“The Batman” - My Thoughts 💭

Where to start? What a hot mess. At over 170 minutes you are either all in or you are not. Which were you?

This latest incarnation of the popular comic book superhero is directed by Matt Reeves - the director behind “Cloverfield” and the last two “Planet of the Apes” films. Here an unseen Riddler is murdering Gotham’s political figures and leaving clues and cards with riddles for Batman. Batman teams up with Lt. James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) to find and unmask the killer, as well as uncover a trail of corruption including the Gotham City Police Department.

A promising opening provides the new and intriguing setting of Gotham, an ominous tone and (of course) eliciting a dark mood for the audience. Then we are introduced to a much younger version of Batman/Bruce Wayne played by Robert Pattinson - mostly via voice-over in the film noir tradition. Next, the film quickly begins to turn into the movie “Seven”, not a bad thing, and obviously this film focusses a lot more on Batman the detective and that is fine. Two standouts for me were Colin Farrell (in heavy prosthetics) who very competently plays the Penguin (I didn’t realise that was him until the end).

Also, Peter Sarsgaard who plays District Attorney Gil Colson (in a minor but memorable role) may hold information about the police department’s corruption. For the first half there was intrigue, surprises and suspense, but then there’s another whole LOT of film to go and it starts to lose its footing. While I was initially looking forward to where the film would take audiences, how certain characters would go head to head and what further surprises were in store. Instead I was literally disappointed at every turn. The film became progressively weaker, the story mechanics wobbly, the performances unconvincing. It was like two different films: a pretty good one and then a very cheesy and un-fun one for the second half.

Here’s why. Overall, I didn’t believe Pattinson’s portrayal of Batman. In fact, at times the film feels like an emo teen-movie, at others it has syrupy romance with Catwoman played by Zoë Kravitz (there’s not an ounce of chemistry between the two from my standpoint). Furthermore, there are way too many characters and maybe that is why the characterisations in the second half are so unconvincing and the script clunky. Suddenly, after a rather hip, tense and atmospheric instrumental soundtrack in the first half - it dissolves into a saccharine emotional soundtrack in multiple scenes that wasn’t warranted or necessary. There needed to be much more emotional weight to the second half of the film to earn this style of music (if you are indeed trying to manipulate the viewers’ emotions) but instead the second half was contrived, the pay off unsatisfying.

Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman seems to telegraph all her character’s emotions and movements as if you can see her thinking instead of acting instinctually. While, Paul Dano as the menacing masked Riddler is next to terrifying in the first half, yet once unmasked in the second he is no longer fearful but pitiable - and one of my favourite actors overacting! I think it is the screenplay’s fault on the whole that doesn’t seem to have enough conviction to stick to its dark, brooding David Fincher vibes for its entirety, but also scenes don’t seem to have been very well rehearsed. Finally, the big verbal confrontation between Batman and the Riddler in prison when Batman says, “What have you done?!” was laughable. The ending is thus rushed and highly underwhelming. I hope people revisit the “BVS Ultimate Edition” and the “Snyder Cut of Justice League” as these DC movies and the depiction of Batman and Bruce Wayne are vastly superior in my opinion and casting a youthful looking 35 year old is just a digression to the franchise. We all have our favourite Batman films, yet unfortunately this wasn’t one of mine.

I’m giving The Batman 2.5 ⭐️ out of 5 (on balance for the first half of the film)

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You can also check out my recent film review of “Belfast” here: