Batman ventures into Gotham City's underworld when a sadistic killer leaves behind a trail of cryptic clues. As the evidence begins to lead closer to home and the scale of the perpetrator's plans become clear, he must forge new relationships, unmask the culprit and bring justice to the abuse of power and corruption that has long plagued the metropolis.
Director: Matt Reeves
Cast: Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro, Peter Sarsgaard, Andy Serkis, Colin Farrell
Release Date:
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Superhero
Rated PG-13 for strong violent and disturbing content, drug content, strong language, and some suggestive material
Runtime: 2h 55m
Review:
Matt Reeves' The Batman is a mash up of inspirations which results in a gritty noir detective thriller that takes the character back to his pulpy roots. Reeves draws inspiration from excellent Batman graphic novels like The Long Halloween and Hush while also pulling cinematic inspiration from Se7en, Zodiac and Christopher Nolan's run. The end result is a moody, atmospheric mystery that's as self serious as they come. This take on the character focuses more on his deduction skills, even though there are a handful of action set pieces, which gives the film a more meticulous and methodical pace as the story unfolds. Its the type of story that takes its time to reveal itself as we follow the characters down the rabbit hole. Robert Pattinson, playing a much younger version of the character, brings the intensity and a simmering uncontrolled rage which hasn't been focused. Pattinson gives us glimpses of the more unhinged aspects of the character as we see a character still finding his way, it's an impressive take on the character. Jeffrey Wright, whose never been more earnest, works well onscreen with Pattinson which makes their interactions and relationship feels authentic. Colin Farrell's take on The Penguin is one of the few character in the that feels like he's having fun with him providing a few moments of levity in the film. Zoë Kravitz turn as Selina Kyle/Catwoman is excellent but underutilized since the script has her appear and disappear throughout the film. Paul Dano and John Turturro play their characters a bit too over the top in comparison to the rest of the cast, its not jarring per say but noticeable. Dano's character in particular would have been better served with a more subtle, understated and cerebral turn. Overall, you have to appreciate Reeves holding the moody horror vibe for nearly three hours but it can become oppressive in spots which makes the case that some edits could have made this entry a sleeker more streamlined affair. There are also portions of the final act that feel less like homages with scenes and sequences being lifted from other films almost verbatim which comes off as lazy. Issues aside, The Batman is an impressive take on the character from a different lens which works on a different level than previous iterations.
B+
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