There are no spoilers
I’ll get right to the point. “The Batman” is hands-down the best film about the character that has been made so far. This is a difficult piece for me because I am a huge fan of Christopher Nolan movies. When he directed this film, Matt Reeves blew it out of the park and into the hearts of everyone.
It has been about 15 minutes since I left the theater where I saw “The Batman,”My heart beats faster than ever. It’s three hours, and I want to go back. After a slew of mediocre superhero films coming out of the DC universe, this was a much-needed retelling of the character’s mythos.
When I first heard they were casting Robert Pattinson of “Twilight”I wasn’t sure if he was famous. I’d never seen any of his movies. However, I did recall that I was skeptical about Ben Affleck wearing the cowl and cape. It turned out to be a good decision. Pattinson is a great actor.
Pattinson is a young Bruce Wayne and he absolutely captures the role. He might be too angry-filled or brooding to some. Even before the film was released, some referred to him as “emo Batman.” But for those who know the character, the actor masterfully portrayed a young vigilante who has yet to come into his own. Pattinson hits all the right notes – showing the character’s intensity, anger, and the sense that he has not quite figured out who he is yet. His interactions with Catwoman, played beautifully by Zoë Kravitz, even betray a certain naivete about the world he inhabits.
John Turturro is a great actor playing the role of Carmine Falcone, the mob boss. He strikes the right balance between an arrogant, benevolent, and menacing leader, without falling into the usual cliché of this type of character. Colin Farrell portrays the Penguin in a surprisingly different way. He is usually a small, skinny, and chubby character with Napoleon Complex. In this film, he’s a large henchman type who has not yet come to power.
Paul Dano plays the Riddler. Ever since Jim Carrey’s cartoonish version of the villain, I have wanted to see a grittier live-action portrayal. Dano did not disappoint. I can’t say much without giving too much away, but I believe Dano’s rendition of the Riddler is one of the best of Batman’s rogue gallery. It rivals that of Heath Ledger’s Joker. I might get some flack for that last statement, but that’s okay.
In a word: perfect. It was quite a departure from previous movies. “The Batman” has a more cerebral feel, one that focuses far more on Bruce Wayne’s skills as the Dark Detective than the Dark Knight. This version of Batman relies on Bruce Wayne’s intelligence more than his physical might.
Don’t get me wrong – there are There are manyaction scenes and combat scenes. But unlike its predecessors, this film takes the time to detail how Batman become the world’s greatest detective. The storyline is more mystery/thriller than any other. Batman peels layers off of the onion as the plot becomes more complicated until he finally understands everything.
But since we are seeing a younger Batman, this particular version actually makes mistakes – pretty big ones. In fact, you might find yourself thinking “an older Bruce Wayne would not have gotten that wrong.” Even further, this Batman is not quite as polished as his more seasoned self in his approach to combat and stealth. Although he is a powerful and furious Batman, there’s not nearly as much finesse in his approach to combat or stealth that we see in regular Batman. The film’s attention to details like this makes all the difference.
This movie has more, but spoilers would be too much. I may do another review with spoilers included, but for now, suffice it to say that “The Batman” gets almost everything right. The storyline is excellent and will keep you guessing right to the end. Excellent action scenes and fighting scenes. CGI was not used excessively, so the combat feels more natural. Gotham City looked beautiful even in its decayed, neglected glory. I can only appreciate this Batman movie. If you haven’t seen it already, you might want to rectify that expediently.
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