The Batman

The day has come. It feels like forever since it was announced that a new Batman film was to hit theaters. It was met with equal parts of excitement and trepidations. Excitement because it’s Batman. Trepidation because of who is Batman. I’ve been down this road before with past incarnations. So, how does this compare to the others? It ranks as one of the very best.

The Batman in three words, dark, gritty, and perfect. Director Matt Reeves takes a refreshing look at Gotham’s famous vigilante. And Robert Pattinson sheds all doubts that he can don the cowl of the iconic caped crusader.

The Story and the Cast

Whether it was Burton or Nolan and to a degree Snyder, Bruce Wayne’s origin story and the inciting incident (his parents murder) that would drive him to become Batman, always comes into play. Reeves touches upon it but in this case, it serves a different purpose. Grabbing inspiration from such works as Batman: Year One and The Long Halloween, Reeves introduces familiar rogues in a new light. At the center of it is the Riddler.

The Riddler has a personal score to settle with the power elite. Politicians, law enforcement officials and crime bosses are intertwined. With each new victim, a series of riddles are left for Batman to solve. This is film noir at its best. And the first true detective story that focuses on Batman’s detective skills.

Selina and The Batman — Courtesy of Warner Brothers. Zoe Kravitz and Robert Pattinson

Cast

The announcement of Robert Pattinson as Batman prompted a lot of opinions. Most of which was aimed at his infamous role as Edward Cullen in the Twilight series. Pattinson’s acting range is so much more than Edward. He is a very good if not excellent actor who has received many accolades. If there was an area that I struggled with was his portrayal of Bruce Wayne. He is quite good as Bruce. But he doesn’t appear as comfortable as he does when being Batman. That could be by design as well. I have always felt that Batman is the reality and Bruce is the mask. Managing both is difficult. Pattinson overall is fantastic.

As for the rest of the cast, they are nothing short of brilliant. Led by Jeffrey Wright (Jim Gordon) and Zoe Kravitz (Selina Kyle aka Catwoman). I also enjoyed Andy Serkis’ solid take on Alfred. Then there is Colin Farrell (Oswald Cobblepot) as a more realistic Penguin. And finally, Paul Dano who is both eerie and brilliant as the Riddler. Compelling characters is always essential in any story. When a film is nearly 3-hours long, they become vital to help guide the audience to the finish line. This cast delivers in every way.

Overall Thoughts

I began by calling it dark, gritty, and perfect. And this is exactly what Batman is or has been for the last 40-50 years. Maybe not so much perfect as he is tortured. He is however the Dark Knight. He is Vengeance. And thanks to Reeves and Pattinson, The Batman is easily one of the finest comic book films ever made by either DC or Marvel. For DC, they have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to their catalog of characters. It’s just been embarrassing what they’ve done with them. Let’s hope that changes.

Everyone has their favorite Batman. I have teetered over the years between Christian Bale and Michael Keaton. I have even defended Ben Affleck who I feel was a victim of bad writing more than anything else. That’s an argument for another day. Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy is still the gold standard in my opinion. However, Reeves and Pattinson have shown that they can hold their own. They will have a lot to say about who is the best in the years to come. Personally, I hope this is the first of many installments with this team. Above anything else, this film proves that with a solid, intelligent script and compelling characters, moviegoers will come back for more.

Traditionally, the movie box office season doesn’t begin till April or May. Well, that changed last night when The Batman put everyone on notice.