The Batman Movie Review: Broody Return of the Dark Knight

A still from The Batman

The Batman
Dir: Matt Reeves
Cast: Robert Pattinson, Zoe Kravitz, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright
Rating: 3.5/5

Robert Pattinson takes on the baton of the night-time Caped crusader in Matt Reeves broody, dark superhero flick drenched in gothic atmosphere characterised by mystery, horror and gloom. The blockbuster mechanics are muted to the point of making this a far more broodingly tempestuous universe punctuated by vengeful leanings and macabre ideas of vigilante justice.

Gotham City is fast spiralling into squalor and decay even with Batman aka Bruce Wayne doing his best to keep crime at bay. Reeves and Peter Craig's script has this hero questioning his history, confronting his own secret past while charting out a new path for himself. The cinematic design here is very much in keeping with the comic lore - with the darkly saturated cinematography providing a befitting backdrop of gloom and doom. This isn't the typical superhero flick - it's more of a vitally aware exploration of the character that Bruce Wayne eventually gets to become. Director Reeves' confident helming digs deep into the heroic character's mysterious past to fashion a story that touches on all the comic-book trappings, yet presents a far more purposeful and enterprising narrative that challenges our understanding of the titular character's development. The Batmobile, the dark suit, the gadgets, the trusty butler Alfred may be the familiar bits but the rest is intriguingly inventive and mesmerizingly engaging.

Robert Pattinson, in fact. lends his own weird kinesis to a role that has largely been played with familiar tropes. As Bruce Wayne, he is able to lend a unique dimension to the superhero we are all familiar with. It's just two years into his tenure as Batman, isolated from the world while tracking criminals from the Wayne Tower and living up to the legend of being ‘the shadow.' Pattinson's Wayne comes alive in the dark of night. His eyes open wider and spark-up with interest then. In the day he gives off a duller, less vital vibe.

Together with sexy Zoe Kravitz as Selina Kyle, they spark off some simmering chemistry - giving their moments together some vital sexual amour that's quite an enticement. The film also has meaty roles for its supporting cast. Jeffrey Wright is perfect as the ‘Good cop' soon-to-be Commissioner Gordon, John Turturro plays it subtle as crime boss Carmine Falcone, Andy Serkis gives off a fatherly vibe as Alfred, Colin Farrell as the villainous Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin is unrecognisably sleazy and Paul Dano invokes terrifying repugnance as The Riddler. The production design, costuming and CGI are immersive. But above all its Cinematographer Greig Fraser's impressionistic neon lit, rain splattered craft that heightens this experience to impassioned. The elongated runtime may become enervating leading up to the final act but that's a small price to pay for such a visually stimulating experience!