Matt Reeves’ interpretation of the infamous superhero announces his arrival straight from the horse’s mouth. Robert Pattinson, who plays Gotham City’s shadowy superhero, is heard before he appears; not like lightning but like the shadow he claims to have become. He also introduces us to the panoply of rats, scum, and delinquents who have managed to drive up the city’s crime rate. He, like a Good Samaritan who has personal issues with thugs, tries to keep these people off the grid and clean up the streets.
But he’s not the only justice seeker in town. There’s also the mysterious masked man we first see in the opening moments of The Batman. He’s bloodthirsty, and when the city’s mayor is brutally killed, Batman meets Gotham’s greatest and perhaps only honest detective, James Gordon. However, this is not their first meeting. In fact, none of the initial walkthroughs in The Batman are a first. Reeves cleverly subverts the obvious ideas of an origin story in exchange for an expanded, dark black bat that invigorates the cape crusader.
So, The Batman, in this universe, has been active for a few odd years. It has nothing to do with Todd Phillips’ mid-budget Joker (2019), or Snyder’s many other mega-budget DCEU outings. In fact, there’s a good chance this specific Batman story was fresh out of Reeves’ cinematic oven. Frank Miller’s obvious late ’80s “Year One” inspirations aside, this is a real blue (or real black) serial killer procedural that will remind you more of “Zodiac” and ” Se7en” by David Fincher than he will. other more grounded representations like “The Dark Knight Trilogy” by Christopher Nolan.
Either way, a killer is on the prowl and he’s leaving little notes for Batman. With each murder he commits, he leaves a sign of his obsession with the superhero. The short story eventually names him The Riddler, and The Batman and James Gorden are unable to determine why these murders are taking place. The masked criminal is not after the blood of thugs, but corrupt criminals. Those who poison the rotting center of the city.
There’s an obvious plot here that keeps the audience invested. First, Batman as a character is broken and distraught as always, but this emo version of the hero is steeped in sadness. So much so that even his unmasked personality as Bruce Wayne retorted him to keep a low profile. Second, unlike the other version of the hero, the stakes here feel quite personal, with The Batman serving as more of the sickening and detective, and less of the hero who’s out to save the city. Plus, he’s a moody character who’s perpetually pissed off because he’s always late when it comes to saving his town.
Third, since Reeves clearly has no interest in giving us an origin story, his focused eye keeps this dark channel on a firm, grounded frame. It cleverly plots this ultimate detective tale around Batman and his band of allies and foes. The fact that everyone involved in this narrative plays a role and isn’t there just for mere distraction is another solid reason why this release really stands out.
At its core, it’s a coming-of-age tale of self-actualization steeped in dark noir crime. The director ignores what predecessors have planned for the superhero and instead makes a very busy film that, despite being 176 minutes long, really earns its slow burn. The action sets here aren’t extravagant either. Even chases are a mere escape tool and not something grander. While that may upset some fans, the reason for choosing a rather psychological ending makes The Batman a somewhat chilling tale.
As far as world-building goes, Gotham looks like what geeks and longtime fans alike would remember from the Arkham City games. He’s inviting, deranged, and screams out of control with every hook and corner. The dark atmosphere is far from cheerful, and even the safe reverse jokes are delivered with morse and deadpan undertones; make the overall vision look like a real power struggle for a city drowned in corruption and the shenanigans of mob bosses.
So, it’s only fitting that Reeves is channeling that vision through Pattinson. The young actor fits perfectly into this vessel that the director has imagined for him. His Batman is more elusive, isolated and intense. More so, his Bruce Wayne is the kind of alter-ego that hasn’t seen the light of day in years. Each time he emerges from the rubble of his home, he feels like a nocturnal, introverted soul who needs to put on sunglasses even if a small glimmer of light shines through. This brooding, sinister take on the superhero sounds fresh and exciting in a way that made me want to sit down for another 3 hour rehearsal as soon as this one ended.
As far as Batman allies go, Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle (aka Catwoman) is sexier than most versions played by actresses throughout history. While the chemistry between Batman and Catwoman doesn’t seem too organic, the actors manage to make it work despite a rather underdeveloped character arc. Jeffrey Wright and Andy Serkis’ Alfred are fairly faithful to the story, but the fact that co-writer Peter Craig doesn’t really offer them anything more concrete makes them feel like they’ve wasted opportunities.
As far as his enemies go, Paul Dano as The Riddler is just the right amount of menace. When he actually shows up in the 3rd act, you can’t help but notice his nasty streak that looks like something straight out of years of frustration. He channels a kind of vulnerability and rage that doesn’t topple The Riddler into one of those over-the-top portrayals of Batman villains, which really makes his act stand out. Colin Farrell’s penguin is weighed down by a heavy bodysuit, but the actor is the one to clear things up in this otherwise desolate fable.
Another notable thing about “The Batman” is Michael Giacchino’s terrifying score. Although the main theme sounds suspiciously similar to Dark Wader’s theme, I think Giacchino does it intentionally to provoke a reaction from the audience. His music greatly complements Reeves’ vision and Greig Fraser’s magnificent cinematography.
All in all, “The Batman” has to be one of the smartest and best-directed superhero movies of the past decade. It has its share of grievances, but it takes the character on the right path and DC fans can finally rejoice.
Rating: 3.5/5
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