The Batman (2022) Review
“Fear is a tool.”
There have been numerous iterations of the caped crusader for decades yet – Matt Reeves comes along, hot off the Apes trilogy, and crafts what might be the best onscreen depiction yet. Though Christopher Nolan adapted the hero in a bold fashion, his trilogy focuses on grounding Batman into a more realistic storyworld; losing some comic book sensibilities along the way. The Dark Knight still remains, not only as one of the best comic book adaptations to grace the screen, but is simply regarded as one of the most influential films of all time. Reeves’ The Batman feels the most resonant with The Dark Knight in terms of thematic context – but he takes a wildly different narrative approach that feels reminiscent of a neo-noir; coated with a modern director-focused superhero tale. And it’s one that doesn’t feel skeptical of the source material; truly feeling as if it understands Batman enough to put him in situations that may have been deemed “too goofy” for Nolan’s trilogy. Which is a good thing; the film stands on its own and feels incredibly unique even though it features the most rebooted live-action superhero of all time. And that’s a feat on its own.
In an age of “standardized” superhero films, thanks to the MCU, it’s incredibly refreshing to feel a director’s artistic vision within every frame in a film like this. Reeves is able to breathe more personality into The Batman than either of his latter two films in the Apes trilogy and it’s both endearing and impressive seeing him refine his skills as an artist. His vision is explicitly clear in The Batman; to show a deeply brooding side of Bruce Wayne we haven’t seen before on film. And though the film itself is advertised to be this “90s post-grunge” Nirvana-inspired outing – it feels just as equally optimistic by the time the credits roll. Bruce Wayne is on year two of his “Gotham Project”; dressing up as a masked vigilante and beating criminals to a pulp damn-near every night. He thinks “fear” is what will save Gotham – but he learns he must become something else entirely. Something more inspiring; hope. The film serves not only as an origin for Batman, but moreso of an origin for Bruce himself – which I’m sure will be expanded on in further sequels.
When it comes to Reeves’ screenplay choices, however, there is some nuance to be desired. The audience sees much more Bat than Bruce in this film, yet, Reeves still feels the need to explain why this is the case in a manner that feels as if the characters onscreen are preaching to the viewers themselves. Blatantly spelling out “not so subtle” inferences like this sometimes feels as if the film is still held back by being a “superhero movie”. Which is unfortunate because it does so much to advance the genre in the first place; while still remaining true to its core. But as far as the rest of the thematic context and winding narrative goes, this feels like a miniscule blip to me and didn’t hinder either of my viewing experiences. This is a sprawling neo-noir epic of a superhero film and Matt Reeves shoots for the stars; almost entirely successfully.
As for the look and feel of the film, it’s utterly flawless. Translating Gotham into this hybrid between grounded realism and one of gothic nature we have come to know from the comics pays off well. In its execution, it not only feels entirely unique, but aesthetically perfect for Reeves’ take on the caped crusader. Burton’s films feature a much more playful Gotham while Nolan’s mirrors a city that essentially could exist in our world; each matching the tone of their direction. Reeves has no intent to convince the audience that this Gotham could ever exist; it’s purely a fantastical setting that strives to strike resemblances within our society as well. And with Greig Fraiser’s stunning DP work – together they bring to life the best looking Gotham to date; chock-full of brilliant shots that truly feel like they put that blockbuster budget to great use.
Robert Pattinson pulls off this version of Bruce Wayne/Batman perfectly; as if he was born to play this role. The screenplay itself gives him a lot of space to truly give a nuanced act – as he is known for; given his tremendous performances in The Lighthouse, Good Time, and High Life. His Bruce Wayne is a damaged one and much less of an established persona than that of his counterpart – but the narrative allows both sides of him to complete their respective arcs; meshing into one by the end. Where Bruce lets his vengeful vigilante loose through the picture, by the end he realizes that he is losing the part of him that makes him human. And though he must transform The Batman into something that brings people hope – he must do the same as Bruce Wayne. It’s a brilliant message that defines perfectly why this hero has stood the test of time. Though he is a human that’s been through tremendous pain – he must prevail as a symbol for the people not to lose hope as he once did.
The film itself, though a sprawling epic that most definitely takes itself seriously, is not humorless in its approach either. Batman’s interactions with Selina Kyle (Kravitz) and Gordon (Wright) all show a brighter side to the character contrasting that of when he is alone. And as the film progresses, his relationships with these people garner more optimism as well; showing the character’s subtle changes before the finale. He knows he can’t do this alone and there are still good people out there willing to help. That said – Kravitz and Wright play their roles tremendously and I’m not sure there’s been a superhero movie cast as perfectly as this one. Colin Farrell’s Penguin steals every scene he is in and Reeves utilizes him perfectly – ensuring that even with another “big bad”, the film doesn’t feel overstuffed. And with Michael Giacchino’s beautifully resonant score pulsating with every story beat – it’s hard not to think of this film as an experience in itself.
Matt Reeves has truly crafted one of the best iterations of the caped crusader; one that will continue to garner acclaim in the future. The Batman is a film so proud to wear its comic book origins but unafraid to evolve them; especially in a manner that doesn’t feel cynical towards the source material itself. This is a film that will make audiences reminisce about the creator-focused superhero movies of the past as well as what the future holds for the industry. In a filmscape so dominated by the MCU, The Batman takes the risk to throw convention out the window and truly let itself bask in its own authenticity. It is not only one of the best depictions of the character we will ever see – it will continue to stand its ground as one of the greatest comic book adaptations of all time. I can’t wait for the sequel.
