Angst-ridden bat aficionado brings three hours of vengeance
The latest live-action reboot of the caped crusader, titled The Batman (not to be confused with the 2004 animated series of the same name starring Rino Romano as the world’s greatest detective) stars Robert Pattinson (Twilight) as the tenth thespian to portray the Dark Knight. Ben Affleck (Gone Girl) donned the cape for the majority of his DCEU (DC Extended Universe) outings, but he will supposedly be replaced with Michael Keaton (Spider-Man: Homecoming) in the upcoming The Flash movie and Leslie Grace (In the Heights) is starring in her upcoming film Batgirl. However, this take on Bats will not be set in the DCEU, but rather a standalone universe due to director Matt Reeves previously discussing his disinterest in fitting his vision for The Batman into the DCEU in order to avoid connecting to other Justice League members. Considering his sublime interpretation, Reeves’ decision has proven prescient in every way.
Another controversy that has surrounded this film since the casting announcement was the main lead himself, Robert Pattinson. This disapproval of the actor mostly stemmed from his role in the Twilight series as Edward Cullen. Much negativity arose from the hearthrob’s history as an undead sex symbol, but more viewers aware of his indie cred spawned by such disturbing flicks as The Lighthouse knew he had the appropriate level of trauma for this part. This toxic fandom is nothing new as hundreds signed a petition to have Keaton removed when he played Batman in the 1989 film of the same title, and yet his film has gone down as one of the best superhero films of all time. A similar case occurred with Heath Ledger (10 Things I Hate About You) and his depiction of the Joker in the 2008 film The Dark Knight. While his initial casting met with skepticism due to Ledger’s decidedly non-pathological roles in his early career, his portrayal would become the poster child of Joker adaptations (right alongside Mark Hamill in the 1992 show Batman: The Animated Series, Cesar Romano’s in the 1966 Batman tv show, as well as Jack Nicholson’s work in Tim Burton’s Batman (1989)).
The main villain of the film is Edward Nashton/Edward Nygma/The Riddler (played by Paul Dano, Prisoners), a villain who hasn’t been seen on screen since the 1995 film Batman Forever when he was portrayed by Jim Carrey. Along with Riddler, fans also are treated by Zoë Kravitz (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) taking on the role of Selina Kyle (also known as Catwoman), Colin Farrell (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them) as The Penguin, and John Turturro (Cars 2) playing Gotham city crime boss Carmine Falcone.
Released alongside the film was an official prequel tie-in novel (titled Before The Batman: An Original Movie Novel) that revealed many details as to what this version of Bruce Wayne, the Riddler, and the world itself are like. Bruce has apparently been building this Batmobile since he was 16, trying to make the fastest muscle car he could, and Riddler has been an orphan who has a hatred for the Wayne family due to growing up in Wayne Manor. However, things take a dark turn for the former Wayne Manor as Nashton went back to his old home and burned it to the ground, though not doing so until he evacuated the building by pulling a fire alarm. This hatred for the Wayne family is what will lead Nashton to take out his murderous tendecenies upon the “corrupt” people of Gotham.
For the film itself, director Reeves (known for his earlier work on films such as Cloverfield and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes) has done an excellent job depicting the true detective roots the character comes from, and shows this throughout the film even from the first scene of the nearly three-hour long film. Typically the Riddler, in most media, is depicted more as a joke villain in Batman’s rogue gallery (which is very true in the case of Batman Forever), but this version of him is not only menacing and absolutely terrifying, but still feels in character.
Additionally, the introduction of the titular character further solidifies how terrifying a vigilante like Batman can be, and quite honestly, Pattinson is absolutely perfect for the role of the caped crusader. Michael Giacchino’s (who has composed music for all three Holland Spider-Man films, Up, as well as both Jurassic World films along with many more) score for not just Batman himself, but the whole film in general, is amazingly composed and even rivals Danny Elfman’s original “The Batman Theme” from the 1989 film. To add onto this, the choice of Nirvana’s “Something in the Way” from their 1991 album Nevermind just matches the entire mood of both character and film. Even the tiniest details of the hero’s costume are just spectacular to look at, as one of the coolest parts of the costume (that being the bat logo front and center) acting as a detachable blade for him to use. Bruce’s partnership with Lieutenant James “Jim” Gordon (Jeffrey Wright, What If… ?) shows audiences the true potential that this character has, even more so than what was shown with Gary Oldman’s portrayal in the Christopher Nolan interpretations.
The best part, for many hardcore Batman fans, is that for once Batman does not kill anyone and remains true to his moral code of not using guns. This has been quite a prominent issue in past incarnations of the character on screen, as he has been seen to ruthlessly kill without even caring. The ending itself, shockingly for a three-hour epic, feels a bit rushed as audience members will leave looking forward to a sequel (and a Penguin spinoff has already been announced for HBO Max).
To put it simply, Matt Reeves’s The Batman is not perfect by any means. Yes, it has flaws (shocking, right?). Though, that’s what gives this movie its own unique flare, and sets it apart from its predecessors. With its gritty tones and horror elements, The Batman gives fans an almost comically accurate portrayal of the caped crusader, and gives a fresh take on the hero, while still harkening back to previous, canonical incarnations.
Rating: A+
By Evan Parfitt
March 18 2022
Volume 118 Issue VI