Rating of
3.5/4
The Batman (2022) - Review
Matthew Brady - wrote on 06/27/22
“Fear is a tool. They think I’m hiding in the shadows but I am the shadows. I wish I could say that I’m making a difference but I don’t know. They might all roll together in a rush. Behind the mask. Sometimes in the morning, I have to push myself to remember everything that happened.”
Absolute cinema! Honestly, so incredible. The film-making from Matt Reeves is so excellent and well crafted, with such skill you forget you are watching a superhero movie. Dark, but with a slick style. The more I think about it, the more I love it. Just from the opening scene with the Riddler and Batman’s voice-over monologue while we see the ongoing crime in Gotham City, I knew we were all in for something spectacular.
The movie is three hours long, but I could watch a six-hour version of this.
Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne, but mostly Batman, is the perfect casting, and from day one of his castings, I knew he was going to bring it, and he did! He did some fantastic acting from his physicality and eyes that captured his thoughts and feelings. I liked his Batman voice, quiet and whispery. Not too forced like bale nor too advanced like Affleck. His Batman/Bruce Wayne, with no other way of describing it, is emo, but then again, Batman as a character is the definition of emo when you think about it. His long, messy, dark, and damp black hair hung over his face, giving his vision the equivalent of window blinders. His skin is as pale as a British introvert. He wears dark eyeliner under his Batman mask, and whenever he takes it off, the eyeliner smudges due to sweat and heat underneath the cowl. Whenever he is in the suit, he never breaks his detective’s eye, but when out of the suit, he cannot make eye contact with anyone. Before he appears, you hear his heavy footsteps on the rock-hard pavement, and then him slowly coming out of his darkness was just... goosebumps. The way he approaches criminals is no different from Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers.
There’s a thrilling car chase that ends with the vehicle flipped upside down and from the POV of the criminal, you see the black silhouette of what looks like a bat-man creation, with fire in the background from the aftermath of the chase, almost like IT came from hell, as it moves closer to the vehicle, and the way it moves its body is so unnatural. Of course, that scene is the Penguin and Batman car chase, with the POV from Penguin and the creation being Batman. It’s terrifying just reading that description with no context of the scene itself, and that’s why it’s so brilliant.
You get a lot of depth with this version, the unseen trauma. Pattinson is the most Batman that ever was and one of the best.
Also, his Batmobile is a killer!
Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman was another stand-out and the heart of the movie. I liked her characterization of a thick-skinned yet vulnerable and feminine. The scenes between her and Pattinson were the best part of the movie, as their chemistry was on point. Her character could’ve easily fit in a Brian De Palma movie.
Jeffrey Wright as Jim Gordon is so good in the role, and the dynamic duo between him and Pattinson brought some surprising comedic moments. While this Gordon isn’t quite the police commissioner, we see a different side to the character; the no-nonsense type that’s devoted.
Paul Dano as the Riddler was a mixture of creepiness but still maintains the sinister sense of humour of the troubled intellectual character. I also liked his costume, as it felt homemade and fit this type of movie. This version of the Riddler is inspired by the Zodiac killer, a real-life Riddler who sent out ciphers that were hard to crack. Fifty years after the case, and only last year that one of the ciphers was cracked. In the same vein as the Zodiac, he taunts the police and leaves none of his DNA at the crime scene. So, it makes this version of the character scary because it's something that could happen in real life. This version of Riddler is straight-up Jigsaw.
Andy Serkis isn't in the movie that much, but he delivers a solid portrayal of the trustworthy Alfred. The relationship between him and Bruce is "icy", a tragic withdrawn situation that I hope mends in the future. So icy that if these two ever crossed paths in a hallway, things would be awkward. However, there is a beautiful and moving scene, which takes place in a hospital, after Alfred stains injuries after a failed bomb attack from the Riddler, and during that scene where these two finally talk because, despite the rocky relationship, Bruce still cares for him. He thought that he mastered his fear, but at that moment, he feared that he lost him. A touching scene and Serkis was brilliant in it.
Colin Farrell as the Penguin is honestly one of the best transformations in movie history, and yes, of all time. I mean, it's been three months since the movie came out, and I still can’t believe that’s him. He is unrecognizable not only for the make-up but his voice as well. The make-up artist behind this work did an incredible job. Both Farrell and the make-up artist deserve high praise here.
John Turturro as Falcone, who rarely got shown in the marketing, is a surprise standout here and has not got enough credit. What a presence he brings to the movie, and I liked his take on the ruthless mobster.
Peter Saarsgard is another actor that isn’t getting talked about because he acts the hell out of the role of the corrupt Gil Colson. The scene with the bomb collar was intense, and Saarsgard was great in it. It felt like a scene from a “Saw” movie where the villain is in complete control. I mean, there's not a single weak actor in this movie.
I loved the score from Michael Giacchino; very epic, Gothic, but jampacked with emotion. There is some distinct character work with compelling themes from Batman, Riddler, and Catwoman, especially from the bat himself, whose score perfectly captures the tragedy and the heroism. His sounds commanding, yet unresolved, almost like Bruce Wayne’s trauma. Catwoman’s theme sounds like a classic noir film when the mysterious woman enters the detective’s office late at night. And the Riddler shares a couple of familiarity with Batman’s theme, in terms of suspense, build-up, and a grand feel to it. Although with an ominous and mysterious tone to it.
I liked how detailed the movie was, whether that’s characterization, acting, writing, directing, etc. I can tell that everyone who worked on this movie truly cared and put a lot of thought into every scene, and I love that so much. I bet on a re-watch there will be new things to pick up on.
The cinematography is the best part of the movie. No other superhero movie in recent times has looked this well-crafted, so captivating, with its incredible atmosphere, darkness, and lighting. Cinematographer Greg Frasier keeps outdoing himself.
Everything else from a technical standpoint is outstanding. The sound work is tremendous and adds to the immersion. The production design, costume, editing, and direction were all mwah!
I liked how dirty and grounded Gotham City looked, where everything is so cramped together, how it was always raining in this city, or how everything always looks so damp. This Gotham feels diseased, old yet new at the same time. Even the day scenes looked like a stormy evening. Despite that, that does not take away its strange beauty.
The movie is more character-driven than anything else, diving into the detective side. Sure, there is action, which is great, but it’s character moments that stuck with me the most. I must admit the third act made me teary-eyed. It was a beautiful scene that involved character growth. While the movie can be dark, brutal, and at times wickedly funny, on the other hand, there is also a sense of hope. Because despite the bleakness of this world, here you have a broken and flawed man who endured all the pain, trauma, and rage, and finally had the strength to put aside it and put himself out there for those who suffer.
So yeah, I liked the movie a lot.
Overall rating: HE IS VEGENECE!
