THE BATMAN REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

In 1989, fantasy filmmaker Tim Burton impressed many with Batman, which saw Michael Keaton taking on the role of the titular Dark Knight alongside Jack Nicholson’s maniacal and villainous Joker. Three years later, Burton released a sequel, Batman Returns, with Danny DeVito and Michelle Pfeiffer stealing every scene they were in as iconic villains, The Penguin and Catwoman. The late director, Joel Schumacher, made two films featuring Batman, including Batman Forever (which saw Val Kilmer replacing Keaton, with Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones delivering wacky performances as The Riddler and Two Face), and Batman & Robin (which starred George Clooney in role of the Caped Crusader). Unfortunately, they were both negatively received, especially the latter which, because of its camp tone, has been described as the worst Batman film. For a while, it seemed like there wasn’t ever going to be another Batman film until visionary filmmaker, Christopher Nolan, released a modern and serious take, Batman Begins, in 2005, with Christian Bale impressing many with his portrayal of both Batman and his real identity, Bruce Wayne. The success of Batman Begins led to a sequel, The Dark Knight, being released three years later, which has since become known as, not only the best Batman film, but also one of the greatest films of all time. This is mainly because of Heath Ledger’s unforgettable performance as the sadistic Joker. Sadly, Ledger passed away before the film was released in 2008, however, he earned a posthumous Oscar for his performance. The Dark Knight made over $1 billion at the box office and was critically acclaimed. Four years later, Nolan released The Dark Knight Rises, which was flawed but still an epic conclusion to his Batman trilogy. In 2016, Ben Affleck took on the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman in Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, unfortunately, he wasn’t given enough screen time to leave much of an impression. Affleck returned to the role in Justice League and was set to appear in a Batman spin-off before quitting the role for personal reasons. For a while, it seemed like the Batman spin-off was a dead end until director Matt Reeves was hired to reinvent the Dark Knight with a new cast, including Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/Batman. Known simply as The Batman, it has already been widely praised by critics, however, could this really be the best Batman film since The Dark Knight?

Batman/Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson) ventures into Gotham City's underworld when a sadistic killer leaves behind a trail of cryptic clues. As the evidence begins to lead closer to home and the scale of the perpetrator's plans become clear, he must forge new relationships, unmask the culprit and bring justice to the abuse of power and corruption that has long plagued the metropolis.

Those expecting The Batman to be a typical superhero film that is packed full of action will be disappointed with what Reeves has created as it’s more of a suspenseful, mystery-based thriller. The tone is similar to David Fincher’s Se7en as it focuses on Pattinson’s Batman trying to uncover the identity of the serial killer known as The Riddler (Paul Dano) alongside trusted police officer James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright). Like with his last two entries in the recent Planet of the Apes trilogy, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes, Reeves focuses more on characters and story, rather than relying on action and special effects. He only includes the former when necessary and, when he does, the results are impressive. The standout action sequence occurs about halfway through and sees Batman in a car chase with Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin (Colin Farrell). With his take on The Batman, Reeves has created a dark and suspenseful thriller that, in answer to my earlier questions, is the best Batman film since The Dark Knight. It also further establishes Reeves as a bold filmmaker with a unique vision. 

The casting of Batman/Bruce Wayne is undoubtedly the most important part of making a film based on the Caped Crusader and, when Pattinson was announced, many were confused and doubtful as they still associate him with his role as vampire Edward Cullen in the Twilight franchise which concluded with Breaking Dawn Part 2 a decade ago. However, since then Pattinson has impressed with his acting skills in films such as Good Times, The Lighthouse and The Devil All The Time. In the past, the character of Wayne has been portrayed as a charming playboy and wealthy billionaire who hides his personality as the brooding vigilante Batman. What’s interesting about Pattinson’s portrayal is that he loses the charm and delivers one of his most serious performances yet. His Wayne is a socially awkward recluse who hardly speaks a word, even when he’s seen in public, however, he doesn’t lose the emotion when he’s hidden underneath the Batman costume and mask. Those who doubted the choice of Pattinson will be surprised with his unique take on the character.

The Batman also features a talented ensemble cast who all leave a lasting impression with their portrayals. As the flirtatious Selina Kyle/Catwoman, Zoë Kravitz stands out and also succeeds in humanising her. She shares chemistry with Pattinson, with most of the most memorable scenes from The Batman involving their partnership. As Wayne’s supportive butler, Alfred Pennyworth, Andy Serkis, who impressed with his role as Caesar in the Planet of the Apes trilogy, shows that he’s a talented actor without relying on motion capture technology to create his characters. As the kind and helpful police officer, James Gordon, Wright proves that he’s the right choice for the role. His friendship with Batman is effectively captured. The adjective I’ve seen most describing Farrell’s performance as Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin is “unrecognisable” which is appropriate as the Irish actor disappears underneath layers of grotesque prosthetics. Cobblepot is not yet the crime kingpin he is depicted as in the comics and dislikes being referred to as the Penguin. However, while each of these actors are all impressive and contribute a strong supporting role to The Batman, it’s Dano who stands out the most with his terrifying take of The Riddler. For the majority of the film, he is in disguise with his true identity being hidden. The Riddler was previously portrayed by comedian Jim Carrey who delivered a wacky and over the top performance but was hard to take seriously. That’s not the case with Dano’s Riddler who is twisted and keeps viewers on the edge of their seats with his unpredictable and violent actions. In my opinion, Dano is an underrated actor who has delivered memorable supporting performances in Little Miss Sunshine, There Will Be Blood and Prisoners, however, with his role as the murderous Riddler, he delivers an unforgettable performance. Although Dano doesn’t make his appearance as Edward Nashton until towards the end of the film, his presence is felt throughout, due to his violent and gory kills.

Because it’s dark and, at times, disturbing, The Batman is not suitable for the faint hearted and those who are squeamish. It’s the first film in the Batman franchise to received a 15 rating in the UK because of its severe violence. While most of The Batman is a mystery based thriller that is similar to Se7en and Zodiac, Reeves doesn’t shy away from the violence, including an intense sequence in a memorial where a district attorney has a time bomb strapped to his neck and must correctly answer three riddles to prevent it from exploding and killing him. This scene felt very similar to the gory torture sequences in the Saw franchise. Many may complain about the violence, which is understandable as all of the previous Batman films have toned down the violence in order to reach a wider audience, including viewers in their early teens, however The Batman isn’t aimed at superhero fans who enjoy Avengers, it’s designed for mature viewers who like serious, mystery based thrillers that are filled with suspense. The story is far from straightforward and doesn’t follow the formulaic plot of focusing on the superhero trying to stop the villain. The climax isn’t a special effects battle between the superhero and the villain, rather it ends with the titular Dark Knight helping the people of Gotham City recover from The Riddler’s chaotic and disastrous actions, and ends on a more hopeful note. 

Although the films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe are financially more successful, the filmmakers rarely get a chance to make a film in their own unique vision, with the Marvel producers having most of the control. The Batman proves that, by allowing the director to have creative freedom, the overall result is far more impressive and more rewarding. Reeves is clearly a skilful filmmaker with interesting ideas and that is shown with The Batman. It’s far from your typical superhero film which is why it’s worth watching.

8/10