Name: Movie Review: The Batman
Item: The Batman
Author: @chekohler

It's been a while since I had a reason to head out the cinema and my last two visits were rather disappointing, in the Matrix 4 and Spiderman Far From Home. So I was going to go into The Batman without expectations, it wasn't heavily marketed and when we consider this film has to compete with the Dark Knight Trilogy, it was always to be a tough act to follow.

But man was I in for a surprise, the movie runs a near 3 hours, but doesn't feel like it, the first hour of world-building might be a slow burner but for good reason. They are establishing all the characters and their motivations, for the next 2 acts where it really starts to get going and those last 2 hours really fly by and are well worth it.

What I really appreciated was the fact that we didn't have to relive an origin story and see Bruce's parents murdered once again. It focused solely on telling a story and expects us to know who the characters are by now.

This movie is also not for kids, it's for a mature audience, its dark, gritty, and the dialogue isn't something everyone would be able to follow, like watered-down marvel movies. It is a different take on The Batman character with a noir feel helped by excellent narration and takes itself very seriously which is refreshing from the slapstick superhero movies we see today.

It is also very little by way of CGI, the Batman itself is not particularly overpowering, it really feels like a man in a suit, yes he's an accomplished fighter, but he's not exactly tossing 250-pound men through brick walls if you know what I mean.

The Batman

Image source: - forbes.com

Plot

We return to Gotham city in a state of panic, crime has once again run amuck and the police captured by corruption turn a blind eye to the sins on the street. A sadistic killer who sees these injustices going unpunished takes the law into his own hands as a vigilante. The Batman has to venture into the underworld, and showcase his world-class detective skills as he unravels the Riddlers master plan.

As Bruce follows the trail of cryptic clues he is led down a path of well-kept secrets that if told, would rock the foundation of the city, destroy all hope for reform, and create a power vacuum that could turn into a civil war for the city.

While he is looking to serve justice, he also needs to account for the impact and loss of human life, and how he walks the line without crossing his own lines and falling into his own personal darkness to save the city.

Trailer for the batman

The Batman

Like Ben Affleck, Robert Pattinson taking over the role of Bruce Wayne, got a lot of flack because apart from TENET he doesn't have much acting experience, and he's always been bogged down by this earlier career in the Twilight Series. But man you can see this guy is hungry to prove us wrong, he came in prepared. He adopted the deep voice change Bale brought in but he brought a more stoic feel to the Batman character that is synonymous of the character in his early years in the comic.

He is awkward, he is always processing and observing, he makes people uncomfortable with his tone, mannerisms, and interrogation tactics. He is not some cool rich heir to a fortune prowling the streets, he is solving real crime and kicking ass in a really unique take on the costume.

What I also appreciated was he isn't enviable, yes he has gadgets that can help him, but he knows when he is beat, when to retreat, while he is smarter than most he still makes mistakes, and with a villain like a riddler it's a battle of wits.

Gotham is darker than ever

The world you are dropped into is gritty and dark, all the characters have their own motivations for crossing the line, a line that so far Bruce, James, and Selina have yet to cross, but are getting very close, and a struggle for their souls is the struggle for the soul of the city.

The violence is also unnerving at times, not only from the crime bosses fighting for power but the man antagonist too. You can see that the riddler is unhinged, the way he treats his victims and why he should be put in a mental asylum.

The Riddler

Paul Dano really brings a terrifying take on the Riddler reminiscent of Joaquin Phonreix's joker and erases the memory of the campy and creepy Jim Carey version.

He ditches the silly riddles and costumes but retains some of the mystery, and takes on a more anarchist serial killer look that would freak out just about anyone who finds him in a dark alley.

His plans are meticulous and despite having the ability to murder people, he knows he can't go toe to toe with Batman and instead opts for psychological games instead.

The Riddler

Image source: - hollywoodreporter.com

The Penguin

Collin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot is unrecognizable in look and in tone, as a gritty New York gangster with ambitions of becoming a top mob boss. Ditching the top hat and monocle for a more street version, he is not afraid to get his hands dirty and has no sense of loyalty to anyone but himself.

Penguin

Image source: - variety.com

Easter eggs

We see so many villains from Falcone, Maroni, Penguin, Riddler, The Joker gets a feature, as well as Easter Eggs for the rest of the rogue's gallery-like Hush, Mad Hatter, and even Bane.

There is clearly a sense of world-building involved in this one, I've heard of three series spin-offs are planned for Akrham, Catwoman, and The Penguin and that the movie itself may be set up for a trilogy.

Final score

The movie is so well crafted, that even if it wasn't a batman movie it would still get rave reviews, adding it into the batman universe just adds that extra spice.

So even if you're not a fan I think you'll enjoy this one.

I give this movie a 9 el rata alada's out of 10 if you know what I mean. I highly recommend you go and see it if you get the chance, and do it in Imax if possible, the score is so well done and the visuals and set design are worth seeing on the best screen possible.