Matt Reeves is one of the best directors working in the big-budget film industry. Robert Pattinson is one of the most underrated actors of the past decade. Because of these ideas, I was pretty damn excited for The Batman. After finally seeing it, it easily skyrockets to one of my favorite adaptations of the caped crusader.
The movie follows Batman earlier in his career, a stark contrast from the prior Ben Affleck iteration. Because of that, Batman is still a bit rough around the edges. You can tell he’s got a lot to learn and that he’s still coming into himself as a hero. Pattinson plays this excellently. He captures the essence of Batman; the fact that Bruce Wayne is the persona and Batman is the true character.
What really reeled me in about The Batman was that it’s a straight up mystery. Clearly inspired by Se7en and Zodiac, this story leans really hard into Batman’s detective side. The Riddler is constantly toying with both the Gotham City Police Department and Batman, and the game of cat and mouse is super compelling. I was constantly trying to figure out the ongoing mystery just as the characters were, and was actually surprised by a couple twists and turns.
Speaking of The Riddler, Paul Dano is insanely good. They straight up make him a twisted serial killer, and the movie honestly borderlines horror in some sequences. It’s a delicious take on the character, and I think what makes The Riddler in this movie so creepy is that he feels like a real person, somebody that could exist in our world.
While I’m talking about performances, let’s take a collective moment to appreciate the gem that is Zoe Kravitz. She’s an amazing Catwoman. Not only is she incredibly charming and cutthroat, but her chemistry and dynamic with Pattinson’s Batman is excellent. I leaned forward in my seat every time she was on screen, and it wasn’t just because she’s insanely attractive.
The Batman is without a doubt the most visually stunning Batman film I’ve seen. The lighting, the use of color and shadows, it’s all gorgeous. You can tell that there’s a wildly talented cinematographer (Greig Fraser) helming this thing. I also loved how Matt Reeves framed combat, allowing the choreography to shine.
This movies also does a good job at bringing Gotham City to life. In my review of Batman 89, I mentioned how modern Batman films have drab Gotham Cities that just look like New York or Chicago. The Batman’s Gotham City feels like the fantastical take on Chicago that we get in comics. It’s evident in the architecture and layout of the city. Gotham Square and the nightclub are a couple locations that really stand out to me.
If I had to give a complaint about this movie, I’d say it does start to feel a bit long at the tail end. The movie’s got a 2hr 56 minute run time, and the last 20-25 kind of drag on. I’ve got no problem with longer flicks, but there’s definitely a few minutes of footage that could have been left on the cutting room floor.
I’ve never been a die-hard fan of the character, but The Batman makes me excited about the future of the caped crusader on film. I’m just hoping that Matt Reeves and the rest of that creative team stick around for potential sequels. If you were curious about checking out the movie, I give it my highest recommendation.
