I was cautious about "The Batman", as it had the potential to be the best DC film in a long time or yet another pretentious flick. I'm happy to say it's the former, as "The Batman" went ahead and surpassed my expectations, squashing any doubts I might have had. Matt Reeves' arteur approach and understanding of the character's mythos blend together to create a crime thriller unburdened by the clichés of superhero cinema.
Robert Pattinson was an interesting choice to play the titular vigilante, one I had a feeling would go on to become the definitive live-action rendition, and so he did. His Batman flows smoothly between aggression and stoicism, with the former being more prevalent as we see a man completely absorbed by a futile crusade. A major theme is Batman's methodology in dealing with crime, and it's clear that the two years he has spent fighting it have done much damage both to himself and to Gotham. Bruce Wayne is hardly of any importance, this being a conscious choice. I should mention that the edgier portrayal of the billionaire might throw some people off a little, but I've yet to see someone go out of their way to complain about it. It seems that most of us revelled in the broken person that he is here, and we are likely to see his growth as the film series continues.
Gotham is another main character, the best realised version of the fictional city yet. A blend between the theatrics of Burton's and the grittiness of Nolan's movies, it's dripping in its own filth. Rain is a common companion, city lights haze amidst the shadows. Crime lurks everywhere, and so does Batman. A perfect parallel to him, the worst enemy of Gotham is its own people. Musically, "The Batman" utilises horror film cues, minimalistic melodies, and a few moodier licensed tracks. "Something in the Way", one of the best Nirvana songs, was prominently featured in trailers and the same is true for the film itself. I wasn't big on the overblown trailer rendition, but it's perfect as a backdrop to decadency of the city. Besides its tunes, "The Batman" has excellent sound design. One of my favourite moments was when the Batmobile showed up and the theatre bass went crazy.
"The Batman" is unique in that it is the first live-action film adaptation to put focus on our masked hero's title of World's Greatest Detective. The action remains at a smaller scale, the real thrills come from the mind games set forth by the incredible rendition of iconic villain the Riddler. A serial killer whose clues are all carefully planned out to put him at an advantage, it's enticing to see how the plot unravels. Each thread is carefully placed and plot conveniences are never an issue. The story took quite the risks, all while maintaining believability.
Plenty of subplots reside beside the main mystery and connect with it. "The Batman" is layered and rich, in my opinion justifying its lengthy runtime. Perhaps it could have cut down on some ten-twenty minutes, but it's not a major issue as each scene had its place and evoked interest. Zoe Kravits was great as Catwoman, perhaps the best we have seen on the screen, and her tale was gripping. Criminals like the Penguin and Falcone played a major part in the story and everyone around them brought details to Gotham's underworld. Andy Serkis played a great Alfred, while Jeffrey Wright was a fantastic Gordon.
I'll go as far as to say that "The Batman" is my second favourite Batman film. It does a great job at telling a proper Batman story, embracing the character's lore, while also adding many of its own strokes and being able to wrap up all of its themes in a satisfying manner. A must-watch for Batman fans and sceptics of superhero cinema. I cannot wait for the sequel, and am fully invested in what else Matt Reeves and co have planned.
Review by Martin SestrimskiBlockedParent2022-03-17T21:56:05Z
I was cautious about "The Batman", as it had the potential to be the best DC film in a long time or yet another pretentious flick. I'm happy to say it's the former, as "The Batman" went ahead and surpassed my expectations, squashing any doubts I might have had. Matt Reeves' arteur approach and understanding of the character's mythos blend together to create a crime thriller unburdened by the clichés of superhero cinema.
Robert Pattinson was an interesting choice to play the titular vigilante, one I had a feeling would go on to become the definitive live-action rendition, and so he did. His Batman flows smoothly between aggression and stoicism, with the former being more prevalent as we see a man completely absorbed by a futile crusade. A major theme is Batman's methodology in dealing with crime, and it's clear that the two years he has spent fighting it have done much damage both to himself and to Gotham. Bruce Wayne is hardly of any importance, this being a conscious choice. I should mention that the edgier portrayal of the billionaire might throw some people off a little, but I've yet to see someone go out of their way to complain about it. It seems that most of us revelled in the broken person that he is here, and we are likely to see his growth as the film series continues.
Gotham is another main character, the best realised version of the fictional city yet. A blend between the theatrics of Burton's and the grittiness of Nolan's movies, it's dripping in its own filth. Rain is a common companion, city lights haze amidst the shadows. Crime lurks everywhere, and so does Batman. A perfect parallel to him, the worst enemy of Gotham is its own people. Musically, "The Batman" utilises horror film cues, minimalistic melodies, and a few moodier licensed tracks. "Something in the Way", one of the best Nirvana songs, was prominently featured in trailers and the same is true for the film itself. I wasn't big on the overblown trailer rendition, but it's perfect as a backdrop to decadency of the city. Besides its tunes, "The Batman" has excellent sound design. One of my favourite moments was when the Batmobile showed up and the theatre bass went crazy.
"The Batman" is unique in that it is the first live-action film adaptation to put focus on our masked hero's title of World's Greatest Detective. The action remains at a smaller scale, the real thrills come from the mind games set forth by the incredible rendition of iconic villain the Riddler. A serial killer whose clues are all carefully planned out to put him at an advantage, it's enticing to see how the plot unravels. Each thread is carefully placed and plot conveniences are never an issue. The story took quite the risks, all while maintaining believability.
Plenty of subplots reside beside the main mystery and connect with it. "The Batman" is layered and rich, in my opinion justifying its lengthy runtime. Perhaps it could have cut down on some ten-twenty minutes, but it's not a major issue as each scene had its place and evoked interest. Zoe Kravits was great as Catwoman, perhaps the best we have seen on the screen, and her tale was gripping. Criminals like the Penguin and Falcone played a major part in the story and everyone around them brought details to Gotham's underworld. Andy Serkis played a great Alfred, while Jeffrey Wright was a fantastic Gordon.
I'll go as far as to say that "The Batman" is my second favourite Batman film. It does a great job at telling a proper Batman story, embracing the character's lore, while also adding many of its own strokes and being able to wrap up all of its themes in a satisfying manner. A must-watch for Batman fans and sceptics of superhero cinema. I cannot wait for the sequel, and am fully invested in what else Matt Reeves and co have planned.