Written by Ronnie Gorham
Anticipation for The Batman starring Robert Pattinson and Zoe Kravitz as the iconic DC characters, Batman and Catwoman, has been ongoing since we first learned that the two would be suiting up. Some fans were skeptical at first. They thought perhaps Pattinson was too small muscle-wise, that Pattinson wasn’t a good choice, or were repulsed at the thought of Edward Cullen from Twilight being the next Batman/Bruce Wayne. However, it’s safe to say that most will be surprised with his performance and the film. Not only is Robert Pattinson a decent Batman, but the film itself is a three-hour ride filled with plenty of homages and callbacks to the comics, cartoons, and movies that came before it while providing us with the detective crime noir side of the cape crusader that many long-time Batman fans have been waiting to see on the silver screen.
The Batman‘s overall story pulls from various Batman comics and cartoons, with the most notable being The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb and artist Tim Sale. If you’re not familiar with The Long Halloween, it takes place during the earlier years of Batman’s career as a crime fighter, like in The Batman, and has a killer who strikes down people on holidays. The opening sequence in The Batman does a superb job of referencing this in the way the movie’s antagonist, The Riddler (Paul Dano), kills someone on Halloween night. This, in turn, sets the film’s tone, assuring the audience that this is not a Batman tale like you’ve seen before. Although many may compare it to the Christopher Nolan Batman films, The Batman is its own crime noir psychological whodunnit.
There are so many iconic references that writer-director Matt Reeves included in the movie— including the character design in Batman’s suits drawn from illustrators like Greg Capullo, Lee Bermejo, and video games like Batman: Arkham Origins and Batman: Arkham Knight. The movie also feels a lot like the animated cartoon The Batman, which is a bit grittier than its predecessor, Batman: The Animated Series. It’s noteworthy that unlike the previous movies with Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, or Christian Bale, Robert Pattinson’s Bat-suit is probably one of the most protective we’ve seen in cinema, as there are several instances where people riddle him with bullets that just bounce off—including his headgear.
Robert Pattinson’s take on the bat feels like a superhero still learning, which is excellent considering it’s only the character’s second year of putting the fear of God into Gotham’s bad guys. Pattinson’s Batman probably offers the most human aspect we’ve seen of the character as well. He’s not out buying fancy cars or living the high life. Instead, he’s a man dealing with his own trauma in and out of the suit.
Pattinson shines as both Bruce Wayne and Batman. He’s angry, frustrated and the things he is inexperienced with only drive him to be better. Pattinson does feel like he’s still Batman throughout the movie, even when he is Bruce, but that’s not a bad thing. Pattinson in the suit packs a heavy punch and brings electric energy that’s hard to look away from.
However, Zoe Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman and Paul Dano as The Riddler are the show stealers here. Kravitz sizzles every time she enters a scene from her magnetic chemistry with Pattinson to her sexy leather Catwoman outfit, to her perfect performance of a woman dealing with her past but who could still kill you with a simple dropkick. Kravitz brings an ideal performance that displays the anti-hero antics of Catwoman, whose morals can be questionable at times but, in the end, means well. Kravitz joins a long list of black and white women who have brought the Catwoman character to life, including Camren Bicondova, Anne Hathaway, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Eartha Kitt, among others.
Paul Dano is an actor who brings an entirely different take on the iconic DC villain, The Riddler. His interpretation of the perplexing and deadly character pulls from the Zodiac killer and Tobin Bell’s Jigsaw. Dano’s Riddler takes a giant leap away from Jim Carrey’s 1995 performance in Batman Forever, which was closer to Frank Gorshin’s ’60s Adam West Batman. In The Batman, Dano’s Riddler is creepy, sadistic, and will have you questioning whether his motives are wrong or right. The best villains are always those who can match wits with the hero or, in some ways, make them break their own beliefs, and Dano’s Riddler does an incredible job of that in the movie. Whenever they face-off, the back and forth chemistry between Pattinson and Dano is magical and impossible not to get excited when either is speaking.
As for the rest of the cast, like Colin Farrell, who plays an unrecognizable Penguin or Jeffrey Wright knocking it out of the park as Jim Gordon or John Turturro as the smooth crime boss Carmine Falcone, everyone does an exceptional job and leaves a long-lasting, memorable impression. Wright has such an engaging dynamic with Pattinson that you think the two have been starring in Batman films together for years. And last but certainly not least is Andy Serkis, who plays Alfred Pennyworth, who portrays more of a sympathetic role towards Bruce Wayne this time around because his version of Alfred and Bruce don’t have a great relationship.
Besides the great performances by the cast, there is some spectacular cinematography by Greig Fraser. Fraser really helps bring Gotham city to life in a way we haven’t seen before. That, matched with terrific action sequences and a killer soundtrack featuring classic songs like “Something in the Way” by Nirvana make for an impactful three-hour spectacle that fans will love.
The Batman is fun, dark, and puts another great notch into the legacy on the Batman film franchise. It has a solid story, awesome performances by the entire cast, and a few hidden Easter Eggs and potential teases. The Batman is a movie you won’t want to miss, and Pattinson proves that he’s worthy of putting on the cape and cowl. See The Batman in the loudest theater possible.
