The Batman review

 

After numerous delays and major shooting problems Matt Reeves The Batman finally lands in theaters across the world. Right of the bat (sorry that was awful I know) you get a sense that this is a Batman movie unlike any other. Firstly there is the introduction of both The Riddler quickly followed by The Batman himself and they couldn't be anymore different. The Riddlers introduction is very horror like complete with using the darkness to his advantage before his plan to rid the corrupt of Gotham into action. Immediately the character is a big threat and becomes more and more so as the movie goes on. As for when the Dark Knight himself arrives his introduction is nothing short of sublime. Matt Reeves nails every character aspect as Batman narrates over his intro complete with him talking about how the bat-signal isn't just a call for help it's a symbol of fear for the lowlifes and thugs running around the streets. It's beautifully shown as thugs and criminals a like run for cover as the bat-signal shines high into the night sky. It's a set up that is not only the best part of the movie but my favorite opening to any Batman movie ever. I was even saying to myself ''this is amazing'' and had the biggest smile on my face. But the positives don't end there far from it...

Matt Reeves version of Gotham City is dark, it's grim, it's always raining but it feels lived in. The corruption runs deep within the City from the GCPD to the Mayor and Commissioner all the way to the District Attorney. It's all really fascinating and told in such a great way. It's filled with subtle clues as the movies goes on and not just from The Riddler. It goes from scene to scene without a hitch and is filled with references that hardcore Batman fans will love. Performance wise I couldn't really fault anything here, not only is Robert Pattinson absolutely incredible as Batman / Bruce Wayne he brings such a dry sense of humor to the role and it just works. But that being said this is an angry Batman, a lot less focused Batman in a way, it's truly a character study unlike anything done with the character before.The scenes he shares with Jeffery Wright's Jim Gordon range from good to flat out amazing. As for Zoe Kravitz she really makes the role of Selina Kyle her own and while she isn't Catwoman here yet she is pretty much the character in everything but mask and name. She is flawless and works really well with Pattinson's straight laced Caped Crusader. In fact as the movie goes on their relationship just gets better and better. I can't forget Colin Farrell who plays Oswald (Oz) Cobblepott aka The Penguin. He is unrecognizable and plays his role really well almost too well. But for me Paul Dano steals the show as The Riddler. He is not only terrifying but the reveal of him later on without the mask and it's revealed that he's just a normal guy like anyone else was perfectly done. It captured perfectly just how crazy literally anybody could truly be. There's a scene towards the end of the movie where Riddler and Batman come face to face and that scene is flawless in my opinion and really showcases Dano's profound acting skills. He really nails this role in every aspect. Even the Batombile is a character of it's own here as the scene where it's introduced is intense as heck complete with a great chase scene across the Gotham highway. 

The Batman is bold, The Batman is brash and The Batman is something entirely different for The Dark Knight. You're either going to love or hate this take on the character as it is a rather long movie but if you stick with it you will be rewarded once the credits begin to roll. Batman begins to flex his detective muscle a lot in this movie and that is something I very much appreciated. In summary The Batman is a Batman movie unlike any other. It's dark and incredibly gritty and grounded but not entirely grounded. It strikes a perfect balance and doesn't even feel like it's over 170 minute running time. It's like a comic book come to life at some points as there is some truly fantastic scenes here. All in all The Batman delivers and is something that you really need to see for yourself!

★★★★★