The Batman Movie Review
The Batman is worth every second of its three hour runtime because of its darker tone, brilliant acting, and clever crime solving. Fans have been asking for a grittier version of Batman for decades and this movie finally delivers. The Batman leaves the typical action-packed superhero route and approaches the story as a noir. Instead of a suave and rational Batman, this Batman is almost as emotionally unstable as the sadistic serial killer he’s trying to capture. You can see the emotional and social impact that becoming Batman has on Bruce Wayne as shown through the brutal beatdowns, strained relationships, and horrifying depictions of murder.
Robert Pattinson is the latest actor to don the cape of Batman and he perfectly portrays the emotional numbness of a character who witnessed his parents being murdered and their killer go unpunished. It’s the subtleties of Pattinson’s acting, showing you how Bruce Wayne shies away from sunlight, doesn’t make eye contact, or speaks in a hushed tone, that cements for you that Batman is a recluse. Once Bruce Wayne is Batman though, Pattinson’s demeanor changes. He stands up tall, he speaks clearly, and he expresses his anger in violent ways. This captures the essence of a younger Batman, and it was beautifully presented on screen by Robert Pattinson.
The movie might have the greatest villain of all time (save for maybe Heath Ledger’s Joker) in Paul Dano’s Riddler. Part Jigsaw from the Saw franchise and part Zodiac killer from real life, Dano creates a Riddler that is frighteningly intelligent with just enough insanity to keep you on the edge of your seat. His presence is felt throughout the film as he stalks his next victim, suddenly appearing in their homes or on their television screens.
With Batman solving crimes, an important and exciting aspect of the character is brought to life. The movie spends a majority of it’s runtime having Batman solve the puzzles and murders of his villain the Riddler and to do so, Batman must use an assortment of cool gadgets such as contact lenses that record everything being seen and identifies all the people in sight. It’s in these scenes where the movie successfully demonstrates the intelligence and critical thinking skills of Batman.
Gone are the days of Robert Pattinson playing as a sparkly vampire, now he is the hero that movie goers NEED. The Batman is the best step in the right direction for DC movies as they attempt to rebuild their cinematic universe. Fans have much to look forward to in the coming years.
