The Batman

Directed by Matt Reeves

Written by Matt Reeves and Peter Craig

Produced by Dylan Clark and Matt Reeves

Cinematography by Greig Fraser

Music by Michael Giacchino

Starring, Robert Parkinson, Zoe Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, Paul Dano, Colin Farrell, John Torturo, Andy Serkis

Before I start this review, to me this a perfect movie as it is the best batman movie made for me, yes even better than the dark knight. That’s because Batman is a true detective and uses his detective skills to solve crime and also the plot is just so dark that when you watch this film you will notice similarities to two David Fincher films Se7en and Zodiac, both films where the protagonists are trying to hunt a serial killer down.

The Batman tells the story of a masked vigilante who has been fighting the crimes of Gotham for two years and when a serial killer comes to Gotham, batman must seek help from Gordon in order track down the serial killer by playing his games or in other words solving his riddles as the serial killer is known as the riddler, a mysterious man who writes disturbing messages at his crime scenes specifically for the Batman.

It starts off with a set of crimes all over the city of Gotham with the riddler killing mayor Don Mitchell Jr. Then it switches to criminals robbing shops and mugging in alleys, but as soon as they see the bat signals in the sky they instantly become terrified of the sight of it and wonder where he is. We finally see him when a bunch of gangsters are surrounding a man but when they are about to attack him the batman comes slowly out of the darkness to stop them. At first they are confident in front of him and tells him to leave but the batman doesn’t listen to them and beats all of them in an instant. He sees the remaining man and fears him and he flees.

After the encounter he rides his bike back to his bat cave where we first see his long time and loyal butler Alfred Pennyworth who tells him that he his getting visitors at his mansion but Bruce Wayne is bothered by the idea. The batman then goes to the mayors crime scene where he is investigating the murder with chief Gordon, the only person on the force who trusts the batman. They notice at the crime scene of the mayor a drive that shows a young lady Annika Kosolov at a nightclub which is run by Oswald Cobblepot also known as the Penguin. He confronts the penguin in his nightclub who states that he doesn’t know who she is and then notices that a young woman working at night club named Selina Kyle, Annikas roommate.

The batman asks Selina Kyle for her help to try and find the riddler and she goes under cover and and discovers district attorney Gil Colson is on Carmine Falcones payroll. After this encounter Colson is attacked and subdued by the riddler and at the mayors funeral Colson is shown with a bomb attached to his body and has to answer three riddles by the riddler in one minute to save his life, the third riddle is too much for Colson to answer as it is who is Falcones informant but it is too much as he fears his family is in danger and doesn’t answer the last riddle and bomb explodes killing Colson instantly.

The batman and Gordon suspect that it is the penguin and follow him to his drug dealing and Selina notices Annikas dead body in a boot of a car. The penguin tries to attack both of them for trying to steal his money and attempts to flee. After an intense car chase between the batman and the penguin, Gordon and the batman question him about being Maronis informant but messages the riddler and discover that the penguin is not the informant.

The batman and Gordon follow riddlers trails and discover that the riddler hold and grudge against the Wayne family. The riddler sends a letter to Bruce Wayne but Alfred is injured by being bombed by the letter. The riddler shows evidence that when John Wayne open of becoming mayor he hired Falcone to kill a journalist who was writing about Martha’s family history of mental illness. Bruce confronts Alfred in the hospital about the matter Alfred maintains that his dad was a good man and would have turned himself and Falcone in to the police once he found out that Falcone murdered the journalist but Falcone murder John and Martha to keep them quiet.

Meanwhile Selina tells Batman that Falcone is her father after telling him that Falcone murder Annika for discovering that Falcone himself is the informant. Selina tries to kill Falcone but Batman and Gordon stop her just in time as they need Falcone to still find the riddler. They go outside and Falcone is arrested by a Gordon but Falcone is shot dead by the riddler. The riddler is caught and unmasked as account Edward Nashton and is put into Arkham State Hospital and tells Batman that he and him caused these crimes. Batman discovers that riddler has planted car bombs and plans to attack mayor elect Bella Real

The bombs annihilate Gotham and flood the city where Nashtons fans attempt to kill Bella Real but Batman and riddler fend of the killers and batman saves the residents of Gotham from the floods. Afterwards Nashton makes a new friend in the hospital while Selina plans to leave Gotham as she claims that city is lost saving and it is only going to get worst for Batman, but Batman doesn’t go with her want to try and wants to help Gotham and inspire hope to the city.

To summarise this movie is a masterpiece in my mind and shows how much crime can be in one city and shows Batman's detective skills that we are yet to see on the big screen. This is my favourite Batman movie and also my favourite film of 2022 and also one of my favourite movies of all time.

Andrew Ward