The Batman
A take on the Caped Crusader with more of a noir feel, The Batman follows Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson) in his second year of fighting crime in Gotham as the titular Batman. His latest case involves a serial killer known only as The Riddler (Paul Dano), who is targeting Gotham’s elite; but as the hero becomes more involved in the Riddler’s violent game he learns things that threaten to destroy him and the city he protects.
This film’s version of Batman is very different to incarnations that have come before, leaning into a far grimmer and grittier aesthetic in service of a story with a greater focus on mystery and intrigue. However, this darker interpretation of the Dark Knight doesn’t shy away from the inherent absurdity of superheroes – in fact, it embraces that absurdity, seamlessly weaving the theatrics and drama of the superhero movie with the introspection and violent thrills of the detective film. It’s a very experimental and proudly weird film, very much not afraid to have fun with itself.
The Batman has a runtime of 176 minutes, but every second is used carefully and efficiently, and the film is very intelligently paced to ensure a good balance of sleuthing, action and character development. There are a lot of moving parts in the narrative, exploring a number of interconnected character arcs and complex themes, but all these disparate components weave into one another to create a very engaging and cohesive story that more than justifies its intimidating runtime.
Batman can be a tough role to do well, but Pattinson pulls off the multifaceted character of Bruce Wayne perfectly, able to shift from brooding tough hero to dishevelled husk to emotional open wound at the drop of a hat. The actor’s great performance is further elevated by his talented supporting cast – in particular, Zoe Kravitz provides an excellent foil to Wayne as the morally ambiguous Selina Kyle/Catwoman. Dano’s portrayal of a more Zodiac Killer-inspired Riddler is delightfully unhinged, pushing the personae of Bruce and Batman in some deeply interesting directions.
The Batman is a fantastic superhero flick, exciting and experimental in its exploration of the genre in ways that are compelling and refreshing. It demands a lot of its audience with its runtime and uncompromising aesthetic and storytelling, but it also gives a great deal in return, making for a thoroughly enjoyable cinematic experience.
Umar Ali
The Batman is released nationwide on 4th March 2022 and is best enjoyed in IMAX cinemas.
Watch the trailer for The Batman here:
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