The Batman, directed by Matt Reeves, is an action crime thriller that follows Batman as he attempts to uncover the mystery behind the murders of the serial killer known as the Riddler. With The Penguin set to release on Max soon, let’s revisit the film that started it all.
Vengeance
The Batman begins on Halloween as Bruce Wayne, played by Robert Pattinson, narrates his experience fighting criminals in Gotham City for the last two years. He is soon contacted by Lieutenant James Gordon, played by Jeffrey Wright, to investigate the murder of Mayor Don Mitchell Jr. The crime scene is scattered with clues and riddles from the twisted figure, the Riddler, played by Paul Dano. To uncover the motive of this serial killer, Batman has to go deep into Gotham’s Crime Underground, where he meets Colin Farrell’s Penguin and Zoë Kravitz’s Catwoman. As he digs deeper into the case, Bruce Wayne slowly discovers the haunting truths about Gotham City and his family’s past.
World’s Greatest Detective
One of the memorable aspects that makes The Batman worth watching is the incredible acting from Robert Pattinson and the well-written adaptation of both Batman and Bruce Wayne. Matt Reeves gives audiences a Batman that’s still in his early years and pushes the notion of how Batman is his true identity while Bruce Wayne is his alter ego. Ninety percent of the movie has Pattinson in the Batsuit, which shows how much time Bruce Wayne puts into protecting his city as Batman instead of being Bruce Wayne and helping his company and city in a more civil manner. The scenes with Bruce Wayne show him as a damaged and lonely character rather than the more well-known billionaire playboy philanthropist persona. This seems to be the basis of his overall character development for the rest of the films, especially in how this complicated character will find a balance between these two personas.
Shadows
The film provides a standout performance from its main lead, but the entire supporting cast also gives memorable performances. Zoë Kravitz, Colin Farrell, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright, and Andy Serkis all give superb performances that stay faithful to their comic book counterparts. Paul Dano as the Riddler is an adaptation that is unique from previous live-action interpretations. Instead of being a cartoony villain, he is much more menacing and sinister with his overall look and unsettling presentation, which sets the tone for this film. Zoë Kravitz’s Selina Kyle is almost an anti-hero who does the wrong things for the right reasons and is a complete juxtaposition to Batman, who tries to stick to his moral code. Colin Farrell is almost unrecognizable in this film as he plays a more gangster-type character who is power-hungry and insecure about his place in Gotham’s Crime Underground. Jeffrey Wright’s Jim Gordon in the film is with the law, but as the law starts to move away from benefiting the people of Gotham, he must rely on someone above the law in order to seek justice. Although he does not have much screen time, Andry Serkis’ Alfred Pennyworth is also a well-written character, as he serves as the closest thing to a family for Bruce Wayne and provides a truly emotional scene with Robert Pattinson. The supporting cast was given well-written characters, and although they were not the titular characters, they still executed their characters flawlessly with excellent performances.
Sonata in Darkness
Another important aspect of this film that makes it spectacular is the approach to Gotham City. The opening sequence throws audiences right into the fictional city, showing its uniqueness. The architecture is very gothic, representing the darkness, crime, corruption, and poverty that lies within this city. The beautiful cinematography from Greig Fraser enhances this aspect with well-composed shots, effective lighting, and coloring that set the tone for this film and match the different emotions within this complex city.
Fear is a Tool
The audio and action sequences were key factors in establishing the tone of The Batman. Michael Giacchino created a well-crafted score that is emotional, dark, and overall just beautiful. The theme song for this Batman is composed of only a few notes, but the constant repetition and tempo changes fit the different emotions on screen, making it such a memorable Batman theme song. Integrated with the audio, the action sequences in this film were also choreographed perfectly, with many hand-to-hand combat scenes showing off Batman’s skills as a year two vigilante and the violent nature of Gotham’s criminals. The film also contains a well-choreographed Batmobile chase sequence with intense audio, camera work, and effects, that make it one of the best chase sequences in the franchise.
Verdict
After rewatching this film in preparation for The Penguin, it is evident that The Batman is arguably one of the best movies in the franchise. Matt Reeves gave audiences a live-action adaptation that stays true to the comics while also adding his own creative liberties by combining certain comic book storylines and giving depth to characters not explored in the comics. The Batman also fully utilizes storytelling, acting, cinematography, and music to build a complex world that still has much to explore.
The Batman is a spectacular crime thriller with incredible acting performances, a well-written screenplay, and serves as a faithful adaptation of Gotham’s beloved Dark Knight.
