The Batman

 

The Batman is the latest incarnation of the DC superhero, set two years into his crime fighting work, starring Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright and Colin Farrell.

Although this plot has been played out before, with these same villains, it was still an interesting take on the caped crusader’s need for vengeance and desire to bring peace to Gotham city. The script was well written and definitely touched on themes that are relevant today like corruption in the police force and the dangers of manipulating impressionable people. I was informed that the monologue usage is a nod to the comics, so this made for a more authentic script, however I still felt like it was a bit too much.

The cinematography was well done. It was consistent in the colors of reds and yellows in the filter and the sets which were primarily dark, wet and rainy; which helped give that gritty feel to the film. It also had a very late 80s/early 90s Batman inspiration to it. I also liked how they used the weather to create the blurry edits that we sometimes see from Batman’s perspective, which made it feel more real. Additionally, the score was also a contributing factor to the grungy vibe of the movie. It was very reminiscent of Tim Burton’s Batman Returns.

I thought that the fight choreography was sharp and well-arranged. I particularly enjoyed that Catwoman had as equality great if not better fight sequences than Batman himself.

In the beginning I thought that the Robert Pattinson choice was an interesting one. I have seen him in other roles besides Twilight so I was willing to give it a shot. Thankfully he didn't disappoint and he managed to put his full range on display. Because of Bruce Wayne's traumatizing childhood, you could see in his eyes how deeply broken he was. Still trying to figure out his purpose in life. There was also an anti-social and self-isolating nature to him. Which in turn was quite a different performance than that others have played where Bruce Wayne was more of a social playboy philanderer.

I appreciated the diversity in the rest of the casting. Zoë Kravitz is by far the best Catwoman to date. She brought a confidence, athleticism, independence, style and resourcefulness to the role. This was also the most in depth character development I’ve seen for Catwoman on the big screen, so it was easy to connect to her character. Jeffrey Wright was refreshing as an early Lieutenant Gordon, before he becomes Commissioner. A man of integrity and justice. Colin Farrell was unrecognizable as Penguin, a man not yet at the top of his game, but waiting in the wings for his chance to seize the opportunity. Farrell, along with his makeup artist, who deserves an Oscar, brought a stellar performance to screen. Paul Dano presented a completely different energy to the Riddler. Instead of being over the top and extra loud in his clothing and vocalizations, like the Jim Carrey version, he was more subdued and calculated in his mannerisms and language. He was quirky yet still very creepy, and at times unhinged, which made for the perfect mix for this new aged version of the villain. 

The Batman is almost 3 hours long but for the majority of the film it doesn’t feel like it. There were bits and pieces that I felt like could have been cut out but for the most part, the movie was high action and entertaining. There is a lot of room for growth for these characters so I look forward to the sequels to come.