“The Batman” movie review
The dark and gritty, yet thrilling and captivating, new “The Batman” movie starring Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, and Paul Dano is an exciting new take on the masked vigilante and the corrupt city of Gotham.
With the interesting cinematography, combined with unpredictable fight scenes and a dramatic score, “The Batman” proves to be one of the best Batman films to date.
As Gotham’s newest psychotic villain, the Riddler, played by the unsettling actor Paul Dano, is killing the city’s most important people and leaving strange clues for Batman, played by Robert Pattinson.
Jim Gordon, played by “Westworld” actor Jeffrey Wright, lets Batman see the crime scenes, and lets him in on the investigation despite pushback from fellow police officers and higher-ups.
Batman follows the trail to the Iceberg Lounge, a nightclub run by seedy criminals like the Penguin, unrecognizably played by Colin Farrell, and mastermind mob boss Carmine Falcone played by John Turturro.
Continuing to play detective, Batman follows a woman who might know a thing or two about the case and the people involved. The two team up once he realizes that the woman is Selina Kyle, also known as Catwoman and played by Zoë Kravitz, and is a key side player in the bigger corruption scandal looming behind the scenes of the serial killings.
While the Riddler continues his manhunt of the most important men in Gotham, Batman and Catwoman slowly unravel the truth behind the city’s biggest social program created by Batman’s father, Thomas Wayne, called Renewal.
Struggling with depression and reclusiveness from society due to the traumatic murder of his parents, Bruce Wayne has to bring the truth to light in order to stop the most corrupt criminals of Gotham City.
An all-star cast including Wright and Turturro, as well as Andy Serkis as Alfred, brings massive talent to the screen. The film does a great job of not wasting it either. Zoe Kravitz and Robert Pattinson’s on-screen chemistry is captivating to say the least. They match each other with their passion for vengeance.
Pattinson’s Batman is one of the more interesting portrayals of the comic book hero. It’s haunting and complex, but he is also cunning and magnetizing. You cannot take your eyes off him once he dawns the black eyeshadow and the bulletproof bat suit.
He also plays a side of the Bruce Wayne character we have not seen before. He is not the playboy millionaire who flaunts his cash. Pattinson’s Wayne is more tormented and depressed, still grieving the loss of his parents at such a young age. To outsiders, Bruce is a recluse living alone in his big lonely Wayne tower.
The film is less a superhero movie and more just a really suspenseful film noir with Batman in it, which was a smart choice by Matt Reeves, the film’s director and co-writer. The storytelling is more unconventional compared to past television and movie adaptations.
Despite its three hour length, “The Batman” is exceptionally compelling and leaves you on the edge of your seat in the most highly intense scenes, as well as the booming score that complemented the dark-toned storytelling and pace.
“The Batman” is less a superhero action movie and more a gritty detective film noir. Pattinson’s Batman is one of the best iterations of the caped crusader because of his hauntingly complex portrayal of Bruce and his masked alter ego. Cinematically, this is a must-see in theaters.
