The Batman
The Batman
Starring Robert Pattinson, Zoe Kravitz, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright
Directed by Matt Reeves
It's been two years since billionaire recluse Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson) has donned the cape and cowl and embarked on his own nightly sense of vengeance as Batman, scouring the streets of Gotham City in search of bad guys to punish while still coming to grips with his own tragic past. His ally in the GCPD, Lieutenant James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright), allows Batman to help with investigations to the chagrin of most of the other officers, but when a series of high-profile murders committed by the mysterious Riddler (Paul Dano) begins, Gordon needs all the help he can get. Batman deciphers the mysterious clues the Riddler leaves behind, and learns that he's targeting the corruption within the Gotham political world, and finds that it's hitting much too close to home. Meanwhile, he befriends nightclub waitress Selena Kyle (Zoe Kravitz), who has her own agenda that both comes into conflict and parallels Batman's investigation, as the unlikely duo teams up to uncover the truth, stop the Riddler, and save Gotham from within.
Matt Reeves has had stellar success with revamping successful franchises, turning them from over-the-top theatrics to a more grounded, realistic portrayal. His American version of the Swedish horror film "Let Me In" was a beautifully dark poetic journey between a pre-teen loser and his new neighbor friend who happens to be a vampire. Then there's his "Planet of the Apes" revamp, directing both "Dawn" and "War" while also writing the latter, again turning the iconic 1968 sci-fi epic to a more rooted, realistic take incorporating rich storytelling and visual style that's uniquely his own. With "The Batman," Reeves once again tackles a more fantastical element and grounds it in a dark reality, and while this falls under the mantle of "superhero movie," it's anything but. "The Batman" plays more like a classic detective movie from the 1970s, centering on Batman's oft-forgotten unique power of deduction and investigation, as he easily is the most intelligent detective in the comic book world. He does have his gadgets and vehicles, but they're much more rooted in realism than the classic polished equipment he's used in the past - the Batmobile especially isn't as powerful as what you've come to know, mostly because this is still Batman's early phases, and the stuff he uses matches that quality.
Reeves' Gotham City is a city that's firmly rooted in its own cesspool where crime runs rampant, corruption goes unchecked, and masked vigilantes are allowed to participate with criminal investigations. It's a city that's perceptually dark (even in the daytime it's cloudy, which makes me believe Gotham is actually a fictional version of Seattle rather than New York City, because Seattle never has any sunshine) and I wonder personally who would even want to live there, as it seems almost nightly there's strings of thugs and criminals who roam the streets and commit crimes at will. While Gotham does have Batman, even he claims at the start that he can't be everywhere at once, but when he does appear, vengeance and justice follow. Reeves does some amazing directorial work when he first introduces Batman, who slowly emerges from the shadows (because, as he says, he is the shadows) to dole out his vengeance, like an avenging angel emerging from the darkness. The visuals in "The Batman" are downright inspiring, unforgettable, and something uniquely in Reeves' own wheelhouse.
The story, as I eluded to earlier, is more of a detective mystery than an over-the-top superhero motif of some villain trying to take over the world. Here, the lines of good and evil are more blurred than ever, as both Batman and Riddler have pros and cons to their ways of dealing with justice. While Batman fights alongside the police force and refuses to use guns, he still has an edge about him that makes him unpredictable and capable of great violence. Likewise, the Riddler is truly an insane man, someone who is seeking out to expose the corruption within the Gotham government, but obviously doing so in a very violent, deadly way. Reeves based this Riddler on the Zodiac killer, and the parallels are striking and obvious. Yet the Riddler also wants to bring to light the evils that supposed good men do, however his methods are quite antithesis of good. It's fascinating to see how Batman's mind ticks while deciphering the Riddler's cypher, and he doesn't even have to say a word to show his thought processes.
While obviously the movie does feature Batman, it's not the Batman you've come to know in other mediums - this isn't the billionaire playboy philanthropist (the DC version anyway) who resides in a palatial mansion who rocks three-piece suits and fancy dinner parties by day and serves as the perfect breed of justice at night. Rather, this Bruce Wayne is a recluse, a man who's difficult to come into contact with, and his home isn't the typical Wayne Manor you've seen, but rather a tower that's further set apart from the rest of the town and more establishes his sense of mystery. Reeves' Bruce Wayne is a hidden rock star, a man in his thirties who's still trying to grasp what's gone on in his own life, and is still rather blue when it comes to dealing with his emotions and his unending quest for vengeance.
Robert Pattinson was an inspired choice for this role (Reeves actually based the script around Pattinson starring, after seeing his work in "Good Time"), and while many moviegoers only remember him as the God-awful Edward in the "Twilight" series, he's actually a very profound, acclaimed actor. Watch films like "Good Time," "High Life," and "The Lighthouse" and you'll see why Reeves cast him as Batman, and why he's the perfect choice for the role. While it's been historically a problem for an actor to perfectly play both Bruce Wayne and Batman, Pattinson manages to pull them both off perfectly, due to Wayne's story. This Bruce Wayne - as mentioned earlier - isn't into big fancy parties and philandering his way through the city, but rather hides himself away from the public, allowing him to not alter his voice as drastically when he's Batman (something I feel Christian Bale struggled with), balancing the two in almost perfect harmony. This Bruce Wayne is still trying to find himself, and struggle with the darker past of the Wayne family while coming to terms with what really drives him to achieve his own vengeance, and the underlying nature of his genetic makeup.
Likewise, the rogues' gallery of Batman's villains and allies also have a new, gritty, grounded reality. James Gordon has yet to become Commissioner, serving as the Lieutenant for Gotham City PD and who's not afraid to get his hands dirty in the investigations. Jeffrey Wright has a unique voice that's both soothing and impactful, and when he speaks, he commands attention.
Selena Kyle/Catwoman isn't your generic sultry, seductive villain, but a tortured soul (much akin to Batman) who is serving justice and vengeance her own way, which often comes into conflict with Batman's less violent ideals. Zoe Kravitz focuses more on Selena than Catwoman, becoming more than just a generic femme fatale who burgles the wealthy for their jewels, but rather a woman on a quest for vengeance for her own life. This elicits a unique response from Batman, who sees himself in her as they both want to do what's right, even though Selena's ways are much more violent. The chemistry between Pattinson and Kravitz is off the charts, and throughout the different iterations of Catwoman, Kravitz absolutely kills it, rising above even the likes of Michelle Pfeiffer (who's Catwoman was more comic thanks to Burton's obvious style) and becoming much more of a hero than villain, despite the means to her ends.
Even Oswald Cobblepot/Penguin has a more realistic tone than Burton's classic Danny DeVito portrayal, as he is struggling to rise the ranks of the Gotham villainous underworld. Colin Farrell is utterly unrecognizable as the wannabe mobster kingpin, who both acts like he's the smartest person in the room while understanding that he's not, but trying to maintain that sense of power despite being constantly underestimated.
Yet no transformation is as powerful as that of the Riddler. Long gone is Jim Carrey's comedic portrayal, and now the Riddler is absolutely terrifying. From his first introduction, you know that this will be a formidable villain for Batman to track, as he utilizes his massive intelligence to always stay five steps ahead of everyone else. His methods are methodical and precise, like an expert surgeon cutting into his patients, but this time it's to end their lives rather than save them. Paul Dano is consistently underappreciated for his massive talent, especially from films like "There Will be Blood" and "Prisoners," but here his talent is utterly undeniable. When he talks, it's with this chilling alarm that permeates to your very soul, sending chills up your spine, and giving you a real sense of fear - so in a sense, the Riddler accomplishes his job as the ultimate political terrorist, and that's due entirely to Dano's committed, grounded, and unforgettable performance.
Surrounding this dark world is the equally dark musical score by frequent Pixar collaborator Michael Giacchino, who won an Oscar for his musical score for "Up." Here, it's obviously a more darker score than you'd expect, relying heavily on pulse pounding bass, soul-shattering percussion and massively demanding trumpets that all add to the heir of continual dread and mystery that the film provides. Throw in epic cinematic work by the great Greig Fraser (a recent Oscar nominee for his equally stellar work in "Dune"), and you've got a gritty, grounded detective drama filled with intense action and once-in-a-lifetime visuals that'll resonate with you long after the credits end.
Turning the superhero genre on its head and providing a gritty, more realistic portrayal of the Caped Crusader and the world he lives in, "The Batman" is elevated with an intelligent script, lavish visuals, a pulse-pounding score, and unforgettable performances that elevates it far above most of its predecessors.
The Score: A+
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