Review 784: The Batman

                                                                                                 

When a killer targets Gotham's elite with a series of sadistic machinations, a trail of cryptic clues sends Bruce Wayne/Batman (Robert Pattinson) on an investigation into the underworld, where he encounters such characters as Selina Kyle (Zoe Kravitz), Oswald Cobblepot/Penguin (an unrecognisable Colin Farrell), Carmine Falcone (John Turturro) and Edward Nashton/Riddler (Paul Dano). As the evidence begins to lead closer to home and the scale of the perpetrator's plan becomes clear, Batman must forge new relationships, unmask the culprit and bring justice to the abuse of power and corruption that has long plagued Gotham.

As someone who has followed the films troubled and tumultuous production history  It started life as a solo film centred on Ben Affleck's Batman in the sputtering DCEU, then Affleck left the project due his personal issues and the frequent changes in leadership at DC Studios, then Matt Reeves (the Planet of the Apes sequels) stepped in and retooled it, severing all ties to the DCEU in the process. That turned out well in the long run. In his hands, this film feels fresh and alive. It's a 70's crime film akin to The Godfather and The French Connection that plays out within the framework of a superhero film.

The screenplay by Reeves and Peter Craig forces this version of Batman to question his purpose as a vigilante and tells a surprisingly engrossing, gripping and spectacular detective story. This feels like the street level detective film that fans have been craving for so long. 

In terms of genre and technic, The Batman draws inspiration from (like Batman Begins before it) from Batman: Year One and Batman: The Long Halloween. But influences from Batman: Zero Year, Batman: Year Two, Batman: Dark Victory & Batman: Ego.

Themes of Vengeance and Healing are prominent in The Batman

Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy effortlessly balanced the gritty darkness with light  in order to create arguably a very un-comic book esque world; one inhabited by real people while Zack Snyder's DC films attempted to counter Henry Cavill's younger and inexperienced Superman with a Batman that felt akin to Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns and tried (sloppily) to tell a story about him coming back into the light. Reeves and company have achieved something similar to Nolan with The Batman, but at a Hitchcockian level of inspiration. There's a grander sense of scope to the 

With a runtime of 176 minutes, The Batman is sure to test the patience of certain audiences, but (for me at least) the mystery is so involving and 

Gotham looks and feels like a gothic, rain soaked, crime ridden  tones of gorgeous lighting   the effect of the closing sequence is exhilarating   the score by Michael Giacchino is 

Robert Pattinson's portrayal of the Caped Crusader is a nuanced one, he is somehow more melancholic than bringing out    He becomes the latest in a long line of actor's to have worn the cowl: Christian Bale, Ben Affleck, Michael Keaton even George Clooney. Bruce uses Batman as a coping mechanism. He shuts himself away except to unleash The Batman  The film establishes that it's a dangerous coping mechanism that he has to pull himself out from, but it has to be himself who does it. 

Pattinson and Kravitz have sizzling chemistry with each other  I don't mind admitting that I was actually rooting for them to get together even though