What You Need To Know:

• The Batman was released on March 4, 2022 in the United States exclusively in movie theaters.

• The film stars Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Colin Farrell, Paul Dano, John Turturro, and Jeffrey Wright.

• Serving as a reboot to the Batman film series, this is not connected to any previous adaptations.

• This is a neo-noir detective film that has the most minimal action of any film to feature the Caped Crusader.

• The Batman is rated PG-13 for Some Suggestive Material, Drug Content, Strong Disturbing Content, Strong Language, and Strong Violent Content

After featuring Ben Affleck as Batman in the DC Extended Universe with only crossover films, Warner Bros. decided to go another direction. Connected to none of the previously established continuities, The Batman starts fresh with the Dark Knight in the middle of his career hunting down the serial killer and cyberterrorist “The Riddler”. Robert Pattinson headlines this Matt Reeves directed neo-noir comic book film that takes the detective elements of the character and utilizes them more than any previous incarnation. With great casting, a story inspired by “The Long Halloween” and the longest runtime of any film featuring the Caped Crusader, will this film be accepted into the pantheon of well-regarded comic book cinema?

Unlike any other previous theatrical adaptation in the past, the Riddler in this film is among one of the best antagonists among the Batman film canon. Actor Paul Dano’s interpretation is creepy, enigmatic, unsettling, and scary. The way he communicates to Batman and the larger world has a chilling, home-video quality that any psychopath could achieve with a cell phone. Jim Carrey’s version is a campy and goofy villain, and Paul Dano’s is a grounded and murderous lunatic that is smart and calculated. His backstory, while somewhat thin, is shrouded with the perfect amount of mystery. His motivations are also justified through the eyes of some of the common folk of Gotham City. His costume, while less flashy than his comic book counterpart, is much better for this Zodiac Killer-inspired interpretation. Dano isn’t the only antagonist in the film, but he is by far the most memorable and will likely be included on lists of best comic book film villains in the future. 

After discussing the antagonist, how is the protagonist? Robert Pattinson looks great in the cowl, he has an excellent voice, and he is a reserved Bruce Wayne. The audience doesn’t learn much about him, but it is an intentional choice since Batman is a hero that hides in the shadows, and Bruce Wayne is a man that hides in the shadows. His combat is less flashy than previous incarnations, but it is a lot more hard-hitting and brutal. He also is allowed to showcase his excellent detective work, giving the film an investigator to work through well-written mystery. While his characterization is lacking the substantive development of Nolan’s version, there is a lot more intrigue that is similar to Burton’s version. Refraining from spoilers in this review, Pattinson does an excellent job, and I hope that his version of the character is expanded upon if sequels are produced.

The other supporting cast all do a great job with their roles. Zoë Kravitz gives Catwoman a sexy and burglarious edge that, while not as memorable as Michele Pfeiffer, is just as good as Anne Hathaway's performance. Colin Farrell is an inspired casting choice as the Penguin. His prosthetics to transform his face deserve an Academy Award nomination for how convincing they are. His character is a slimeball mob boss, which is accurate to how he is portrayed in the source material. Jeffery Wright is a good lieutenant Gordon even if he is relegated to mostly just detective work with Batman throughout the film. John Turturro and Andy Serkis round out the cast giving good performances with their limited screen time. It will be interesting to see how the supporting cast will be used in upcoming films, but if this is a standalone project, they were utilized well and fit the story perfectly.

The Batman is a film that oozes style that hasn’t been seen since Burton’s films. The film noir aesthetic combined with the soft cinematography gives a unique look to the world that hasn’t been in a comic book adaptation for a long time. The pulsating blacks and dark shadows surround the city at night when the Batman is working. Lurking in the light of the night, the audience will see a lot of shades of red and the neon colors of the underworld. The look of those sequences reminds me of Joel Schumacher’s oversaturated colors on a much more muted scale. The sets also could have been influenced by the futuristic look of Batman Beyond, but that hasn’t been confirmed by anyone. The musical score fits this film perfectly, and Michael Giacchino has experience scoring superhero films previously (The Incredibles, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange). I saw this film in IMAX, and there is no doubt that it is the best way to experience the incredible cinematography and sound design. This film is worth witnessing in the theater for its technical aspects alone. 

It has been a long time since a film has exceeded my expectations like this one. Going in, I thought that this was going to be a good to an above-average adaptation of the character. However, I came out thinking that this is one of the best films to feature the Caped Crusader. Everything came together to create something special, and while the ranking of this film within the comic book film zeitgeist remains to be seen, it will most likely be among the top tier. Go see it, especially if you’re a fan of Batman or film noir. It’s quite an experience.