The Batman (2022)
Since the day that I saw Robert Pattinson was announced as Batman, I immediately joined the group that was against that decision, but for good reason. I am a HUGE fan of Batman, and I have been since I was a little kid. Seeing how great The Dark Knight series played out, along with Zack Snyder’s iteration with Ben Affleck, I was not so sure that Edward Cullen would be able to portray that dark and gritty character that I’ve grown to love. Well, let’s just say that I was wrong – and any negative feedback I gave Pattinson prior to viewing this film, I will gladly rescind.
Right off the bat (I’m full of puns, I know), the film is vastly different than the others from previous years. It is told from a commentary perspective, almost like Bruce Wayne is reading from his journal of entries. It immediately established The Riddler as the main antagonist of the film, which Paul Dano played very well. Different, yes, but still much better than Jim Carrey’s goofy performance in Batman Forever.
What I really enjoyed was that this Batman film was different than its predecessors in more ways than one, and my favorite was that this wasn’t just your average action film. From the start, it feels like a thriller/mystery with some action mixed in. It grips you and hardly lets you go, even with it going almost three hours. I enjoyed seeing the more detective side of the Dark Knight, rather than him and all his technology fighting endlessly from start to finish.
Another aspect I enjoyed was the one thing I was most nervous about: Robert Pattinson’s performance. Obviously, the one thing that all Bruce Wayne portrayals have is the fact that they are all orphans who are damaged from their parent’s death and use that anger and drive to clean up the dirty city of Gotham. I think what I liked so much about Pattinson’s Wayne was that it showed a much grittier and almost “hurt” side of him rather than the playboy billionaire portrayal we see from Bale’s and Affleck’s. I think this younger iteration does a good job showing him battling with his demons, as well as making him seem more vulnerable, which seems more realistic considering what he has gone through in his life.
Aside from Pattinson, the supporting cast was good, but lacked in some areas. Zoë Kravitz played a good Selina Kyle, but I felt that her and Pattinson’s chemistry just seemed off, making some of their scenes seem a little awkward and forced. Although her scenes alone were decent for the most part. I was as huge fan on Andy Serkis as Alfred. Now he and Pattinson bounced off each other very well and every scene they did was near perfect. Paul Dano did a great job as The Riddler, and I loved how he gave off a more serial killer vibe than a jokester. I was also a big fan of Jeffrey Wright as Commissioner Gordan. His demeanor and mannerisms, as well as his grittiness played well with what you would expect from a hardened police officer of Gotham. The Barry Keoghan snippet of The Joker was also a surprise, though I'm not sure how I feel about his character yet. I think we need to see more, but first impressions were good.
Although there were plenty of highlights, there were some things I was not fond of. There were some scenes that dragged on longer than they should have, i.e. most of the scenes with Colin Farrell’s Penguin. I get that they are trying to build on this universe, I get it. But when a car chase scene goes on for far too long, only to find out that his character has nothing to do with any of the plot? Yes, it is a little frustrating. John Turturro also had some cheesy lines and acting, though I know that is just his personality showing through the character. I feel like for someone who was supposed to be a hitman/mobster, they could have gotten someone a little more threatening. His scenes just didn’t do it for me.
I will say that I am a little bummed I waited so long to see this one. I was just so scared that Pattinson would not do the role justice, but he played it well and I am excited to see where he takes it and what Matt Reeve’s does next with this universe. I will admit that seeing a different side of the Dark Knight as a detective and less of a rich playboy was refreshing. The Batman is stylistic, gritty, and dark, which is exactly what you should expect of a Batman film. Reeves balances these elements very well and in turn, we got a great superhero film that stands up on its own and doesn’t ride the coattails of its well received predecessors.
3.8/5