This may be the Batman we deserved, but definitely not the one we need.
In another timeline it would have been pretty good. But did we really have to do a nth reboot/standalone Batman that tries to impose its own style ? Definitely not.
This is a death sentence to the DC-verse. Looks like they're giving up because they still weren't able to build a consistent universe even across so little movies. This clearly doesn't fit with the previous ones, and it is definitely too dark to build a universe around. What DC needs is to manage to make their movie part of something greater. And this clearly wasn't designed for that.
Now let's be clear, it is not a bad movie in itself, but that was not the movie DC, and we, needed right now.
And even the good parts are too excessively played on.
So what's good ? It's dark, very dark. It really builds its own style and atmosphere. Gotham really look the worst we've ever seen, but in a good way. The absolute full-on corruption of Gotham elites, all implicated in a grand scheme, potentially including Thomas Wayne is interesting. But it's too much, they did not have to also be drug addicts and implicated in call girls murders... Half the cops are also dirty, including top brass, but Gordon didn't even suspect anything ?
There is a lot of work on image, on camera work, etc. But it's too much too. Rapidly you only see the work and not the result.
There are basically three kinds of shots in the whole movie. 1⃣, scenes where you can't see clearly what happens. Because it's either too far or too dark (from in the shadow, to full black momentarily lighted by gunshots), or too blurry. 2⃣, scenes shot in successions of extreme close-up. Not the into the action close-up, no. This, but then let's bring the camera still a bit closer, so that you can't see any context around the subject and even the subject doesn't quite fit into the frame. You know, to give an experimental/edgy feeling. 3⃣, a combination of both
This really cover 99% of the movie. It gives a distinctive visual style, and it gets ok results. But after a while it really is way too much in your face that that's what you see instead of the expected effect. And once you notice it (it really doesn't take long), that's basically all you can see in every single scene.
You're also warned early as the first minutes look more like an experimental movie than anything else. And the soundtrack is on the level. Lots of weird noise more than music.
The story is good, there's a good pace, a good progression,it's interesting to see Batman doing more detective work and a bit less of fighting. The Riddler's enigmas are good, not great.
The action is ok. Fights, car chase (though the way it was filmed it got very uninteresting very fast), gadgets. Expected, nothing crazy either.
What's less good ?
The characters. I love Andy Serkis, but probably one of the worst Alfred ever. Batman is actually pretty ok, even good, but I guess it's easier. However Pattinson as Bruce Wayne sucks. At least they tried to match the character to him, it's not the usual billionaire playboy, more of a recluse emo teenager. That means is not badly acted, just that there's not a single moment where you think "that's Bruce Wayne I'm seeing" Catwoman knows how to fight a bit, but mostly the character is a sexy sexist cliche from 30 years ago. There probably was a lot more to be done here. The Riddler is pretty different from what we're used to. First he looks more like Bane than anything else. Despite his supposedly high intellect, he has clearly an inferiority complex (instead of the opposite). He engages physically with his victims and is prone to bursts of violence. Mostly a crazy pathetic loser, that probably gets a high from his number of tiktok followers, a bit of an incel mixed with a Jan 6 rioter. Pretty disappointing. (Note that Paul Dano is very good though, but crazy psychos are his thing) Gordon is good though. Penguin: good actin but useless.
Not sure where this is in the timeline, but it's pretty weird that basically all cops are against Batman except Gordon that even brings him on crime scenes. I mean, all the police is against it. How the hell do they let this huge ass signal in the sky, that seems to be on a lot ? Gordon does not have the authority to do that, or bring him on scenes.
It's supposed to be dark, and it is pretty violent, but none of the gruesome parts are ever shown. Not that we really need gore, but it is weird how it is totally ignored. A guy has supposedly his face eaten by rats, but we don't even see a rat. Alfred is involved in a explosion at a few centimeters distance and in the hospital he doesn't even have a burnt hair, let alone skin. This one is really weird. Real is shot in the chest and just walks around in water a few minutes later. Etc.
Not sure whether the Riddler's followers army is supposed to be a Jan.6 reference or not.
tl;dr: A very dark atmosphere and original visual style that could be good but are so very overplayed that they become a hindrance. An ok story with meh characters. As expected Pattinson works as Batman but is an horrible Bruce Wayne. Standalone movie that can in no way fit into the current or any future DCverse.
Review by FLYVIP 2BlockedParent2022-03-09T16:44:24Z
This may be the Batman we deserved, but definitely not the one we need.
In another timeline it would have been pretty good. But did we really have to do a nth reboot/standalone Batman that tries to impose its own style ? Definitely not.
This is a death sentence to the DC-verse. Looks like they're giving up because they still weren't able to build a consistent universe even across so little movies. This clearly doesn't fit with the previous ones, and it is definitely too dark to build a universe around. What DC needs is to manage to make their movie part of something greater. And this clearly wasn't designed for that.
Now let's be clear, it is not a bad movie in itself, but that was not the movie DC, and we, needed right now.
And even the good parts are too excessively played on.
So what's good ? It's dark, very dark. It really builds its own style and atmosphere. Gotham really look the worst we've ever seen, but in a good way. The absolute full-on corruption of Gotham elites, all implicated in a grand scheme, potentially including Thomas Wayne is interesting. But it's too much, they did not have to also be drug addicts and implicated in call girls murders... Half the cops are also dirty, including top brass, but Gordon didn't even suspect anything ?
There is a lot of work on image, on camera work, etc.
But it's too much too. Rapidly you only see the work and not the result.
There are basically three kinds of shots in the whole movie.
1⃣, scenes where you can't see clearly what happens. Because it's either too far or too dark (from in the shadow, to full black momentarily lighted by gunshots), or too blurry.
2⃣, scenes shot in successions of extreme close-up. Not the into the action close-up, no. This, but then let's bring the camera still a bit closer, so that you can't see any context around the subject and even the subject doesn't quite fit into the frame. You know, to give an experimental/edgy feeling.
3⃣, a combination of both
This really cover 99% of the movie. It gives a distinctive visual style, and it gets ok results. But after a while it really is way too much in your face that that's what you see instead of the expected effect. And once you notice it (it really doesn't take long), that's basically all you can see in every single scene.
You're also warned early as the first minutes look more like an experimental movie than anything else. And the soundtrack is on the level. Lots of weird noise more than music.
The story is good, there's a good pace, a good progression,it's interesting to see Batman doing more detective work and a bit less of fighting. The Riddler's enigmas are good, not great.
The action is ok. Fights, car chase (though the way it was filmed it got very uninteresting very fast), gadgets. Expected, nothing crazy either.
What's less good ?
The characters.
I love Andy Serkis, but probably one of the worst Alfred ever.
Batman is actually pretty ok, even good, but I guess it's easier.
However Pattinson as Bruce Wayne sucks. At least they tried to match the character to him, it's not the usual billionaire playboy, more of a recluse emo teenager. That means is not badly acted, just that there's not a single moment where you think "that's Bruce Wayne I'm seeing"
Catwoman knows how to fight a bit, but mostly the character is a sexy sexist cliche from 30 years ago. There probably was a lot more to be done here.
The Riddler is pretty different from what we're used to. First he looks more like Bane than anything else. Despite his supposedly high intellect, he has clearly an inferiority complex (instead of the opposite). He engages physically with his victims and is prone to bursts of violence. Mostly a crazy pathetic loser, that probably gets a high from his number of tiktok followers, a bit of an incel mixed with a Jan 6 rioter. Pretty disappointing. (Note that Paul Dano is very good though, but crazy psychos are his thing)
Gordon is good though.
Penguin: good actin but useless.
Not sure where this is in the timeline, but it's pretty weird that basically all cops are against Batman except Gordon that even brings him on crime scenes. I mean, all the police is against it. How the hell do they let this huge ass signal in the sky, that seems to be on a lot ? Gordon does not have the authority to do that, or bring him on scenes.
It's supposed to be dark, and it is pretty violent, but none of the gruesome parts are ever shown. Not that we really need gore, but it is weird how it is totally ignored. A guy has supposedly his face eaten by rats, but we don't even see a rat. Alfred is involved in a explosion at a few centimeters distance and in the hospital he doesn't even have a burnt hair, let alone skin. This one is really weird. Real is shot in the chest and just walks around in water a few minutes later. Etc.
Not sure whether the Riddler's followers army is supposed to be a Jan.6 reference or not.
tl;dr: A very dark atmosphere and original visual style that could be good but are so very overplayed that they become a hindrance. An ok story with meh characters. As expected Pattinson works as Batman but is an horrible Bruce Wayne. Standalone movie that can in no way fit into the current or any future DCverse.