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

This movie drops us right and center to what many will see as the ideal feel of what Gotham is like. The villains are all about without us not having to go through an origin story for them all. 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 and did poorly at the same time. Yes, the riddles and the running around is something that is expected when dealing with the Riddler. But his mannerism is what you will expect from the Joker. So, the Riddler’s behaviour is 50% Riddler, 50% Joker. Which was annoying.

Reeves has a hard job. The Batman is a known character whose story has been given many takes in animated features and movies. He was tasked with bringing the Bat into the light again with a form of ingenuity that will make us look at it in a new light.

The main plot has Batman (Robert Pattinson) trying to stop the killings of the top people of Gotham, like the Mayor, the DA, Police commissioner (not James Gordon played by Jeffrey Wright) and others. The person killing them is the Riddler and he is taunting the Bat with is constant riddles and not planning to stop his killings until he exposes all the corrupt officials of Gotham. Then he struck too close to home to someone the Bat cares about, and now the Bat wants him bad.

This noir adaption is very dark and does try to give us a new way to look at the Bat. But this is a well-known character, so in that area even though it starts well it soon falls in line with the familiar.

Pattinson did a good job as Batman when in costume, his Bruce Wayne though needed a little work.

I do love how the movie dives into the narrative and leaving behind any need for an origin story, since we all know the origin story from as many angles there is to find.

The first half of the movie has Bat investigating, deciphering codes, and trying to link himself to the Riddler, doing actual detective work. The other half of the movie, is boring. By this time you start to understand that there are way too many scenes in this movie that could have been removed. The movie is too long and if they trimmed of the unneeded to make the movie’s runtime shorter, it will make the movie more enjoyable.

Colin Farrell’s makeup as the Penguin is just out of this world and it is worth seeing. I like the idea and direction of this movie and I hope they follow this path so we can have an enjoyable trilogy. There is no need to try and compare this to the Nolan trilogy and putting them side-by-side cannot be done, until we see the full picture of Matt Reeves.

You should see this movie if you want. Will advise to not try doing it at the cinema because of its length - it is way too long and the story is not near good enough as you would expect it to be.