The Batman - A Spectacle that Falls at the Final Hurdle

Mild spoilers included.

WorthAWatch Rating: 7/10

The Batman (Reeves, 2022), Robert Pattinson as Batman

The Batman opens with a stunning cinematographic style - this film takes its own approach to Gotham City. It begins with a narration from Robert Pattinson’s Batman about the ‘fear’ his existence instils in the criminals of Gotham while showing a compilation of different everyday criminals carrying out their misdeeds. Batman is then introduced both excitingly and violently, beating up some thugs at a subway station, showing little restraint for his actions. This sets the expectation that this is the Batman that will bring a darker take.

The extraordinary lighting, or lack of, as well as Michael Giacchino’s consistently epic score keeps the film fast-paced. As for the effects, one fantastically made scene comes to mind. Batman is fighting some gun-equipped enemies in a hallway and the only source of light in the scene comes from the muzzle fire of the guns (which was all done with practical effects). This produces a breath-taking sequence. Gotham remains dark and foreboding throughout the entire film, producing similarities with Blade Runner (1982) and other film noirs. This is not an upbeat film, it looks to a vulnerable Batman.

Robert Pattinson is well-suited to the role. After garnering acclaim for his roles in art house films in recent years, such as The Lighthouse (2019) and Good Time (2017), here comes his return to the main role in a blockbuster film. He embraces this different, reclusive Bruce Wayne. Where perhaps he shines most is through his economy of words, which Matt Reeves incorporates into the film a great deal. His natural movements and almost, authenticity, highlight the perhaps more realistic take on Batman we get here.

Batman’s vulnerability is most demonstrated through his journal entries. At the beginning of the film, he writes as if he, like the city, is lost. He instils fear, but does he instil hope? The one real moment of character development Batman receives in this film is when he is helping people out of the rubble near the end of the film. At this moment, he realises that people are beginning to look to him, as a beacon of hope.

One issue with this film is that although Batman realises his role as the embodiment of hope, there is little else towards character development. He both starts the film aggressively beating a thug, and ends film beating one of Riddler’s henchmen to near-death. It would have been refreshing, and perhaps more creative if there was more of an effort to develop the character. At one point, Batman learns that his father may not be the man he thought, the legacy he is carrying may have been a lie. This was a chance for a great plot development to further the character in an emotional sense, which could have been reflected in his actions. However, after a quick exposition from Andy Serkis’ Alfred Pennyworth (unfortunately, exposition is all he is really used for), the matter is seemingly forgotten. One may believe that, at times, The Batman needed less action and more storytelling.

Paul Dano’s Riddler is unique. His performance seems to usher in an essence of Heath Ledger’s Joker, however, at times, it seems over the top. Rather than a deliberately excessive and somewhat suave Riddler, like Jim Carrey’s in Batman Forever (1995), Dano’s Riddler is based more on the almost mythical Zodiac serial-killer. In some scenes, he is genuinely terrifying. His cryptic puzzles and cat and mouse-like game with Batman are quite mysteriously thrilling, although at times plot convenient. One wonders if keeping Dano’s involvement in the film a secret might have made the character that bit more mystifying and threatening – as was done with the killer in David Fincher’s Seven (1995). Regardless, up until the third act, the character comes across as delusional, yet justified, at least in his own eyes. He is trying to cure the city of its corruption, taking out public servants that have crippled the place. We find out that he even believes that Batman will succumb to his viewpoint and think that these actions are necessary. In the third act, Riddler becomes a much more generic villain. His motives become completely muddled, as he decides to expand his targets to anyone and everyone, including innocent civilians. One can only wonder why this is done. Unfortunately, this decision severely impacts the quality of the film.

As for the other characters in the film, Colin Farrell’s Penguin is criminally underused. He had almost no significant role in the outcome of the story. Whether he was in the film or not, almost nothing of importance would have changed. It was almost as if this film teased the character as a marketing tool to promote Penguin's upcoming TV show. Farrell’s performance is nonetheless excellent, as well as the makeup design of the character. Zoe Kravitz’s Catwoman was good, following the trend of Catwoman usually being cast suitably. As usual, she had her own interests to pursue, although these were not entirely interesting. Additionally, she, like Alfred, was used a lot for exposition. Jeffrey Wright was great as Officer Gordon and had a surprising amount of screentime. He represented the humanity that was so lacking in the city. As for John Turturro and Peter Saarsgard, as Falcone and DA Colson, respectively, they added something slightly more tangible to the film.

The Batman is a good film, the dark change to Gotham and the reclusive Bruce Wayne/Batman was refreshing, as Reeves changed it up from a generic superhero film to one more aligned with the film noir/detective genre. However, serious problems with the writing severely hinder it. Riddler’s ridiculous change of targets in the third act and a lack of development of the Batman character devalue the almost three-hour runtime. There was a constant feeling that there was something more to come. Something more to find within this film. The film had me thinking of David Fincher’s Zodiac (2007) throughout and naturally, can be compared with Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight (2008). I cannot help but think this film does not quite reach the heights of both titles.