In the Bat's latest adventure; the caped crusader is more of a moody, Emo clobberer, than a fully realised symbol of justice. But does this new direction add to the lore of the cinematic Batman or sully it?
As soon as a new Batman film is announced, the first pieces of the production puzzle we want completed more than any test that the Riddler could set us are: which actor will be playing Bruce Wayne/Batman, who will direct the film and who will Batman face off against? And I think it's safe to say, that when it comes to the choice of director and Batman's nemesis, fans are a little bit more flexible, even lenient on who can occupy these celluloid tenancies. However, in our choice of actor for Batman, we are never quite as optimistic or forgiving with whoever is chosen to take on the role.
 Actor Robert Pattinson |  Director Matt Reeves |
In the case of Robert Patterson taking on the mantle of the Gotham defender, I think that the reputation of the Twilight films, rather than Pattison's direct performances in those movies (especially for those who haven't watched any of his following films) may sometimes overshadow what he is actually capable of doing. Just like his fellow Harry Potter Alumni Daniel Radcliffe (aka Harry Potter himself) he too has faced audiences that can't get past his big, breakthrough franchise-role that launched him and doubt is almost automatically cast over their calibre and credentials when announced for certain projects. For those who have never really partaken in any of Patterson's other projects beyond Twilight, I think that The Batman is going to be a sufficient enough middle finger to push the lingering spectre of Twilight's Edward Cullen into the abyss. And helping him do this is Director Matt Reeves - who is no stranger to dealing with multi-genric themed projects. Reeves' own cinematic breakout came via his smash hit Cloverfield (2008) which combined the found footage format with a Kaiju action-adventure mystery. Following up in 2010 with a remake of the vampire drama Let The Right One In (2008), he made Let Me In and both the sequels to The Planet Of The Apes. So, on paper - The Batman should be in very good hands...right?
Before you take your seats at the cinema, let me give you at least one heads up; The Batman is comparable to no other Batman film. First of all, it is the most detective-heavy Batman film in the library of big screen caped crusader episodes and when I say "heavy" I mean they have gone back to the fact that crime-fighting requires investigation, footwork and detailed analysis. These parts aren't just thrown in to try and give the film or Batman himself a deeper, more mature credibility, oh no - this is the film.
One of the most important components that I lookout for in any Batman portrayal, is the handling of Bruce Wayne. Michael Keaton's semi-aloof, observant, still waters run deep delivery, to date, has been my favourite expression and that appeared way back in 1989. In Pattinson's depiction, I appreciate his commitment to being a morose, extremely moody, beyond any consolation, forever grieving figure, but I think there was space for a glimmer of something else to provide a little bit of balance to his character. The opportunity is never really taken up until a certain realisation near the end of the 2 hour 56 minute running time.
In this Batman story, Bruce is two years into being the dark knight and though he clearly has skills, moves and tactics - a lot of what gets him through deadly situations is powered by focussed rage. The emotion behind Patterson's kinetic ferocity is fantastic - when he tackles, pursues or punches any villain, you too will feel the mental obsession in his chase and the physical blows as if your own body is involved in the battering. There is a pure emotion behind all of his combat and even the Batmobile is emotionally primed and
pissed-off. It roars like a beast in advance of chasing its prey down and I don't know who is in charge - but someone give the sound designer an award for that roar and let us take an opportunity to raise a glass of gasoline and toast it! What also makes The Batman slightly unique, is that there isn't a focussed dedication to making this solely an action film with dramatic parts, and so when there is action - you really appreciate and take those moments in. I totally enjoyed watching Batman unleash his fury, but also enjoyed watching him take some hits too. This Batman faces danger and situations that he can't fix, which makes the stakes and his jeopardy real. You come to realise more than ever, that Batman is a band aid, doing his best to stop a dam bursting because the officials, the people with the actual power, have no interest in fixing the dam - in fact they may have been the ones putting holes in it. My only complaint, is that in some of the action scenes, there were some extreme close-up shots which took away from being able to see what was happening in the entirety of a sequence and yes, we know that Gotham is supposed to be a dark and moody place, but combine those close-up shots, the frenetic action and a lack of lighting and nobody can see what the hell is going on.
pissed-off. It roars like a beast in advance of chasing its prey down and I don't know who is in charge - but someone give the sound designer an award for that roar and let us take an opportunity to raise a glass of gasoline and toast it! What also makes The Batman slightly unique, is that there isn't a focussed dedication to making this solely an action film with dramatic parts, and so when there is action - you really appreciate and take those moments in. I totally enjoyed watching Batman unleash his fury, but also enjoyed watching him take some hits too. This Batman faces danger and situations that he can't fix, which makes the stakes and his jeopardy real. You come to realise more than ever, that Batman is a band aid, doing his best to stop a dam bursting because the officials, the people with the actual power, have no interest in fixing the dam - in fact they may have been the ones putting holes in it. My only complaint, is that in some of the action scenes, there were some extreme close-up shots which took away from being able to see what was happening in the entirety of a sequence and yes, we know that Gotham is supposed to be a dark and moody place, but combine those close-up shots, the frenetic action and a lack of lighting and nobody can see what the hell is going on.
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The casting is almost perfect. I imagine that for Paul Dano, he must have gaged that he has a legacy of great villainous performances to follow and so we understand that there is a pressure to create a character that is charismatic and unforgettable. He does well for the most part, but towards the end he could have dialled the levels down from a 10 to an 8. Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman is the heart of the film and it is not easy to balance out all the elements that make-up Selina Kyle. Kravitz gives a grounded performance where she displays pain, emotes angst and exudes sensuality without being placed in the movie to be the love interest or the sex object. However, the performance that I couldn't get over - because it was so damn good, was by Colin Farrell as the Penguin. Gee-Zus! Talk about an actor completely disappearing and now I understand why there is a TV spin-off in the works, because Farrell was that damn good.
Overall, I think that that The Batman is going to divide audiences...at first. In its make-up, we are given a detective, film noir story with all the tropes of that genre which we've not seen before. And so it is best to go in with an open mind and expect something new that doesn't pay a single ode to any other Batman film that has come before it. Oh, and please note this; just like those films of the 1940s, you will be required to pay attention, as a complex tapestry of interconnected threads is woven just like those sometimes convoluted murder mysteries. Clues are only sprinkled along the dot-to-dot journey and they are not that obvious, so engage your own deductive brain and enjoy the process the same way you would, when watching a whodunnit.
The Batman is out March 4th 2022.
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