It’s dark. It’s really dark. Let’s get that out of the way. If you’re looking for a campy Batman, this is not it. That is okay by me. I like director Matt Reeves’ vision. I am so glad that Ben Affleck stepped down and handed over the keys to the Batmobile to Robert Pattinson. When Pattinson comes to mind, stop thinking about him in ‘Twilight.’ Get that image out of your head. He has evolved into an accomplished actor taking on indie projects like ‘The Lighthouse’ and ‘Good Time.’ In ‘The Batman,’ he’s moody. He struggles with his identity as a vigilante. Can he accept his fate as the ultimate crime fighter for Gotham City? Fasten your seatbelt and enjoy the ride. It may get turbulent.
Bruce Wayne (Pattinson) is filthy rich. He lives in a gothic mansion with his faithful butler, Alfred (Andy Serkis). Our hero is a tortured soul. The story unfolds like a neo-noir David Fincher thriller. The tone is similar to ‘Seven’ and ‘Zodiac.’ Gotham City is run by corrupt politicians and dirty cops. Batman only has one ally, Lieutenant Jim Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) on the police force. Nobody knows the true identity of the Caped Crusader. We get introduced to what our hero is capable of doing. The Bat-Signal has returned! You can tell it makes criminals on the streets of Gotham apprehensive. The fight scenes are raw. Batman handles a group of thugs in a subway station with no problem. He always stops short of beating somebody to death. Now that’s self-control.
The story has a lot of subplots. You have mafia that literally run the city. There is a night club that is actually used as a ruse for their headquarters. It is run by The Penguin (Colin Farrell). Due to prosthetic makeup, Farrell is virtually unrecognizable. He looks like the mobster “Scarface” Al Capone. That’s not the only bad guy that wreaks havoc. There is a serial killer loose that goes by the name of The Riddler (Paul Dano). He likes to kill government officials and leave clues for The Batman to solve. This gives the movie a sinister tone and lets Batman become a sleuth. Remember what the “DC” in DC Comics stands for? Detective Comics. Our hero uncovers one clue after another to get closer to The Riddler. A word of caution is required here. Dano’s performance is so terrifying you might want to think twice before allowing the kiddos to tag along.
Selina Kyle (Zoe Kravitz) is the new Catwoman. She is alluring and looks amazing in her sleek outfit. The chemistry between Kravitz and Pattinson is palpable. You just want these two to hook up. Kravitz shines in every scene. I cannot wait to see her in future installments. The soundtrack is effective. The music never overpowers the film. Nirvana’s “Something in the Way” is used to introduce Pattinson. It seems odd but it works. The grunge song is thematically on point. The cinematography is dark. Many of the scenes of Gotham are shown in the rain. The backdrop of Gotham City is foreboding and acts like a separate character in its own right. The fight scenes are not over-the-top. One in particular stands out in a pitch dark entry way. It is only lit occasionally by machine-gun fire. It’s a brilliant sequence that shows how skillful Batman is without using any deadly force.
‘The Batman’ is film noir at its best. It might not be for all audiences. Did I mention it is dark? The villains are so grimy you’ll want to take a shower when you get home from the movie theater. Let’s face it. The key ingredient in a superhero movie is the lead actor. Robert Pattinson holds his own as the new Batman. He has great chemistry with his costar Zoe Kravitz. You can cut the sexual tension with a knife. The plot is intelligent and absorbing. You understand how Batman evolves from vigilante to crime fighter. I can’t wait to see where the next film takes us. ‘The Batman’ hits it out of the park.
