Look, I get it. As much as I love Batman, at three hours long, Matt Reeves’ The Batman is just a bit too long for some busy fans to sit through. Even though the film might be one of the best comic book films to come out in recent memory, everyone can get a bit confused by everything going on with this version of the Dark Knight. For these reasons, here’s a handy guide on everything you need to know about Matt Reeves’ epic. Here is The Batman explained.

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The Dark Knight

The story of Robert Pattinson’s Batman is virtually the same as it has ever been. At a young age, Bruce Wayne loses his parents during a robbery, motivating him to become The Batman. Billionaire by day and vigilante by night, Bruce leads a dangerous double life.

His only support is his butler, Alfred, who’s also the man responsible for training Bruce in his superhero ways. By the time The Batman begins, Bruce has been the Caped Crusader for two years, and the name “Batman” already commands a certain degree of respect among Gotham’s criminals.

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Cops and Gangsters

The police in Gotham City is as corrupt and inept as they come. Most members of the force have ties with the mob in Gotham, which leads Batman to a prominent mob lieutenant making his way through the ranks: Oswald Cobblepot, better known as The Penguin.

Cobblepot works for Carmine Falcone, a respected crime boss. Batman meets the Penguin at a nightclub called the Iceberg Lounge, where he also meets a waitress known as Selina Kyle.

At the same time, a new (hooded) face begins his reign of terror in Gotham. The Riddler is a ruthless serial killer who uses riddles to taunt Batman, leaving clues to help him inevitably find out who he is.

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The Riddler

This version of the Riddler is just as deranged as the one from the comics. However, this murderous villain has some ulterior motives for wanting to meet Bruce Wayne. As it turns out, the Riddler reveals that Thomas Wayne, Bruce’s father, hired a hitman to “silence” a journalist back when he was running for Mayor of Gotham. The man that Wayne hired to do the job was none other than Carmine Falcone.

The Riddler’s plan reveals a web of corruption that ties Falcone to the Waynes and Gotham’s Police Department, culminating in the Riddler killing Falcone with a sniper rifle, just as Batman and Lieutenant James Gordon apprehend the Riddler, whose name’s Edward Nashton, a forensic accountant.

Nashton is sent to the psychiatric wing of the Arkham State Hospital, where he meets another inmate who appears to be the Joker, although that remains to be seen.

Selina Kyle

Also known as Catwoman, Selina Kyle plays a pivotal role in The Batman. After Batman finds out about Falcone’s ties with the police as an informant, he also learns that Selina is Falcone’s daughter.

Kyle has a personal vendetta against her father since he killed both her mother and her roommate, Annika. While her goals often align with Batman’s, the two eventually realize that the way they operate is radically different.

After the Riddler makes one last attempt to bring chaos to Gotham by sending an army of fanatics to kill Mayor-elect Bella Reál, Selina and Batman share one last moment together. While Selina thinks that Gotham is beyond redemption, Batman believes that he can be the change that the city needs.

Both vigilantes board their motorcycles and ride into the sunset: Selina steers away from Gotham, while Batman stays behind, as the city’s last line of defence.

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The Batman for Dummies, Explained Written by Staff Writer for Fortress of Solitude