The Batman (2022)

When the Riddler (Paul Dano) begins killing important people around Gotham, The Batman (Robert Pattinson) is forced to intervene and try to stop the city from drowning in political and moral chaos. With new and familiar faces joining in on his journey, Batman–and his alter ego–Bruce Wayne, must deal with the city’s deadliest threat yet and ensure that a trail of blood doesn’t end up in his wake. In one of the darkest tellings of the caped crusader, The Batman defies all that you know about the superhero and ushers in a new version of a DC crime-fighting narrative.

Warning–this is not a Batman film. Sure, it’s titled The Batman, and the main character of the film is, well, Batman. However, Batman just happens to be present through the majority of the film, but it doesn’t focus on the rivalries between Batman and his villains (even though they exist in the film), or the intricacies of superheroing–but rather the thrill of crime fighting the good old-fashioned way, by way of intellect. More than any other superhero film before it (even The Dark Knight), The Batman explores the darkness of crimes and the typical, emotional journey that law enforcement embarks on to solve those crimes. It’s more realistic than other films of the genre, as it follows the very usual steps of detective work and crime solving (rather than crime fighting).

This is possibly the most well made superhero film of all time. Cinematically, it compares to some of the greats of cinema in general. There’s no fan service, no gimmicks, and nothing to trick viewers into thinking they are experiencing something better than they are–it’s simply just good filmmaking. Two things are true of The Batman throughout the entirety of the film: there are always two of everything (two motorcycles, two eyes, two lights), and there is always someone lurking in the shadows. These two truths allow viewers to slide to the edges of their seats and anticipate what’s coming next. This builds suspense, adds to the darkness, and creates layers of depth in the overall story.

There are two superheroes that typically have fans questioning whether the actors chosen to portray them can effectively capture the essence of the hero and the man outside of the suit–those two being Spider-Man and Batman. On the surface Pattinson doesn’t appear to have what it takes to fit into this role–but it’s only fair to analyze him as both Batman and Bruce Wayne separately.

​The Batman

Bruce Wayne

As the titular Batman, Pattinson is incredibly talented. I had never expected him to fill the shoes of the dark knight–but he’s incredible, unwavering, and full of life. In the action sequences Batman is very precise and deliberate in his movements. He appears very intimidating, twisted, even demented–and Pattinson never fails to execute or exude these sentiments. His tone of voice, his mannerisms, and his ability to convey emotion through the choreography resonates with viewers. He ultimately becomes one of the best portrayals of Batman that has ever graced the silver screen, and The Batman is better for having casted Pattinson in this role, even when he may have never been the obvious choice.

There’s always a juxtaposition between Batman and Bruce Wayne, as they often compete with one another on screen. Michael Keaton was a great Bruce Wayne, even George Clooney was a compelling version of the billionaire, but Pattinson, who I expected to play this aspect of the role very smoothly and effectively, doesn’t live up to those expectations. This is a different rendition of Bruce Wayne than the world has seen before, and part of the reason Pattison fails in this role is a result of the writing. However, regardless of the writing, Pattinson’s portrayal of Wayne is off, emotionally incomplete, and unappealing. He dominates as Batman, but struggles in the role of Bruce Wayne.

I struggle with the score. Don’t get me wrong, it’s beautiful, tonally perfect, and completely in tune with what The Batman is, however, it sounds incredibly familiar. It reminds me of, and this may sound crazy, “The Imperial March” composed by John Wiliams. Does that make any sense? Not really–but the use of brass instruments to create something dark, deep, and eerie makes the sound work for the film. I’m not accusing anyone of being a thief, and I don’t think that “The Imperial March” was used throughout The Batman, but the similarities are uncanny. Such a strange choice for music in this film, as it’s likely that others will make the same comparison as I did, but it works on a number of levels.

Fear and darkness play a pivotal role in the development and reception of The Batman, and without both the film loses its footing and fails to invigorate viewers. Those are the themes of the film, and director Matt Reeves incorporates them in each and every scene. In order to capture those sentiments, Reeves, and Director of Cinematography Greig Fraser, use a series of unusual camera angles. Viewers see the titular character upside down, backward, and spiraling–capturing the tone of the film in a number of unique and effective ways.

The Batman is a superhero film that doesn’t need a superhero. The Batman is a crime thriller that happens to have a superhero in it. The Batman is one of the most unique superhero films of all time–and even through my in-depth description, it’s hard to accurately express what this film is. This film breaks the mold of what superhero films are and can be, and through incredible acting, unique cinematography, and a compelling narrative, The Batman finds immense success.

Directed by Matt Reeves.

Written by Matt Reeves Peter Craig.

Starring Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, Colin Farrell, Paul Dano, John Turturro, Andy Serkis, Peter Parsgaard, etc.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10