Riddle Me This
SCORE: 89/100
****I WILL DO MY BEST, BUT BEWARE POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD****
REVIEW:
I went into The Batman with high expectations. The character has one of the best track records in Hollywood, and I was excited to see on of the most underrated actors today picking up the mantle of Bruce Wayne and Batman. What followed was a matching of my expectations, and while not as perfect a film as The Dark Knight was, The Batman more than holds its own in the character's filmography.
Let's start with my two main critiques. First up is the pacing of the movie. While it is almost three hours, it never really feels that way. However, there were a couple of sequences that could have been shortened or cut, which could have kept its pacing more frenetic and chaotic as opposed to more methodical. However, this is intentional, as the film is more of a detective story than an action film, and it's important to know that going in. My other critique is that the film can feel a bit too close to the films it's trying to pay homage to. A lot of viewers will compare this movie to Se7en or Zodiac, which are good films to compare it to, but it sort of falls into the same trap that Joker did. In paying homage, the film doesn't feel 100% original, but in the scope of Batman films feels pretty unique.
Now that that's out of the way, let me rave about the cast for a bit. After this film, can we all stop holding Twilight against Robert Pattinson? The man is one of the most underrated actors today, and he brings everything he's got to this role. His Batman is newer, imperfect, and can be nearly as violent as the criminals he's facing. It's the best live action version of a younger Batman we've gotten. As brilliant, and potentially even more so is Zoe Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman. She's got more layers here than in any previous film, and Kravitz's performance is captivating. There's a rage underneath her collected exterior, and her chemistry with Pattinson is enthralling, perhaps the best we've ever seen in live action. Andy Serkis joins the cast as Batman's butler Alfred, who's unfortunately not in the movie as much as I would want him to be. He's fantastic, and the depth and nuance of his character is among the best of the live action Alfreds, and as of right now is second only to Michael Caine's. Rounding out our heroes is Jeffrey Wright as Lieutenant Jim Gordon, and he's the best Gordon we've gotten. He's more of a partner to Batman here, and they have a wonderful chemistry that really harkens to buddy detective movies.
As far as the villains go, we have three that warrant discussion. Colin Farrell is completely unrecognizable as Oz/The Penguin. The makeup is incredible, and his voice and mannerisms are a clear nod to Robert De Niro. John Turturro joins in as mobster Carmine Falcone, who's as sleazy and threatening as ever. He's also more integral to the plot than I thought, and his presence is more menacing than I anticipated, as I've never seen him like this. However, the true standout of the entire movie for me is The Riddler, played to Oscar-worthy perfection by Paul Dano. It's one of Dano's more mainstream roles to date, and I hope he gets more and more work because of this. He's genuinely unnerving and horrifying as the Zodiac-inspired serial killer, and apart from one humanizing moment later in the film, is a completely distant and methodical villain. This may be a controversial statement, but I feels he's the best live action villain we've had since Ledger's Joker, and his chemistry with Batman is palpable here. I hope he returns in later installments.
The score for The Batman is outright amazing, with Michael Giacchino providing one of his best scores since Up and Star Trek. Batman's theme is pounding and triumphant, Catwoman's is more playful with a hint of darkness, and Riddler's warped and twisted Ave Maria that's just off is a perfect reflection of his character. Combine that with the inclusion of Nirvana's Something in the Way, and you have a winning compilation of music that works perfectly. The film is also clearly Matt Reeves' creative vision. I don't feel like he was influenced by the studio in any way, and that comes from the length of the film. Anyone else would've cut it down, but Reeves kept it at its length to tell a complete story.
I can't say much about the plot, but it definitely keeps you guessing, and it takes turns that I didn't see coming. If you can, see this movie in theaters when you can, preferably in Imax. It's well worth your time!
Final Thought: While it does slow down a tad more than I was expecting, The Batman is an incredible triumph due to its actors, its locations, and its incredible music.
Score: 89/100
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