by Jake Bourgeois, Contributing Writer
For the first time since the conclusion of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy, we’ve got a new solo Batman film for fans to lose their minds over.
The Batman comes to us from the mind behind the final two films of the recent Planet of the Apes trilogy, Matt Reeves, who both co-wrote (with Peter Craig) and directed this latest iteration of the Caped Crusader. In it, we find our newest Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson) two years in to his mission to clean up the streets of Gotham. While he’s convinced Jeffrey Wright’s James Gordon that he can be trusted, that does not extend to the rest of Gotham’s finest. When the mysterious Riddler (Paul Dano) shakes the city and Wayne to his core, he’ll have to figure out the puzzle out before it’s too late.
A lot has changed in the landscape of Batman in the decade since we got our last film that focused solely on Batman. Since then, both Telltale and the Batman: Arkham games have changed how we view what a Batman story can be. It’s clear that they influenced how Reeves weaves his tale. Though I don’t have an extensive knowledge of either game, I know enough to clearly see how those games impacted how he decided to write his version of the Riddler and how Batman goes after his main nemesis of the film. Everyone who’s bemoaned the lack of true detective work in the previous cinematic Batman entries should walk away from this latest film sated in that regard. With the Riddler pulling the strings, the investigation into what’s going on in Gotham takes its role front and center. When it comes to how Reeves shoots the action, there’s nothing that quite hits the high of either the warehouse scene in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, or the high pinnacle of Reeves’s own catalogue with the ape mayhem in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. However, the action is still really well shot and we get the best Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz) action we’ve had on screen to date.
Another place where The Batman shines for me is the atmosphere — at least to a point. Se7en is a top-10 film for me and this film takes some influence from it in more than just the fact that its nominally about a serial killer toying with his detectives. A decent chunk of the film seems to take place in the same perpetual rainy night bubble that David Fincher’s masterpiece does, and it really does add to the pit of darkness that both Gotham and Bruce seem to find themselves in. There is some subtle humor sprinkled in, but those moments are brief. It’s in the creation of that tone where the score of Michael Giacchino’s is (perhaps ironically) allowed to shine. There a punch and brutality to it that matches the Batman we get in this movie. It really plays well with how sound is used throughout. While this Batman can lurk and vanish with the best of them, the style is more often about the power of hearing his boots click as he approaches through the shadow or the awesome power of the Batmobile firing up for the first time. The tone, as much as it worked for me for the most part, got almost too dour at one point. It’s the one point where the nearly three-hour runtime dragged ever so slightly. In noir fashion, it’s framed by narration. A choice I had mixed feelings about.
We’ve come this far without touching on our main character. So, how does Pattinson comport himself in the role? Really well. There’s a certain darkness to any non-Adam West versions of the character, though this version cranks it up to 11. If not done well, that could come off laughably, but it’s given its necessary weight without feeling like some goth parody. Though don’t get me wrong, when the Goth Batman parody Twitter account inevitably starts, I am very much looking forward to following it. The film very much focuses on the Batman part of the persona. Bruce Wayne hardly makes much of an appearance at all. That could change in future films if I’m reading the intended message correctly, and it’s something I’m interested in exploring.
Batman’s not the only one we’re well versed in, so here’s some quick thoughts on the rest of our familiar cast of characters:
As far as antagonists go, Dano’s portrayal of the Riddler is utterly superb. It’s clear that he specifically was influenced heavily by both recent game version, as well as Se7en’s John Doe, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. While Colin Farrell disappears behind the makeup and into the character of the Penguin, I’m more looking forward to what could be in store for the future of the character than what I got here. For as much as Farrell disappears into Oswald Cobblepot, John Turturro is very much still Turturro in his portrayal of gangster Carmine Falcone. Though, as always, he’s still a welcome addition to proceedings.
Where Batman’s partners are concerned, Kravitz’s Catwoman was a standout. Both when she’s operating on her own and interacting with Batman, it’s my favorite version of that character we’ve gotten on the big screen. The classic “will they, won’t they” tension we’ve come to expect gets pulled off believably. The investigative partnership between Batman and Gordon (not yet commissioner here) also works. Wright’s Gordon gets plenty to do throughout the course of the runtime and I can’t wait to see how that partnership continues to evolve. It’s the one partner that knows his true nature that I was a little let down by. It’s not that Andy Serkis is bad, per se, as Alfred Pennyworth, it’s just that I don’t think he gets a ton to do and I’m not quite as invested in their partnership as previous iterations.
I also really dig this version of the Batmobile. And how it’s introduced? Chef’s kiss.
That’s a lot of words about The Batman, but where does that leave us? Does this immediately vault it among the best in the pantheon of films based on the most famous comic book character ever to grace the page? As much as the internet age loves us immediately jumping to one extreme or the other immediately after we watch the credits roll, I’m not ready to make any grand proclamations yet. I thoroughly enjoyed my initial experience, but particularly with Batman films, rewatch value is a part of the equation, and I’m curious to see how the tone and the runtime hold up on repeat.
What I will say is I like (most) of what the final scenes hint at in terms of this being a turning point in the arc of his particular Bruce Wayne. It’s a great introduction and I think potential sequels could be something even more spectacular — particularly with Reeves at the helm.
Score: 8/10
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