The Batman (2022)

The Batman (2022)

6/10

Starring

Robert Pattinson

Zoë Kravitz

Paul Dano

Jeffrey Wright

 

Directed by Matt Reeves

 

In summary, the movie is average. I can say it is better than Batman and Robin (George Clooney) but does not step up to any of Keaton's films. I expected this movie to be better than Keaton's, but it doesn’t come close.

This movie drops us right into what many will see as the ideal feel of Gotham. The villains are all around without us having to go through an origin story for each of them. We have Riddler, Penguin, Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz), and, in the end, a glimpse of the Joker. The main character causing mayhem in this movie is the Riddler (Paul Dano). Matt Reeves (the director and also writer) did well with the Riddler’s characterization but also poorly at the same time. Yes, the riddles and the running around are expected when dealing with the Riddler, but his mannerisms are what you would expect from the Joker. So, the Riddler’s behavior is 50% Riddler, 50% Joker, which was annoying.

Reeves had a hard job. Batman is a known character whose story has been interpreted in countless animated features and movies. He was tasked with bringing the Bat into the light again with a form of ingenuity that would make us see it in a new way.

The main plot has Batman (Robert Pattinson) trying to stop the killings of Gotham's top officials, like the Mayor, the DA, the Police Commissioner (not James Gordon, played by Jeffrey Wright), and others. The person killing them is the Riddler, who is taunting the Bat with constant riddles and doesn’t plan to stop until he exposes all the corrupt officials in Gotham. Then, the Riddler strikes too close to home, targeting someone Batman cares about, and now the Bat is determined to catch him.

This noir adaptation is very dark and tries to give us a new way to look at the Bat. However, since the character is so well-known, even though the movie starts strong, it soon falls in line with the familiar.

Pattinson did a good job as Batman when in costume, but his Bruce Wayne needed a little more work. I do love how the movie dives into the narrative and skips the need for an origin story, as we all know it from countless angles already.

The first half of the movie has Batman investigating, deciphering codes, and trying to link himself to the Riddler—doing actual detective work. The second half, however, is boring. By then, you start to notice that there are way too many scenes that could have been cut. The movie is too long, and trimming the unnecessary parts to shorten its runtime would have made it more enjoyable.

Colin Farrell’s makeup as the Penguin is just out of this world and worth seeing. I like the idea and direction of this movie, and I hope they follow this path to deliver an enjoyable trilogy. There’s no need to compare it to Nolan’s trilogy just yet. Putting them side by side isn’t fair until we see the full picture of what Matt Reeves has planned.

You should see this movie if you want, but I would advise against doing so at the cinema because of its length—it’s way too long, and the story isn’t as good as you’d expect it to be.