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Directed by Matt Reeves
Where & When: TCL Chinese Theatres, Hollywood, CA. March 8, 2022 4:25 PM
In this third big-screen iteration of Batman, co-writer and director, Matt Reeves has moved this legendary comic-book crime fighter deeper into the darkness with "The Batman", set in a dystopian Gotham City so overcast by anarchy, corruption and depravity that sunny optimism is barely able to break through. Wearing the bat-cowl and cape this time is Robert Pattinson, an unexpected yet inspired choice, bringing to the role a far more somber and psychologically damaged Bruce Wayne who is motivated purely by vengeance, aggressively battling against felonious behavior with his own brand of vigilante justice.
Thankfully we do not have to once again relive the tragedy that happened to young Bruce Wayne when he witnesses his parents being murdered during an attempted robbery. But this traumatizing event remains a catalyst which not only drives the brooding, angst-filled Wayne but becomes indirectly connected to a recent crime that has been committed. On Halloween, the city's mayor, who was running for re-election, is brutally murdered in his home. James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright), a lieutenant officer signals Batman to the crime scene. Only operating as the costumed hero for two years, he is an unwelcome presence by the police, particularly by the police commissioner (Alex Ferns) who considers Batman no better than a common criminal. But Gordon, who is a strong ally, called Batman because a note was left behind by the killer, who calls himself, "Riddler" (played largely unseen by Paul Dano), specifically addressed to him with a riddle to solve. Not long after, the police commissioner and Gotham's district attorney (Peter Sarsgaard) are killed in similarly grisly fashion by Riddler, each time leaving a riddle for Batman, serving as clues for the reason behind his crimes.
One clue leads Batman to the Iceberg Lounge, a seedy nightclub run by Oswald Cobblepot (an unrecognizable Colin Farrell) who is referred to as "Penguin". As an associate of crime lord, Carmine Falcone (John Turturro), Cobblepot has no intention of helping Batman with anything. But he finds a waitress, Selina Kyle (Zoë Kravitz) working in the club who personally knows the clue he's seeking; her roommate, Annika (Hana Hrzic). But she's has been abducted and the two must work together to find Annika, in order to get answers to stop Riddler. And Selina, a skilled fighter with an affinity to cats, is more than capable of handling herself.
Despite a runtime of one hundred and seventy-six minutes, "The Batman" surprisingly doesn't feel excessive, using the time effectively to introduce us to some intriguing remixes of these familiar characters and holding our attention throughout with a harrowing storyline. On the surface, "The Batman" may appear like your standard super-hero adventure but the script by Reeves and co-writer, Peter Craig (who is the son of two-time Oscar winner, Sally Field) digs deeper, offering something introspectively complex, precarious and mature. Using the graphic novels, Frank Miller's 1987, "Batman: Year One" and "Batman: Earth One" from Geoff Johns and Gary Frank in 2012, as starting points, the story is driven with an emphasis on the detective-thriller elements, having far more in common with the dark, psychological complexity of "Se7en" and "Zodiac" than say, "Justice League" (either version). Set in a alternative vision of NYC, cinematographer, Greig Fraser artfully captures a Gotham City that merges the dangerous times back in the '70's and the more current bright-lights version with a perpetually gloomy, shadowy atmosphere, even in moments taking place during the day.
Pattinson first found fame playing the sexy vampire, Edward Cullen in "Twilight", the romantic-fantasy trilogy based on the wildly popular books by Stephenie Meyer. And after that initial taste of unbridled passion from the rabid fans of these films, it seems the British actor decided to run far away from these high-concept movies, spending his time working with indie-minded filmmakers like David Cronenberg ("Cosmopolis"), Claire Denis ("High Life"), the Safdie Brothers ("Good Time") and Robert Eggers ("The Lighthouse"). Now with over ten years passing since "Twilight", Pattinson feels comfortable enough returning to mainstream entertainment, appearing in Christopher Nolan's sci-fi, action thriller, "Tenet" before stepping into the batsuit. Unlike the character seen in the past, usually portrayed as a wealthy playboy, Pattinson's Bruce Wayne is a millennial; pessimistic, dubious and having little interest in the trappings of his family's vast empire, leaving Alfred (Andy Serkis), a military veteran now his butler, mentor and de facto parental figure, to handle the business affairs. He is so laser-focused on combating crime as Batman, subconsciously trying to avenge the murder of his parents, that it leaves him little time to enjoy any sort of real life as Wayne.
But Selina Kyle does spark something in Batman during brief yet potent occasions where they actually appear interested in a physical entanglement together that doesn't involve crime fighting. I can't recall a time in any super-hero movie where one of these characters actually plants a passionate kiss on anyone and that event in this movie felt astonishing to see. Much like "Joker" (which was elevated by the deeply committed, Oscar-winning performance by Joaquin Phoenix), "The Batman" moves the comic-book based movie in a thrilling new direction, pushing out of the family-friendly comfort zone as far as possible into something that feels more adult. And while it may not actually be groundbreaking, Matt Reeves brilliantly shakes up the routine and challenges the expected convention of this genre.
Thankfully we do not have to once again relive the tragedy that happened to young Bruce Wayne when he witnesses his parents being murdered during an attempted robbery. But this traumatizing event remains a catalyst which not only drives the brooding, angst-filled Wayne but becomes indirectly connected to a recent crime that has been committed. On Halloween, the city's mayor, who was running for re-election, is brutally murdered in his home. James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright), a lieutenant officer signals Batman to the crime scene. Only operating as the costumed hero for two years, he is an unwelcome presence by the police, particularly by the police commissioner (Alex Ferns) who considers Batman no better than a common criminal. But Gordon, who is a strong ally, called Batman because a note was left behind by the killer, who calls himself, "Riddler" (played largely unseen by Paul Dano), specifically addressed to him with a riddle to solve. Not long after, the police commissioner and Gotham's district attorney (Peter Sarsgaard) are killed in similarly grisly fashion by Riddler, each time leaving a riddle for Batman, serving as clues for the reason behind his crimes.
One clue leads Batman to the Iceberg Lounge, a seedy nightclub run by Oswald Cobblepot (an unrecognizable Colin Farrell) who is referred to as "Penguin". As an associate of crime lord, Carmine Falcone (John Turturro), Cobblepot has no intention of helping Batman with anything. But he finds a waitress, Selina Kyle (Zoë Kravitz) working in the club who personally knows the clue he's seeking; her roommate, Annika (Hana Hrzic). But she's has been abducted and the two must work together to find Annika, in order to get answers to stop Riddler. And Selina, a skilled fighter with an affinity to cats, is more than capable of handling herself.
Despite a runtime of one hundred and seventy-six minutes, "The Batman" surprisingly doesn't feel excessive, using the time effectively to introduce us to some intriguing remixes of these familiar characters and holding our attention throughout with a harrowing storyline. On the surface, "The Batman" may appear like your standard super-hero adventure but the script by Reeves and co-writer, Peter Craig (who is the son of two-time Oscar winner, Sally Field) digs deeper, offering something introspectively complex, precarious and mature. Using the graphic novels, Frank Miller's 1987, "Batman: Year One" and "Batman: Earth One" from Geoff Johns and Gary Frank in 2012, as starting points, the story is driven with an emphasis on the detective-thriller elements, having far more in common with the dark, psychological complexity of "Se7en" and "Zodiac" than say, "Justice League" (either version). Set in a alternative vision of NYC, cinematographer, Greig Fraser artfully captures a Gotham City that merges the dangerous times back in the '70's and the more current bright-lights version with a perpetually gloomy, shadowy atmosphere, even in moments taking place during the day.
Pattinson first found fame playing the sexy vampire, Edward Cullen in "Twilight", the romantic-fantasy trilogy based on the wildly popular books by Stephenie Meyer. And after that initial taste of unbridled passion from the rabid fans of these films, it seems the British actor decided to run far away from these high-concept movies, spending his time working with indie-minded filmmakers like David Cronenberg ("Cosmopolis"), Claire Denis ("High Life"), the Safdie Brothers ("Good Time") and Robert Eggers ("The Lighthouse"). Now with over ten years passing since "Twilight", Pattinson feels comfortable enough returning to mainstream entertainment, appearing in Christopher Nolan's sci-fi, action thriller, "Tenet" before stepping into the batsuit. Unlike the character seen in the past, usually portrayed as a wealthy playboy, Pattinson's Bruce Wayne is a millennial; pessimistic, dubious and having little interest in the trappings of his family's vast empire, leaving Alfred (Andy Serkis), a military veteran now his butler, mentor and de facto parental figure, to handle the business affairs. He is so laser-focused on combating crime as Batman, subconsciously trying to avenge the murder of his parents, that it leaves him little time to enjoy any sort of real life as Wayne.
But Selina Kyle does spark something in Batman during brief yet potent occasions where they actually appear interested in a physical entanglement together that doesn't involve crime fighting. I can't recall a time in any super-hero movie where one of these characters actually plants a passionate kiss on anyone and that event in this movie felt astonishing to see. Much like "Joker" (which was elevated by the deeply committed, Oscar-winning performance by Joaquin Phoenix), "The Batman" moves the comic-book based movie in a thrilling new direction, pushing out of the family-friendly comfort zone as far as possible into something that feels more adult. And while it may not actually be groundbreaking, Matt Reeves brilliantly shakes up the routine and challenges the expected convention of this genre.
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