Directed by: Matt Reeves
Written by: Matt Reeves and Peter Craig, based the Batman and other characters created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger
Starring:
Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/Batman
Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle
Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon
Colin Farrell as Oz/The Penguin
Paul Dano as The Riddler
Rated PG-13 for strong violent and disturbing content, drug content, strong language, and some suggestive material
Runtime: 175 minutes
I am glad that Batman films are still a thing – especially this one. The Batman shines through sensational storytelling, directing, and acting. This film has a different approach to the previous ones: a darker take on both the Batman character and the villains
These are common in film noir, which is one of my favorite genres in film. Batman is one of the greatest detectives in fiction, and I was enthralled with the world in which he operates. Batman Begins (2005) had a similar approach to this type of world, with Bruce Wayne becoming the titular character and operating in the dark underbelly of Gotham City.
However, this film gets right to the point. Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson) doesn’t fall into a hole filled with a bunch of bats. He’s already been Batman for two years and has gained the trust and partnership of Jim Gordon (Jeffrey Wright). I’m glad this film is not a repeat of Batman’s origin – been there, done that.
The news of Robert Pattison playing Batman gave me some doubts. To me, he was always Edward in the Twilight movies, despite having seen him first as Cedric in the Harry Potter films. My wife even told me to watch out for sparkly superheroes when I left for the theater. I haven’t gone out of my way to see him in other things, though Tenet (2020) won me over. Now, I’m glad he is donning the cape and cowl and will look forward to more chapters.
This film has Batman investigating the crimes of The Riddler (Paul Dano), who is notably different than what we’ve seen before in Frank Gorshin and Jim Carrey. This Riddler seems like a clone of the Zodiac Killer from the ’60s. He also uses social media to convince the people of Gotham City that their city is run by corrupt officials and that he’s doing them a favor by killing those officials. Truly believing himself to be a hero, The Riddler leaves greeting cards for Batman at each crime scene.
I love this sort of plot device. It seems to reference earlier cat-and-mouse detective films like Se7en (1995). I also love that each Batman franchise is becoming more sinister than the previous one. You can tell which film belongs to a particular franchise.
Batman also crosses paths with Selina Kyle (Zoë Kravitz), better known as Catwoman. She has her vendetta against the Gotham underworld and even teams up with Batman for clues. Kyle also has connections with Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot (Colin Farrell) – The Penguin.
I believe this is Farrell’s best performance yet. He should get his first Oscar nomination for this film, and I’m amazed he hasn’t gotten one yet. There’s a first time for everything and hopefully, this will be his.
The Batman also has one of the best screenplays I’ve ever seen. Director Matt Reeves struck pure gold with this film. The story seemed to be influenced more by noir films than by comic books and gothic novels. As I’ve said before, though, there’s a reason this is Ryan’s Movie Corner, not Ryan’s Comic Corner.
Reeves’ attention to detail is phenomenal. He plants several clues throughout the film that make sense during the finale – but of course, I will not spoil anything. I also love that we finally see Bruce Wayne with the black eye makeup when he is not in the bat-suit. I think this is another reflection of Wayne’s own personality as he is more of a recluse than the previous Bruce Waynes we have seen before. He isn’t a playboy billionaire but more of an outsider.
Another original element I appreciated was Alfred (Andy Serkis). He has always been a father figure to Bruce Wayne, though here he’s more of a mentor. I’m not sure what he was doing before being the Wayne family’s butler, but he has the distinction of being a badass. He can’t buttle anymore, since he walks around with a cane, but he is still useful. He even has scars on his face, which might be a hint that he taught Bruce how to fight and defend himself.
I adored Michael Giacchino’s score for this film. Danny Elfman and Hans Zimmer created very memorable scores for Batman films before, but Giacchino’s truly brought each scene to life. I never thought that Nirvana’s “Something in the Way” would be in the final cut, even though it was in the first trailer. I’m not complaining, though – it worked! The music is some of the best I’ve heard in a film.
If you couldn’t tell by now, I highly recommend this film. It is fun, thoughtful, and well-made. The runtime might be a bit too long for some, but it flowed. If Titanic (1997) can be a masterpiece at 194 minutes, The Batman can be just as wonderful at 175. There are more characters in this film than a typical Batman film, but they serve a great purpose. The film isn’t overstuffed with any unnecessary elements – it is overstuffed with a lot to enjoy!
★★★★
