'The Batman' Review: Forget it Kid, it's Gotham City
PG-13: Strong violent and disturbing content, drug content, strong language, and some suggestive material
Runtime: 2 Hrs and 56 Minutes
Production Companies: DC Films, 6th & Idaho, Dylan Clark Productions
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Director: Matt Reeves
Writers: Matt Reeves, Peter Craig
Cast: Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro, Peter Sarsgaard, Andy Serkis, Colin Farrell
Release Date: March 4, 2022
In Theaters Only
When the Riddler, a sadistic serial killer, begins murdering key political figures in Gotham, Batman is forced to investigate the city's hidden corruption and question his family's involvement.
Throughout Batman’s many cinematic outings, we’ve seen him purely defined as a brooding vigilante with the money and gadgets to get the job done. But one fan-favorite iteration of the character originating from Detective Comics is Detective Batman. That’s certainly my favorite version of him. It’s what made all the Arkham games (except Knight) so captivating to me. Now, director Matt Reeves brings that beloved side of the Dark Knight to the cinema with a damn fine film noir, unlike anything I’ve seen before.
Set around Halloween in a contemporary Gotham as a mayoral race is underway, Bruce Wayne, who is in his sophomore year of being Batman, finds himself and his family legacy caught in a sinister plot set by domestic terrorist The Riddler. When Riddler begins killing political figures in the highest of powers within the community, starting with the mayor himself, Batman has to unmask the corruption of power that lies within both the mob and the entire Gotham government.
Through his damn-perfect Planet of the Apes reboot sequels, Matt Reeves proved that when he’s given an IP to helm, he goes above and beyond to make it one of the most incredible cinematic experiences you’ll ever witness. He’s got that Lord/Miller golden touch through ambitious and distinct vision. As the opening features Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson) delivering a personal and reflective voiceover about Gotham’s crime rate and his role as The Batman being vengeance, you’re immediately bewildered by this distinct approach of the character in a new setting that is, above anything else, fresh. Reeves applies all the attributes of your classic noir, reminiscent of films like Se7en and Chinatown, to this new take of the Dark Knight by wearing his influences on his sleeves. His take on Gotham City reeks of scum in every facet no matter what tax bracket you’re in. It’s the most accurate portrayal of the city—if you’re going by the source material—to date. They make Gotham look worse than Staten Island. No, no… DETROIT!
Though this Batman is very emo on main, the tone isn’t as moody, for it serves a great balance between grit and camp. Reeves gives air room for campiness through natural humor that is well executed. Even in tone, it has its own identity that separates it from the rest of the Batman cinematic fare. Regarding the action sequences… you know Reeves delivered some bangers. This is the same man who made one of the coolest images I’ve ever seen: an ape riding a horse, wielding machine guns, invading a civilization. All of the action set pieces are a breathtaking sight to behold. Whether it’s Batman evading a swarm of corrupt cops, beating up a gang of thugs, or pursuing Oswald Cobblepot in a high-speed car chase, the shot compositions are so meticulously crafted, making each sequence so personalized that only a visionary such as himself could do without studio interference. Emphasizing practical effects and a variety of ambitious angles that feel significantly different from other studio comic book films, it’s awe-inspiring to see how detached we are from most big-budget blockbuster films having the same amount of craftsmanship. I tell you what… I got my booster shot before I went to my press screening and, while I felt as if I was sedated for a bit, the car chase set-piece between Penguin and Bats made the arm throbbing disappear.
Robert Pattinson does a fantastic job at being a distinctly emo Bruce Wayne and a ruthless Batman. His Bruce embodies the gloominess of a billionaire who is psychotically obsessed with his alter ego and the reads on his face express how he’d rather wear the cowl. Surprisingly, he’s more grounded and human, for he displays genuine empathy toward others. There were times I didn’t expect Bruce to be transparent about his feelings but Pattinson brought out the most human iteration of him to date. However, he truly thrives as Batman. It may be his sophomore year as the Caped Crusader, but the way Bruce Wayne puts criminals in a state of panic with his Bat-Signal alone makes it clear that his freshman year was one for the books. This Batman is straight-up brutal in a way that’d make Christian Bale blush. Thanks to the incredible sound mixing, every bone-crunching punch Batman delivers to his victims leaves you with chills.
Zoë Kravitz is an incredible Selina Kyle, who is as exuberant as she is fierce. She naturally plays into the feline femme fatale role found in most film noirs with an arc that is brilliantly developed along with the relationship she shares with Bats. While I adore their chemistry, Jeffrey Wright and Robert Pattinson had the best dynamic throughout the film. Given that the mystery revolves around corruption within the Gotham City Police Department, it’s only Gordon who trusts Batman to a high degree when everyone around them is sus. They have their rendezvous point to interrogate people, they have that beacon relationship, they finish each other’s sentences when interrogating people together, and they share good banter throughout. That genuine partnership between them works thematically because a ton of the film plays as if it’s them against the world and some of the best scenes revolve around Wright and Pattinson's dynamic.
As skeptical as I was to see Paul Dano as The Riddler, he is frightening. The best way to describe him is as if Edward Snowden had murderous tendencies and became Jigsaw. His line deliveries send shivers down your spine with his preachy yet cold demeanor. The man strikes fear into my soul in ample scenes, which is such a huge statement considering that said man is Paul Dano. Colin Farrell is unrecognizable under those pounds of makeup which is but because he’s a great actor and not some Jared Leto type character performer.
Some of the Bruce Wayne elements falter a bit, primarily regarding the relationship between him and Alfred. Andy Serkis’ Alfred doesn’t get as much screen time he deserves since they aim for a big emotional piece with him and Bruce. His presence is gone for so long that you kind of forget he’s there at times. I mean, it’s intentional for Bruce to prioritize his vengeful life over his regular self and the film reflects that, but I can’t help but feel it was a bit rushed.
Reeves sure does have grand ambitions with the mystery his Batman has to solve but structurally, it seems to feel a bit too loose by the third act. The film is loud when it comes to discussing the flimsy class system in Gotham (and makes a better argument than Todd Phillips ever did) and while I’m not trying to be a grandma who complains about run times, it’s very drawn-out. Right when you felt as if the story is reaching its conclusion, it tacks on a finale that, while riveting, is a bit overstuffed. Even when that climax is over, it tackles five different endings as if it’s friggin’ Return of the King or something. The climax felt padded enough as it was, but the film couldn’t decide how it wanted to conclude, so it did all four endings at once. This left a sour aftertaste in my mouth, which is sad to say given that this is a damn four-course meal of a movie.
Boasting top-notch cinematography, a badass score by Michael Giacchino, and incredible action sequences, Matt Reeves’ The Batman is a riveting and passionately crafted film noir that wears its inspiration on its sleeve while bringing Detective Batman to the big screen. It’s disturbing, exciting, bone-crushingly violent, and above all else, cinematic. Its pacing may be a bit rocky and the script bites off more threads than it can chew, but at least it's a better representation of the best comic book character of all time since the Arkham City game… or better yet, The Lego Batman Movie. I know y’all have been sleeping on that movie. It’s just as amazing as The Batman.
