I’ve made no secret to the fact that DC films have been extremely hit and miss with me over the last decade plus. 2016's Batman vs Superman: The Dawn of Justice to this day remains the superhero/comic book film nadir. As for Robert Pattinson, until his turns in 2020's The Devil All the Time and Tenet, ambivalence is the most accurate feeling I’ve had about him as an actor. The mixture of these elements in my mind didn’t bode well for The Batman yet hope springs eternal so I still found myself excited enough to jump at the chance to see the movie early at a fan event. Swag in hand, properly bundled up, and with a solid plan for pacing my drink consumption, I settled in for the 2-hour 56-minute Matt Reeves (writer/director) reimagined/rebooted Batman saga.
Bottom line. Yes.
The Batman is far superior to the most recent Batman films and does a fantastic job taking the Affleck stank off the character. Sorry Ben, you’re awesome, but your take on Batman did nothing but hurt me in ways I have yet to recover from.
Pattinson, however, nails this version of Batman wonderfully. You get the dark, brooding, anger as well as the serious butt kicking, but you also get the gullibility, naivety, desperation and even dare I say? Touch of stupidity of the Caped Crusader a mere two years into his journey. This stripped down, back to basics, DIY Batman/Bruce Wayne goes deeper, brings more to the character, and happily brings back the “oomph” missing since Christian Bale vacated the role. Batman is once again a flawed, tortured human being that engages, entertains, and even amuses instead of some chronically constipated animatronic suit. Thank you, Robert Pattinson, for making me give a damn about Batman once again.
Not for nothing, but the casting throughout the film is great. Zoe Kravitz’s Selina Kyle is smart, brash, sexy, and complete badass without the cheese factor that’s commonly attached to the character. A modern-day Cat Woman please and thank you. Jeffrey Wright (a bit underused perhaps) makes an honorable James Gordon. Andy Serkis establishes himself as a proper heir to the Alfred throne. Colin Farrell is as unrecognizable as he is delightful as Oz. Paul Dano? Crazy, creepy, excellence. John Turturro thank you for reminding me how much I like you as an actor.
Another relief this go around is not only NOT having to watch poor Thomas and Martha Wayne bite the dust again (hmmm, a little Marvel influence perhaps?), but an interesting twist to their overall story serves as the catalyst for the film’s plot. Also having Wayne Manor actually in Gotham proper adds a nice touch and works well.
The Batman score/soundtrack is terrific. Nirvana’s Something in the Way, absolute perfection every time. The cinematography is stunning. There are several scenes that are beyond gorgeous and not only brought a smile to my face just witnessing them but a tear to my eye. And yes, the film is dark (shocking, not) tonally as well as literally, but for once I never felt I was suddenly listening to a radio program instead of watching a movie! Huzzah! Also having some light to even amusing moments keeps The Batman from being an epic depressive episode. A blessing for sure.
A near three hour run time is a bit too long. The pacing, especially the first half lags on and off. As for the last half of the film, there are a couple of moments you think you’re done, but you’re not. Fortunately, neither of these are a complete detriment to the film. I never got bored or pulled out of the film completely, but felt the drags, nonetheless.
Bottom line? The Batman has come through and delivered a widely engaging and entertaining film that has me once again excited about DC and the prospects of their upcoming films. Well worth the trip to your local theater and the price of admission from my standpoint. Glad I went, look forward to seeing it again, and seeing where the franchise goes next. Also yes, there’s one tiny little post credit scene at the very end of the film. It’s nothing crucial and pretty predictable so stay or don’t. The choice is really up to you and your bladder.
The Batman 9.5
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