the batman spoiler free review
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Matt Reeves’ The Batman released in theaters a week ago and immediately finds itself in the conversation for best Batman movie ever. This is both impressive and noteworthy considering the ubiquity of the caped crusader and the staggering number of times his vigilantism has appeared on small and large screens. It’s the gift and curse of legacy characters: nearly limitless interest. No one questions or bats an eye at each announcement of the latest Batman project because audiences simply never tire of Batman. Pennyworth, Gotham and recently announced Penguin and Gotham PD The Batman spinoffs don’t even feature the dark knight. Seemingly, it’s enough just to be Batman adjacent.
Some see Bruce Wayne/Batman as a wealthy vigilante with a lost grip on reality satisfying his need for vengeance by punching poor people in the face. Others view him more favorably as the square jawed standard bearer for super heroism. Most would agree that his best film is 2008’s The Dark Knight. Does The Batman supplant The Dark Knight as unrivaled crème de la crème of Batman films and the comic book film genre at large? No, but’s it’s very, very close. Pattinson usurps Christian Bale as The QC’s favorite live-action version of Batman. He and Reeves provide a proto “year 2” Batman cut off from normal life and singularly dedicated to striking fear into the hearts of criminals/stalking the streets. It’s hard to recall meaningful sequences in The Batman of Pattinson playing Bruce Wayne, regular human. He wears the cape and cowl for what seems like 75% of the film and if you didn’t know he was rich, you wouldn’t know he was rich. This is a Batman story. The film correctly chooses to have Bruce Wayne, billionaire, largely absent. Reeves skips the origin story/pearl clutching (finally!) and almost immediately gives us Pattinson in a darkly beautiful, heavily armored batsuit that reacts to semi-automatic gunfire like Gotham raindrops.
A common interpretation of Batman is he spends his days wearing a Bruce Wayne mask. He becomes this new true self after Bruce thematically perishes with Martha and Thomas Wayne. This is the Batman Pattinson plays. Pattinson’s Batman cares little about philanthropy, keeping up appearances or wearing said Wayne mask. And it totally works. Catwoman, played convincingly and with an omnipresent twang of mournfulness by Zoe Kravitz is also a year one version of the character. The chemistry between Pattinson and Kravitz is blistering. The Batman perfectly captures the comics accurate will-they-won’t-they of the Bat and the Cat/Bruce and Selina – a duo made for one another yet frustratingly unable to truly be together. Vengeance never sleeps.
Paul Dano is great as the Riddler and his crusade on behalf of the have-nots against the corrupt haves of Gotham might be the most realistically executed antagonist of any Batman film ever. This Riddler could exist in the real world and that makes him effective and frightening. To say any more would enter spoiler territory. The batmobile feels more like a souped-up muscle car than past gadget heavy interpretations but when it shows up it leaves an impression. The conclusion of the Penguin/Batman car chase was spoiled in the trailer but remains a standout moment in a film packed with standout moments. Bring on The Batman 2. We can’t get enough.