The Long Halloween

Review – The Batman Directed by: Matt Reeves Written by: Matt Reeves & Peter Craig Produced by: Matt Reeves & Walter Hamada Starring: Robert Pattinson, Zoe Kravitz & Paul Dano Release Date: March 4th 2022 I got to see The Batman for review on opening night and it blew me away. I have since gotten to see it a second time in order to better cement my thoughts about the film before writing my review. This is a movie based around a detective chasing after a maniacal serial killer who loves to leave riddles for law enforcement before it is a superhero movie. Therefore, it seems only fitting that we begin this review for The Batman with a riddle. How do you tell a revolutionary story based on a character who has already had more than ten big screen outings and still manage to make it feel fresh? Apparently the answer is; you allow acclaimed auteur Matt Reeves to craft a psychological horror film peppered with light arthouse elements based around an iconic comic book hero. That is the thing that struck me the most whilst constructing this review of The Batman: just how darkly risqué certain elements of it felt. I have no shame in saying that I haven’t felt dread like this whilst watching a movie since I first saw Hereditary or Come and See. Sure, The Batman is by no means as hard to watch as either of those aforementioned films, but this is by no means a movie appropriate for children. You could certainly argue that there have been major superhero movies released in the past, which have done well financially despite not being suitable for children such as Deadpool. Although, I would have a much easier time sitting a child down in front of the R-rated Deadpool than I would making them watch The Batman, which carries a PG-13 rating. This is because the most horrifying elements in The Batman aren’t necessarily seen, instead they are felt. It is the dread-filled tone and underlying trepidation that gives The Batman its darkness. And this is also why The Batman feels more like a horror film, rather than a superhero movie or even a typical detective story. Even in comparison to what I consider to be the darkest detective stories ever committed to film in Se7en, Silence Of The Lambs and Prisoners, (which also starred Paul Dano,) The Batman stands out. I cannot stress enough, just how surprised I was by the constant sense of dread present within the undertones of this entire film. The ensemble cast do a phenomenal job of bringing a darker version of their respective characters to life. John Turturro, Paul Dano, Andy Serkis, Jeffrey Wright and Colin Firth all shine within any and all of the screen time that they are given. The real stand out here though is Zoe Kravitz’s electrifying performance as the complex femme fatale that is Selina Kyle. Though, we cannot discuss the film’s cast without mentioning the man at the centre of it all. There has been somewhat of a mixed reaction to Robert Pattinson’s Batman online thus far. The general consensus is that whilst he does a fantastic job of playing Batman, his performance of Bruce Wayne is lacking in certain aspects. The common concern is that his version of Bruce is just too similar to his take on Batman, leaving little difference between the two. Just in case you don’t happen to be an aficionado in all thing Batman, in the comic book source material there are some distinct differences between the two. Whilst Batman is an efficient and brooding vigilante, Bruce Wayne is more of a carefree playboy, or at least this is the persona that he chooses to portray to quell any belief that he and Batman could be the same person. However, one must remember that The Batman takes place pretty early on in Bruce’s crime-fighting career. This is obviously a version of the character who has not yet developed that nuance, his alter ego is still forming. It is also a good thing, as it gives Pattinson room to grow as an actor in any potential sequels. Instead, Pattinson manages to ride a very fine line in his performance here. He is both a lonely introvert, whilst being a looming protector. He is a wraith-like symbol of fear whilst still being a broken boy on the inside carrying a ton of emotional baggage. He is a shining example of what a hero can be, whilst lacking any real social skills. A demigod who still feels undeniably human. And it is this duality that sums up this version of Batman best. His more explicit and ‘traditional,’ sense of duality may still be yet to emerge, but here he is both sides of the coin simultaneously. And this is why I believe that only an actor of Robert Pattinson calibre is right for this role and in that sense, he knocks it out of the park. Getting away from the film’s phenomenal cast, a huge part of what makes this whole thing work is the amalgamation of immense talent behind the camera. Matt Reeves’ direction in tandem with Greig Fraser’s cinematography makes for some astonishing visuals. Some of the breath-taking shots present here rival those of greats such as Roger Deakins or Emmanuel Lubezki. Michael Giacchino’s utterly spectacular score permits the perfect tonal soundscape, which allows The Batman to reach the cinematic goals that it is reaching for. Again, to try to bring a sound that feels fresh and new to a character so synonymous with certain iconic audio cues presents an almost insurmountable challenge. Thankfully Giacchino is more than up to the task. Whilst I loved the experience of getting to see The Batman for review, unfortunately I cannot give it a perfect score. This is not because of any particularly poor element within the movie’s make-up. Instead it is because the film simply does not reach my criteria for a