Over the past decade we’ve had countless different portrayals of Batman (Batmen?), and we’ve got lots more Batman coming up, with Michael Keaton set to don the cowl and cape again later this year in the upcoming Flash movie. But fear not, because if you weren’t already confused enough by all these different caped crusaders, Robert Pattinson is also taking up the mantle in this new take on the iconic character.
The Batman gives a much darker and grittier approach to the character, delving further into the depths of the crime-ridden Gotham than ever before. It goes darker than even Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, and it’s earned itself a 15 age rating in the UK. But it’s well justified. The film opens in a brutal and grisly manner, and instantly established Paul Dano’s Riddler as a villain you don’t want to mess with.
It’s then that we meet the Batman. He’s been the caped crusader for more than a year and has already struck fear into the hearts of Gotham’s criminals. Robert Pattinson steps into the role perfectly, and whilst everyone has a different choice for who they think the best Batman of all time is, Pattinson will very easily slip into this debate, proving that his Twilight days are long gone – if Good Time, Tenet, and The Lighthouse weren’t already proof of this. The film does focus much more on the character of Batman rather than Bruce Wayne, especially towards the start, but, even so, the film does still allow for some much more personal character moments between Bruce and Alfred, something that other Batman films have seemed to neglect.
In fact, the film’s entire stellar cast all shine including Zoë Kravitz’s Catwoman, Jeffrey Wright’s James Gordon, John Turturro’s Falcone, an unrecognisable Colin Farrell in heavy prosthetics as The Penguin, and Andy Serkis stepping out of the mo-cap suit to play Bruce Wayne’s butler Alfred. The cast all get their chance to perform as the film clocks in at just five minutes shy of three hours, so you might not want to go for that extra-large drink on the way in. Another important character in a Batman film, the Batmobile, gets its chance to shine, with it powering in with an explosive entrance that shows off all of its might and just how awesome this version of Batman is.
But the standout isn’t any of the cast. It’s Michael Giacchino’s musical score that really elevates this film and makes it a Batman movie to remember. Giacchino’s Batman theme is instantly memorable and helps to add pathos and character to so many scenes. It helps to distinguish this Batman from all the others that have come beforehand and it makes The Batman a really great film.
One problem to pick, as you might expect, is the runtime. There’s nothing really in the film that should be taken out, nor is there really a good time to nip out to the loo, but that’s because director Matt Reeves is trying to pack so much into just one film. There are a lot of characters, and it’s great that they all get fully developed, even the character of Gotham City fully gets explored, but it means that, at times, you do start to notice the film’s runtime. There’s a point around two thirds of the way through where it feels like the film is reaching its climax, but then we return to a character that’s been missing for the past half hour and you realise we’ve still got the entire final act of the film to go.
This isn’t a huge issue as the film really ramps up the pace for the finale and it goes all out on the action, but this isn’t one of those films where the three hours fly by, you can certainly feel it. That being said, it is wonderful to watch for all three hours as the cinematography is gorgeous, and the tone of the film remains constant, keeping you in suspense throughout. Paul Dano’s Riddler has such a strong, threatening presence that’s felt across the whole film, even when he’s not on screen and despite this being the first time we’ve met his Riddler and Pattinson’s Batman, they feel like such a strong match for each other, and we really feel that Batman is pushed to in order to stop him.
Matt Reeves has crafted an epic, entertaining, and seriously dark Batman film that’s sure to go down as a classic in comic book movie history. The Batman is a gripping portrayal of the caped crusader as we’ve never seen him before. It’s dark, brutal, and dials up the violence to a whole new level, making it an excellent addition to the DC canon.
The Batman is in cinemas from March 4.