns the painful truth: Thomas Wayne asked Falcone to intimidate a journalist, which led to murders. Bruce's father was complicit in corruption. Everything Bruce built his identity on—his family's honor—is shattered., illustrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 141 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Batman races to Gotham Square Garden as the city floods. He fights the Riddler's followers, saves the people trapped in the arena, and particularly rescues the new mayor. He becomes a beacon of hope, literally leading people to safety with a flare, embodying the hero Gotham needs., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
The Batman's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 11 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping The Batman against these established plot points, we can identify how Matt Reeves utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish The Batman within the action genre.
Matt Reeves's Structural Approach
Among the 5 Matt Reeves films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.8, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. The Batman takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Matt Reeves filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional action films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid. For more Matt Reeves analyses, see Cloverfield, Let Me In and The Pallbearer.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Bruce Wayne narrates his journal about fear and vengeance as Batman, establishing his identity as a creature of the night who strikes fear into criminals. Gotham is drowning in crime and corruption.
Theme
At the crime scene, Lieutenant Gordon tells Batman about the message left for him: "No more lies." The Riddler's first puzzle introduces the theme that Gotham's institutions are built on lies and corruption that must be exposed.
Worldbuilding
Batman operates in a Gotham consumed by crime. We meet Alfred, Gordon, the mayor's murder scene, Selina Kyle at the Iceberg Lounge, and the corrupt power structure. Bruce is isolated, vengeful, and his approach is brutal but unfocused.
Disruption
The Riddler kills Commissioner Savage and leaves another message for Batman with a cipher. Batman realizes he's being specifically targeted by a serial killer who sees him as part of the game, escalating the stakes beyond random crime-fighting.
Resistance
Batman and Gordon investigate the Riddler's clues, leading them deeper into Gotham's corruption. Batman meets Selina Kyle and begins working with her. He discovers connections between the mayor, Falcone, and institutional corruption. Batman debates how far to go and whether this is his fight alone.
Act II
ConfrontationPremise
Batman and Selina work together investigating the Iceberg Lounge, interrogating the Penguin in an epic car chase, discovering Annika's death, and uncovering the depths of corruption involving Renewal funds. The detective thriller premise plays out in full.
Midpoint
Batman and Gordon discover that District Attorney Gil Colson has been captured by the Riddler with a bomb collar. At the funeral, Riddler forces a public revelation that everyone in power is compromised. The stakes raise massively—this is now a public spectacle and the corruption goes deeper than imagined.
Opposition
The Riddler's plans intensify. Batman confronts Falcone and discovers Bruce's father's connection to the mob. The Riddler murders Falcone. Alfred is nearly killed by a bomb. Batman's entire worldview—his family legacy, his mission, his identity—is under assault.
Collapse
Batman visits Alfred in the hospital and learns the painful truth: Thomas Wayne asked Falcone to intimidate a journalist, which led to murders. Bruce's father was complicit in corruption. Everything Bruce built his identity on—his family's honor—is shattered.
Crisis
Bruce processes the revelation about his father and confronts what this means for his mission. The Riddler is captured but Batman feels no victory. He sits in darkness questioning everything, while Selina prepares to leave Gotham. Batman is at his lowest emotionally.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
Batman races to Gotham Square Garden as the city floods. He fights the Riddler's followers, saves the people trapped in the arena, and particularly rescues the new mayor. He becomes a beacon of hope, literally leading people to safety with a flare, embodying the hero Gotham needs.