If there was ever a movie that needed to deliver this year, that movie was DC’s The Batman. Warner Brothers (WB) and the DC Comics Cinematic Universe (DCCU) have been on a frigid cold streak in movies, with the last proper hit being 2017’s Wonder Woman. Since then, WB’s attempts to get their cinematic universe off the ground have been rocky, and there was potential that the cinematic universe wouldn’t lift off at all.
Director Matt Reeves’ vision for the movie was to portray a younger and more hurt characterization of Bruce Wayne, which was a welcome break from the typical billionaire playboy that fans have gotten in every other iteration. The plot of Reeves’ film focuses on the story, mystery, and forces that surround the World’s Greatest Detective. The casting of Robert Pattinson as the iconic hero was met with enthusiasm and brought hope for the rest of the DCCU’s series of soft reboots this year, but the The Batman had to deliver for Warner Brothers.
And it fucking delivers.
Reeves’ vision, tone, and pace in The Batman deliver a unique vision to the genre and shows what comic book films can aspire to when there isn’t just a basic monopolized formula to the film’s script. The cinematography, the music score, the acting, the Batsuit — The Batman nails everything that makes a good Batman film, but also what makes a great comic book film.
Reeves creates a slow-paced and visceral atmosphere — a noir-themed story of Bat and mouse that embraces the three-hour run time and sets up the twists throughout the acts of the film with minimal action pieces — and lays the pillars of foundation for Gotham and future installments. Michael Giacchino’s score is felt every second of the film, building suspense, carrying the emotion the characters don’t need to say, with deep and chilling piano chords lurking in every shadow. It’s a great example of the role a perfect music score plays in a film, and pushes the artistry behind this masterpiece.
The highly billable cast is lined with character-driven actors that breathe new and appreciated life into the supporting characters. Reeves chose a cast that never steals from each other but shares each scene together. Jeffrey Wright plays a tough but honest Detective James (Jim) Gordon. Colin Farrell is unrecognizable as The Penguin, both in performance and heavy prosthetic fat suit. And Paul Dano is amazing as the Riddler; Dano reimagines the iconic character as a serial killer with a love for games and delivers an amazing one-on-one scene with Batman that shows the depth Dano has as an actor, and how far he can play into the psychological character of the Riddler.
Robert Pattinson, with Reeves’ direction, gives us a broken and hurt Bruce Wayne, who is a social recluse, hiding away and not being a billionaire playboy. Reeves and Pattinson’s Batman is smart and capable, gets punched and shot (a lot), and makes mistakes. Reeves shows where Pattinson’s Batman is going to grow in future films as he becomes the legendary Dark Knight. All of the Bat’s gear looks realistic and believable, while still staying true to DC artists Kevin Smith and Jim Lee’s suit designs.
Zoë Kravitz slays the role of Selina Kyle, AKA Catwoman, and embodies the noir femme fatale with a sensuality that is unique to female characters in the Mickey Mouse formula. Kravitz’s on-screen chemistry with Pattinson is shown in each scene. Sadly, Kravitz’s character suffers from the one unfortunate demerit of the film during the climactic end to her character arc in the film; she is, in a clichéd turn of events, physically saved by Batman.
The most outstanding part of The Batman is the film’s musical score. Michael Giacchino, who is well known for his works in Ratatouille, The Incredibles, and Marvel’s Spider-Man movies, composes a score that sets the tone and atmosphere perfectly. Dark and deep piano chords flow through the entire soundtrack, yet the individual themes for Catwoman, the Penguin, and the Riddler stand out on their own, but also organically tie them into the hero. The soundtrack is as close to a perfect soundtrack a film could ask for, and that alone makes The Batman stand out from the rest.
From the score, to the pacing, to the cinematography, everything is great. The story’s narration and the way the characters come to life on-screen were an overdue blessing. While The Batman may not be as boundary-defining as previous superhero movies, it shows the artistry that passionate and creative minds can accomplish in film, and hopefully establishes a narrative and story-driven meta for future comic book films.
For all these reasons and more, I give Matt Reeves’ The Batman a score of ten out of ten — a rare rating for me, who nitpicks the small details that producers could do better. This film is flawless and it’s well worth going to see in theatres.
Teryn Midzain is an English Major with ambitious goals to write movies and a full-time nerd, whose personality and eccentrics run on high-octane like the cars he loves. More importantly, Teryn loves sports [Formula One], and doesn’t care who knows. When not creating and running deadly schemes in his D&D sessions, Teryn tries to reach the core of what makes the romantic and dramatic World of Sports, the characters and people that make the events so spectacular.
