Now raking in over $300 million at the multiplexes:
THE BATMAN (Dir. Matt Reeves, 2022)
Batman begins yet again.
The first standalone film for the DC comic book icon since Christopher Nolan’s holy DARK KNIGHT trilogy concluded a decade ago brings us a new brooding Batman in Robert Pattinson, an actor who sure has made leaps and bounds in his career since his pretty-boy TWILIGHT days.
Pattinson’s debut thankfully isn’t another origin story as it presents the caped crime-fighter already established as the conundrum of being a vigilante who works with the police. So while director/co-writer Matt Reeves’ take doesn’t go as far back to where we’ve gone so many times before - i.e. the killing of Bruce Wayne’s parents - it does get back to bat basics by exploring Batman’s early detective roots.
The film follows Batman’s investigation, aided by Lieutenant Jim Gordon (the reliably gruff Jeffrey Wright), into the murders of prominent Gotham City political figures by the Zodiac killer-inspired Riddler (a definitively unhinged Paul Dano). Along the way to the inevitable spectacle-filled climax In Batman brushes up against The Penguin (an unrecognizable Colin Farrell), mob boss Carmine Falcone (the always welcome John Turturro), and Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz, whose crazysexycool-style really sizzles).
THE BATMAN contains a stellar cast, a gorgeously gothic look, a hypnotically murky tone, and an undeniable gravitas that makes it a mighty addition to Batman mythology. However, while I appreciated these elements, I had trouble fully engaging with it. It’s all too easy to complain about how many big event movies are too long these days, but at just under three hours, THE BATMAN can be justifiably slammed for its punishing length.
There are too many scenes that drag beyond the point that they are supposed to be making, and lost me in the foggy scenery. However, these plodding set-pieces are routinely broken up by the action showcases like the movie’s most thrilling part, the Batmobile freeway chase sequence. Such things helped me stay awake when my mind felt like it was being numbed by the Bat procedural.
It also didn’t help that the film felt horribly humorless throughout. Maybe that’s pure intent, as Batman has often been made to be a pretty silly commodity whether it be via Adam West or Lego®, and many fans want it to be as serious as a heart attack, but a few witty lines here, and there wouldn’t have hurt.
After so many incarnations, I believe I’ve come down with a major case of Batman fatigue. Pattinson’s performance as the legendary character is solid, and I bet he’ll be further up to the task in the inevitable sequels, but maybe my mind is too cluttered with every other Dark Knight actor to fully embrace him. Maybe only when memories of Ben Affleck (or Batfleck) have fully faded can that happen.
More later...
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