A Reel Review: THE BATMAN

Roger Ebert, the famed late great movie critic, often said that it is not what a movie is about that matters, it’s how it’s about it. This rule is often applied to films that tell an old story in a new skin; classics such as THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (1960), big money-makers such as TITANIC (1997), and AVATAR (2009), and most of the Quentin Tarantino film catalog. And it is the approach for director Matt Reeves and DC Comics’ newest version of the Caped Crusader, THE BATMAN. 

 

Batman/Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson), working together with police lieutenant Jim Gordon (Jeffrey Wright), has been fighting crime on the streets of Gotham City for two years, when a new serial killer called The Riddler arrives (Paul Dano). 

 

Directed by Matt Reeves, THE BATMAN is a twisting and turning detective-noir story that takes our favorite dark knight through a maze of mystery and murder. The plot is thick and keeps on coming, as the story shifts gears often…taking Batman down corridors of his past, corrupt city officials, and mob bosses. The Riddler is playing an intricate game of leaving codes and cyphers, using Batman as a pawn to expose rotten mayors and lawyers who have ruined the integrity of Gotham. There is a lot to keep track of, and although it isn’t difficult, it’s a lot and nearly exhausting. 

 

THE BATMAN is done in a realistic and grounded style and is one of those rare superhero films that actually feels like it could have taken place in our reality. Even classic Bat-characters such as Catwoman/Selina Kyle (Zoe Kravitz), and Penguin (Colin Farrell), manage to stay on Earth despite their flamboyancy. There’s a lot to love here as THE BATMAN is saturated in Batman lore, drawing on ages of comic pages and even borrowing from past films. The dark knight himself is perfectly realized; intimidating, striking fear into street thugs, and using just as much brains as he does brawn. 

 

Matt Reeves and cinematographer Greig Fraser film a movie with a unique touch that separates THE BATMAN from his own catalog of films. The film is gorgeous; shot in magnificent lights, shadows, and abstract framing. The action is tremendous, ranging from brawls to shoot-outs to thunderous car-chases. Our social media culture is put under the spotlight, and a citizen-uprising near the end is stunning…especially since the film was shot before the events of January 2021.  Michael Giacchino’s score adds to the thick atmosphere. 

 

Robert Pattinson is terrific as Batman and Bruce Wayne. He spends most of his time under the cowl which is something new and exactly what fans would prefer. He plays the role cold and distant which may be off-putting, but here it works. He is matched nicely with Zoe Kravitz, who nearly steals the show. Colin Farrell is unrecognizable under layers of makeup, but he acts through it and is a blast. Andy Serkis comes in as Bruce’s butler Alfred and is a delight, although a little underutilized. Jeffrey Wright is excellent, as always. John Turturro comes in as mob boss Carmine Falcone and is a force to be reckoned with. Paul Dano is absolutely chilling. 

 

Any film fan will realize right away that THE BATMAN borrows a lot from past films such as ZODIAC (2007), SE7EN (1995), the infernal SAW movies, and even the last two Batman films directed by Christopher Nolan. It’s familiar, but in this new skin it works and works very well...and it is unique which goes a long way. At nearly three hours and a ton of plot, including a final sequence that feels never-ending, THE BATMAN will likely bash audiences into exhaustion, but the overall experience sticks. For THE BATMAN, everything old is new again. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it 

Read Reel Speak's ranking of the live-action BATMAN films HERE