This is certainly a first on this blog but I figured if Robert Pattinson could play Batman then I could venture into the world of film reviews. As you progress through this review, you’ll find riddles used by the Riddler in the film sprinkled throughout; why not see if you can figure them out as you read without giving in to the urge to open another tab and google the answer? *insert demonic cackle here*
*No spoilers were included in the making of this review but please proceed with caution! You have been warned and I will plead the fifth if Batman is lurking in a dark street waiting to attack me*
Matt Reeves take on The Batman raked in around $128.5 million in the United States and Canada alone and a staggering $250 million across the world to date. This was undoubtedly one of my most anticipated releases and of course I have a lot of thoughts about it that I will attempt to breakdown for you.
Let’s start with Robert Pattinson’s portrayal of The Batman shall we? I’ll admit, I was equal parts apprehensive and intrigued at this casting choice. Like many, I could not fathom the idea of anyone else playing the crime-fighting vigilante than the incredible Christian Bale, whose performance in the Dark Knight trilogy has easily become one of my favourites. In fact, IMDB currently ranks The Dark Knight (2008) as number three in the top 250 movies of all time. Evidently, I was hesitant. That is, until I stumbled upon a snippet by director Matt Reeves in which he stated that the inspiration for this particular appearance of Batman was inspired quite heavily by Nirvana’s frontman, Kurt Cobain. As a part-time Nirvana fan, this revived my interest and I can safely say this inspiration shone through in the movie.
“What Does A Liar Do When He’s Dead?”
Where previous portrayals of Batman have focussed on the more playful, charming side of Bruce Wayne and the origins of the Batman persona, Matt Reeves’ Batman is presented to the audience as a throughly tortured, angsty individual who is shrouded in pure mystery. Robert Pattinson’s Batman is riddled with the pain of his parents death and hell-bent on the idea of enacting vengeance on those who dare disrupt the peace of Gotham. Though we hear parts of his personal diary, I still felt that he was an elusive figure who oozes an abundance of untapped potential that could be explored in future movies.
“It Can Be Cruel, Poetic, Or Blind. But When It’s Denied, It’s Violence You May Find.”
When you think of the Batman what immediately comes to mind? (If you answered bats then kindly close this tab and proceed to exit immediately). What I’m eluding to can only be the key ingredient that makes for a successful Batman; the gravelly, deep voice. ‘But that’s not important!’ I hear you exclaiming and dear reader, I vehemently disagree. What good is an angsty, broody Batman whose very presence invokes the promise of death if he doesn’t have the signature voice to go with it?
Rarely do I watch a movie and appreciate the cinematography as much as I did watching The Batman but credit where credit is due I suppose. The dark, dreary scenery of Gotham truly added to the overall thriller feel that this movie induced. Dare I say I felt like I had accidentally stepped into a horror movie? Pathetic fallacy at its absolute finest.
Whilst we’re on the topic of thrillers and horrors, I’m going to come out and say it: I felt like The Batman was a part of the Saw franchise. Of course I don’t quite mean this in the sense of goriness before you scoff in disdain (although some of the Riddler’s murders did have me flinching just a tad) but more in the cat-and-mouse chase the Riddler led us on. If you haven’t been living under a rock, you’re probably more than familiar with the unhinged lunatic that is the Joker and slightly fed up with seeing him as Batman’s primary adversary. I cannot believe my fingers dare type this but I personally think the Riddler probably matched, and if not surpassed, the standard Heath Ledger and Jocquan Phoenix’s Jokers’ have set.
“If You Are Justice, Please Do Not Lie. What Is The Price For Your Blind Eye?“
While I unfortunately do not possess the intelligence to work through Riddler’s sadistic clues and games, I found myself utterly addicted to seeing what would come next in his nefarious ploy and found myself perhaps coming to an understanding of what had fuelled such murderous and unthinkable rage.
Gotham may be fictional but it painfully highlights the very real divide between rich and poor and the lengths the latter have to go through in order to attain a decent standard of living. It’s no secret that Bruce Wayne has always been presented as a billionaire playboy whose money and connections enabled him to step into the crime-fighting role that he so ardently enjoys inhabiting. The Riddler’s resentment at the Wayne family and those in positions of power who do nothing to help the disadvantaged definitely added to the dark, depressing feel of the movie and hinted at the climax of the movie. I just know fellow lovers of film and literature had a whale of a time dissecting the themes running through this almost three hour extravaganza.
“I Grew Up As A Seed, As Tough As A Weed. But In A Mansion, In A Slum, I’ll Never Know Where I Come From.”
Whilst many of us were excited to see Batman in action once more, more still were eager to see Zoe Kravitz’ portrayal of Catwoman/Selina Kyle. From the very limited screen time she had, I for one was utterly captivated and couldn’t fault a moment of her portrayal of the cunning con artist. Perhaps my one criticism of The Batman was the sheer lack of Selina Kyle in this movie. The scenes she did appear in felt aimless and feeble to me; I would have liked to see more of her abilities come across therefore I’m eager to see if this will be amended in a potential sequel.
If you asked me who I would recommend movies the Dark Knight trilogy and Man of Steel too, I wouldn’t hesitate to answer ‘fans of superheroes of course!’ When it comes to The Batman, I would say this is a movie that appeals to both DC and non-DC fans alike. The dark, grittiness of the world we are introduced to as well as Riddler’s sadistic machinations would fit just as neatly into a psychological thriller or horror than they would in the genre of action and adventure.
At the risk of strolling down spoiler avenue, I confess I am more than intrigued to see what a potential Batman sequel will present us with in regard to a certain clown we all know and love…
If anyone needs me, I’ll be in my feels listening to Nirvana’s Something in the Way.
Bookishly yours,
Canbefoundfangirling x
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