Still learning the ropes in his second year of fighting crime, a young Batman (Robert Pattinson) is on a mission to uncover corruption in Gotham City that could be connected to his own family. But he is forced to make new allies – including cat burglar Selina Kyle (Zoë Kravitz) – when his crimefighting efforts are hindered by a disfigured crime lord (Colin Farrell) and a vicious serial killer (Paul Dano) who communicates in riddles.

Matt Reeves (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Cloverfield) directs this long-gestating new take on the Dark Knight which explores Batman’s detective prowess for the first time, in a welcome difference to previous on-screen iterations of the characther. In fact, Reeves’ film shares more cinematic DNA in common with the works of David Fincher (Se7en, Zodiac) than the pun-filled bat-astrophes of its forebears. And at 176 minutes in length, there’s plenty to get excited about.