Cinema Crusaders Movie Review: The Batman

I’ve seen The Batman (Directed by Matt Reeves) several times since it came out last week and I’ve taken my time writing this review because I wanted to let the movie marinate in my mind. Excitement, hype, expectations, etc can lead any of us to hyperbole when we discuss this project or that project, myself included. I wanted to be sure to avoid that and give you the facts as I see them. You may agree, you may disagree, that is your right and I hope to hear from you either way.

There is the constant struggle for the soul of Batman between those who want something more realistic, gritty and dark and those who want something hopeful, fantastic and (for lack of a better word) comic bookish. Both factions claim dominion over what is and is not Batman. Both are correct. Batman can be gritty, realistic and dark – think Batman Year One. Batman can also be hopeful, fantastic and, dare I say, campy – think Batman ’66. This debate is nothing new and one has only to look at the hate the animated series Batman The Brave and The Bold got to see how deeply these feelings run. This was so true that the writers played on this divide using the character of Batmite in one episode.

When Batman left the Schumacher era, complete with Bat Nipples, Bat Credit Cards and Bat Butt – it was fairly clear that the geek community and the movie going community at large were done with the over the top fantasy that Batman had become. All the while, the comic fanbase continued to get Batman material as varied as Batman The Brave and The Bold and Beware The Batman. After a suitable hiatus the movie studios came calling again and gave Batman into the care of Christopher Nolan. Nolan transformed Gotham, stripping away it’s art nouveau style and replacing it with a post-modern monument to banality. The villains were stripped of all pretense until only their essence remained. Scarecrow was simply a sadist in a mask who delighted in the fear of his victims, Joker a delusional psychotic who reveled in madness, Two-Face a shattered man exacting vengeance out of impotence, Ra’s Al Ghul an emotionless judge who passes sentence without care or concern. Similarly, Nolan stripped Batman bare and turned Bruce Wayne into an empty shell of vengeance who gives his pain form as The Batman. He is a homicidal, broken man who has nothing to offer anyone, a fact that Rachel could clearly see by the middle of The Dark Knight. Wayne deludes himself into thinking he is better than he is by playing the role of the martyr.

Enter then Matt Reeves and The Batman. Judging by the trailers and descriptions of the movie by fans and critics alike, you would be forgiven if you thought that this was the return of Nolan’s vision for Gotham and it’s Dark Knight. You hear words like dark, gritty, crime drama and noir bandied about to describe this movie. All of those words can accurately describe things that happen on screen but there is one key thing that is left out – this movie, and particularly the title character – aren’t about darkness, grittiness or crime. This is the setting against which this tale takes place not defining traits for this version of Batman played by Robert Pattinson. This Batman surprised me and gave me something I haven’t see in the character for a long time – HOPE. It is the defining trait for the character, it is the character arc he is on in the first movie, This is not a soulless Batman in search of vengeance. Instead, this is a Batman trying to save others, a Batman who admits the feelings he has for his foster father, a Batman who finds what it means to be the protector of a flawed, gritty, dark city like Gotham.

******SPOILER WARNING******

If you read past this point I can guarantee there will be spoilers.
That is all
******SPOILER WARNING******

The movie centers around a mystery that begins with the murder of Gotham’s mayor by the improperly named Riddler played by Paul Dano. It is fairly obvious that Reeves borrowed from other characters to create this amalgam that they call Riddler. The character is actually a mash up of the comic character Anarky with a hint of James Gordon Jr, The Zodiac and The Riddler thrown in. His only real ties back to the traditional Riddler are that he tells riddles. He has no compulsion to share his brilliance, one aspect of Riddler. He is most definitely homicidal, yet another trait that has never been a hallmark of Riddler. Finally, his main motivation is one of social change and politics. That SCREAMS Anarky. If I had to hazard a guess, Reeves liked this idea and didn’t use the Anarky character because a) he wasn’t aware of him or b) the studio did not think the general public would go to a movie where the main villain was a relatively obscure character. Either way, this is one of the major errors in the movie and one you’ll have to move past before you can truly enjoy the story that will unfold.

Batman is first introduced in a narrative that evokes images of Batman Year One and the journals of his quest. It is effective and sets the tone for the film and the character. These voice-overs continue throughout the film and are highly effective. They put you in the mind of the title character and allow you to experience his journey first hand as he tackles the events started one Halloween night in Gotham. As Riddler continues to leave bodies and riddles in his wake, Batman finds himself in the Iceberg Lounge where he’ll encounter three very important characters to the story. First is Carmine Falcone played by John Turturro. This Falcone controls the Iceberg Lounge and is not The Roman character from The Long Halloween. Rather, he is manipulative and malignant – exuding a charm that makes your skin crawl for no definable reason but one you feel just the same. Second is Selina Kyle played by Zoe Kravitz. Kyle is first seen working at the Iceberg Lounge and her part in the unfolding mystery is complicated by her attraction to Batman and her disgust at the ruling elite personified by people like Bruce Wayne. Finally there is Oswald Cobblepot played by Colin Farrel. This Cobblepot hates the moniker Penguin and is a mid level functionary in the Falcone empire. He is ambitious, scheming, somewhat pathetic but disarmingly dangerous.

Alfred, played by Andy Serkis, is a mixture of Efrain Zimbalist Jr’s Alfred from Batman The Animated Series and the version we are shown in Beware The Batman. He is competent, formidable and the glue that holds the Bruce Wayne front together as Batman focuses on his mission at this point in his career. That role is very similar to the one played by Alfred in Batman Year One. Alfred and Batman share a moving and tender scene later in the movie – one of two critical scenes that show who Bruce is and who he will be if Reeves continues with a sequel.

That brings me then to Batman played by Robert Pattinson. I had grave misgivings about Pattinson being cast in this role. While I remember him vaguely as a strapping but forgettable Cedric Diggory – my overwhelming impressions of him were from the Twilight movies. How could this actor hold up to Keaton or Bale? I must say that I was wrong. Pattinson plays the part excellently and brings genuine feeling, intensity, courage, vulnerability and hope to the role. He takes up the mantle Reeves wrote for him and is Gotham’s protector, Gotham’s Dark Knight who is a beacon of hope and salvation against the dark terrors that reside in a city sorely in need of one. Batman is not alone in that regard either – Jefferey Wright’s James Gordon is an inspiration. Determined and steely, Gordon is a good man in a corrupt organization and one feels for him every time he is on screen. The relation between Batman and Gordon is pitch perfect – contrasting the battle in the shadows waged by Batman and, in my opinion, the much tougher battle in the light waged by James Gordon.

I can’t very well do a review of a movie without devoting at least some time to nuts and bolts of the film itself. The film is beautifully shot and, minus Riddler, I think the costuming is on point. The Bat-suit is admittedly rough but it makes sense when you put it in the context of the film. The same goes for Miss Kyle. Batman has a collection of gadgets that are beautifully realized and used effectively throughout the film. The lighting and color of the film can be dark and brooding at times, perhaps overly so, though I understand that Reeves is trying to convey the atmosphere of Gotham City. The art direction leans towards Burton but the excesses are reigned in by a heavy dose of Nolan. The same is true for the Batmobile. The car looks utterly believable in concept but is fantastic in execution.

Before I sum up let’s get this out of the way. Going into this movie my Top 5 Batman films were

Batman – Mask of The Phantasm
Batman Beyond – Return of The Joker
Batman 1989
The Dark Knight
Batman Begins

My New Top 5 Rankings

Batman – Mask of The Phantasm
The Batman
Batman Beyond – Return of The Joker
Batman 1989
The Dark Knight

In summary this movie is much more Batman Year One that the Long Halloween. Perhaps the trilogy will provide us with a Long Halloween story but that remains to be seen. The movie is truly beautiful, the actions scenes are spectacular, detective work is brought to the fore and the character and character acting are wonderful. There are nit-picky elements that I could point to as a comic book fan and film critic but I must say that I’m very happy with this film. I guess my last point is this. Too often we, and I include myself in this, go to movies to find what is wrong with – why I don’t like it. I went into this film with no expectations but hope. I was given hope in the form of this Batman and I loved it in return.

Writing – 4.25 of 5 Stars
Photography – 4.5 of 5 Stars
Acting – 4.75 of 5 Stars
Effects – 4.5 of 5 Stars
Makeup – 5 of 5 Stars
Design – 4.5 of 5 Stars

Overall – 4.5 of 5 Stars

Directed by Matt Reeves
Written by Matt Reeves and Peter Craig
Released by Warner Bros

Starring
Robert Pattinson as Batman
Zoe Kravitz as Selina Kyle
Colin Farrel as Oswald Cobblepot
Paul Dano as Riddler/Edward Nashton
John Turturro as Carmine Falcone
Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth
Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon
Peter Sarsgaard as Gil Colson

Author Profile

Nemesis

Nemesis is a poet, writer and author of the upcoming novel The Long Game. He is a writer of science fiction and supernatural thrillers. Besides novels and short stories he writes for UK based ASAP Comics developing new stories for Level 8 and OPSEC. Nem is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and tries to bring those experiences into his writing.

He lives and works out of his home in Riverside, California with his wife and three children. When not writing he enjoys reviewing comic books and graphic novels for ComicCrusaders.com and living the Southern California life with his family.