Since I was born in 1997, there have been four portrayals of Batman (five total) on the big screen. Robert Pattinson is the latest caped crusader. After Warner Bros. bungled their attempt at a DC universe, this is, essentially, a reboot. Everyone wondered where it would rank among the batman movies, and here is my placement.
Non-spoilers first.
STORY: It's year two of Bruce Wayne dawning the cape of Batman. A mad man known only as The Riddler starts reigning terror on the city of Gotham.
This is a realistic Batman universe. The costume is slimmer with kevlar-type armor. The batmobile is a modified muscle car that does look pretty cool. None of the villains have supernatural abilities, so I believe we will not see the likes of Poison Ivy or Clayface.
What does a good Batman movie need? It needs a capable Batman who can fight and be a quality detective. It needs Gotham to look like Gotham. It needs a true Batman villain.
Robert Pattinson as Batman was a concerning casting choice for many people, but I am here to tell you he's a top-three pick. While Christian Bale and Michael Keaton still surpass him, he's a solid bronze finish. His Batman fights and fights well. He can take on a large group of thugs and come out alright. He gets a thumbs up from this Batman fan.
Pattinson's Batman does a considerable amount of detective work in this film. It can be described as noir-inspired. He surveys the crime scene looking for clues with Lieutenant Gordan who is skillfully portrayed by Jeffrey Wright (No Time to Die, Westworld).
The Batman depicts Gotham as gloomy, rainy, and devoid of significant greenery which is accurate. However, the best Gotham look is the 1989 Batman by far. The cathedral-style buildings make you think you're in Gotham. Every other iteration has some aspects, but you're aware they filmed it in Chicago or some other big city.
We have seen The Riddler once on the big screen with Jim Carey in Batman Forever. It was a comedic take on the character that, in my opinion, had the spirit of the villain no matter how you feel about him. It was wacky and eccentric. This movie has a much different take.
It seems like they made a new character and attached The Riddler, played by Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood, 12 Years a Slave) to him because they needed name recognition. He really is interesting and intimidating. He's a masked serial killer committing heinous acts. His intro is positively creepy. His murders are horrifying. He is a good villain, but he is not what I think of when I hear The Riddler.
For other actors and actresses, you cannot tell that Colin Farrell (In Bruges, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them) is The Penguin. The makeup is great, and he plays the role well. Zoe Kravitz (Mad Max: Fury Road) is a convincing Catwoman as well. Assuming we get a sequel, I am interested to see what they do with her character.
The Batman should be remembered for cinematography. This is a category I always look for in a movie, and Greig Fraser delivers. He is already a two-time Oscar nominee (maybe a winner for Dune depending on the outcome). The car chase scene is the perfect presentation of how this movie looks. That is my favorite scene in the movie.
Also, the score is pretty great from Michael Giacchino (Star Trek: Into Darkness). Listen to that here.
The Batman (2022) is a competent Dark Knight entry that surpasses the likes of Batman v Superman and Batman and Robin. It's a solid third Bat universe, and I'm interested in watching the next movie. Grab some friends, and see it for yourself! My film rating is a B.
SPOILERS BELOW
There is one important plot point brought to my attention that isn't great. While Batman is smart in this film, he does not outduel The Riddler. Wayne did not figure out the endgame through his wits. Rather, the mental issues of The Riddler revealed it after a freakout.
My other issue was Bruce Wayne. I don't believe it was Pattinson but the writing that made the character one-dimensional. Bruce is supposed to keep up appearances by being the billionaire playboy. That is something the Christopher Nolan trilogy does well. In this depiction, he plays emo Bruce. It's an interpretation that isn't my preference, but I recognize that is what they were trying to do.
