Matt Reeves The Batman starring Robert Pattinson has finally arrived in theaters.
In this video I’d like to discuss my thoughts on the film.
SPOILER warning if you haven’t seen it yet..
Okay so let’s get right to the point, where does Pattinson’s Batman rank in the pantheon
of Batmans?
After seeing this film it's my opinion that Robert Pattinson’s Batman is my favorite,
but my assessment is based on a bunch of different factors that appeal specifically to me.
I personally really enjoy this Batman story as it showcases his detective skills, and
I love the psychological thriller noir style of this film.
That genre especially appeals to me and I’ve always wanted to see a story where those traits
of the character are highlighted.
I love the scenes of Michael Keaton’s Batman in his batcave doing research and investigation
so it was nice to see Reeves really dive into that aspect of Bruce Wayne’s personality
with this high stakes mystery of the serial killing Riddler.
I will also say that when another Batman was first announced I was initially apathetic
because honestly there have been so many on screen iterations of this same character.
But when I started to hear more about the details and Matt Reeves approach I became
more interested in the detective noir style he was going for that I had always wanted
to see showcased.
So again, while the style might not be for everybody, the mystery surrounding the Riddler
appeals especially to me and Robert Pattinson’s Batman embodies my favorite aspects of the
hero.
I do feel the need to point out that Christian Bale will always be in the top tier of on
screen Batman favorites along with Michael Keaton.
Although Bale ranks higher than Keaton on my list, I do hold a special fondness for
both.
But in regards to Christian Bale’s performance I still hold the opinion that he plays a better
Bruce Wayne.
I think that might be because in Reeve’s new film, the Bruce Wayne persona kind of
takes a backseat to The Batman and he really shies away from his billionaire socialite
side we typically see featured.
However I will say that for this particular story I think that this subdued Bruce Wayne
approach worked.
With a high profile investigation with a serial killer on the loose, the focus of the film
is really on the Batman figuring out the truth of the Riddler’s grand plan and to take
more time to showcase a different side of the detective very well may have taken away
from the focus that needed to be on that evolving mystery.
While I feel that the Dark Knight remains one of the best superhero films ever, the
main reason why I like that movie so much is primarily because of Heath Ledger’s amazing
and inspired performance as the Joker.
To me he makes that film the powerhouse that it is, I think it completely raised the bar
on how villains could be presented in this genre.
And in that regard, I think Ledger outshined Bale as perhaps the brightest spot in that
trilogy, with no disrespect to Bale intended, it just was never able to rise to that level
again in my opinion.
However in Reeve’s Batman flick, I feel that while the Riddler is utterly terrifying,
it is Pattinson’s Batman that shines the most.
And it’s not just his performance that i thoroughly enjoy, it’s also the strength
of everyone else’s performance in this large ensemble cast.
The cinematography was amazing and considering it was done by Greg Fraisier fresh off of
working on Dune part one, his stamp was clearly seen and greatly contributed to the overall
spectacle of the film.
And I just want to take a second to praise Frasier’s versatility.
From working on a film that presents the brightest days and the hottest, most desolate desert
environment to then go to the cold and rainy city of Gotham with scenes occurring primarily
at night, twilight or sunrise, and be able to still present such iconic imagery throughout
just goes to showcase his talent and how much he understands the director’s vision and
his ability to bring that vision to life.
Speaking of Dune there were actually a few elements that reminded me of the sci-fi epic
which is another reason why I like it so much.
Although I will say that I think The Batman does a slightly better job at the pacing which
is a difficult thing to get right for a film with a lengthy runtime.
But yes the tone, the incredible ensemble cast, the way scenes are set up, the build
up of tension all reminded me a little bit of Villeneuve’s Dune part one.
But as far as specific things within the Batman genre that I loved.
First of all I really enjoyed Pattinson’s on screen presence, the way he walks into
crime scenes, the fight choreography, the way he handles himself when facing multiple
foes.
I feel like with many action films, its easy for me to get lost in what’s happening as
the chaos of a fight scene unfolds on screen but with this film I was able to maintain
a firm grasp on the positioning of each entity in each action scene and the overall situation
of what was happening.
This was especially well done in the Batmobile chase scene which is the best that I’ve
seen in the franchise.
I loved that it was presented as an intimidating muscle car.
I loved how the entire sequence was shot and and together with the awesome score, its climax
was one of my favorite moments from the film.
And the score throughout the movie was absolutely amazing.
It is by far my favorite of any Batman film.
Also the sound editing was so perfectly executed in combination with tension building moments
and amazing imagery it just all came together so well for me.
I really liked Batman’s interchanges with Gordon, catwoman, the penguin, the dialogue
was great and each scene was executed really well.
I loved how we just dove right into Batman’s early career and I immediately felt immersed
into this other world, the cesspool that is Gotham.
I loved how there was no set up to this universe, no origin tale, it was building the world
as the story progressed and I loved that.
I loved how terrifying this film was at times without being graphically violent, I loved
how it built up and sustained tension which is something I feel is becoming a lost art
in filmmaking these days.
I think the most surprising stand out performances came from Colin Ferrel’s Penguin, Peter
Saarsgard’s DA Gil Colson and John Turturo’s Carmine Falcone.
Now as far as the negatives, I would say that while the final act of this film was not perfect
and contained a few clunky elements, I felt like all of the stronger elements that had
been established in the first two thirds or so really helped to carry it to a satisfying
ending.
The biggest flaws in my opinion were the social media element that was introduced along with
the plot to flood the city.
These both fell short of the organic and believable nature of the rest of the film and bordered
on the line of breaking the established realism and immersion I felt.
However, when I compare it to the same issues I had in other Batman films, these were far
from egregious missteps.
I remember feeling similarly in the Dark Knight with the introduction of the SONAR device
using all the cell phones of the city to triangulate and even get a view of the position of the
Joker.
Which was something that took me right out of that movie.
So all things considered, while it was certainly not perfect, I felt like the plot devices
used to set up the climax of the film in Reeve’s Batman were not as immersion breaking or clunky
as others have been.
Overall so many things came together in this film which is why it currently ranks number
one for me.
The story, my favorite aspects of the batman shown front and center, the performance from
each and every actor was on point, everyone gave 110%, the cinematography, the score,
the sound editing.
It made a familiar character fresh and new again for me which I never expected.
I also want to highlight my tremendous appreciation for the fact that this movie did not attempt
to appeal to everybody.
They chose a lane, a story and a theme they wanted and they stuck to it.
It takes courage and determination to have faith in a specific vision for the character
and I really admire their dedication to the choices they made and how well it paid off
in the end.
The character of Batman presents so many possibilities and so I’m glad that instead of going for
a retread of what’s been done before, they chose this detective angle and this dark and
grungy style and that they stuck with it.
I’m also glad that this has no apparent tie-ins with the very fragmented DCEU.
That it stands alone and in its own world.
And similarly I have to say that I appreciate how the story of this film really stands on
its own as well.
If they never made a sequel I’d be completely satisfied with what we’ve gotten so far.
It’s my opinion that too often, big movie studios rely too heavily on the idea of what
is being built instead of attempting to create one good standalone story which, if successful
and well received, could be expanded upon.
That being said, I eagerly anticipate what they decide to do next with Pattinson’s
Batman and I can’t wait to revisit Matt Reeve’s dark noir-centric version of gotham.
But I’m curious to know what you thought of The Batman.
What do you think were its strongest points?
What were your issues with the film?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.
I hope you enjoyed this video.
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Thank you all so much for your support and as always have a very nerdy day.