The Batman – A Freshly-Intimate Crime Noire

Over the course of the superhero film genre, no character has been in live action film more than the caped crusader known as Batman. Despite the fact that there have been so many incarnations, audiences keep coming back. There is something about the Batman that continues to resonate over the years as the franchise continues to adapt over time. Ben Affleck’s ill-fated run aside in Batman v Superman and Justice League/Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy is widely-considered the pinnacle of the franchise and The Dark Knight in particular considered among many as one of the greatest films of all time. When it comes to The Batman, it certainly has a lot to live up to. That being said, it definitely has the right pieces behind it, making it one of the most-anticipated films in recent memory. With Matt Reeves at the helm and Robert Pattinson taking up the costume, it’s an exciting time for the DC Universe as the film looks to carve out its own alternate universe. While a running time nearing the 3 hour mark may be a cause of concern for some, however, it is all for naught as the story is more than captivating enough.

Regarding the story, The Batman does something a little different. Everybody more or less knows the origin story of Bruce Wayne/Batman therefore this film goes in another direction and essentially became a refresh of that origin story by framing it through the lens of a wide-spanning conspiracy for Wayne (Pattinson) to investigate. Perhaps a little more introspective approach than past versions, the story plays more like a noir which simply fits the character perfectly. Pulling audiences into his state of mind made for a more intimate and more compelling watch in the midst of the vastness that was Gotham City. He was still the presence in the night that everyone knows him to be as the film does a great job at putting the threat of his presence into perspective. With that background work and established reputation now out of the way, the story saw Wayne find himself part of a murder investigation of a key Gotham political figure, murdered under mysterious circumstances.

Little did he know, this murder was just the beginning as the serial killer looked to unearth the city’s dark history of lies and corruption for which Thomas (Luke Roberts) and Martha Wayne (Luke Roberts) were allegedly involved in. To get to the killer, a man known as the Riddler (Dano), Wayne must get to the bottom of the dark history as well as its connection to the Riddler in order to find him and stop him before it was too late. Doing so found him going to places that were maybe too close to him as it also brought him closer to the case of the murder of his parents that has yet to be solved, leaving him with his trusty butler and friend Alfred (Andy Serkis). This was his driving force, to not have anyone else feel the same kind of fear he felt that evening. Either way, Wayne could not do this alone. Lt. James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright), the only seemingly uncorrupt member of the corrupt Gotham City Police Department, as always was an ally. However, the big relationship was with a woman named Selina Kyle (Kravitz), who we know to be Catwoman.

Kyle had stakes in this investigation but was a wildcard. Nevertheless, the two made a compelling pair to watch as they uncovered all the twists and turns along the way as the Riddler anti-establishment sentiment earned him an increasing following. That journey of course included some cameos of the Batman rogue gallery but The Batman navigates through all of that in a satisfying and balanced way, making all those pieces work in the grand scheme of the story. The film is meant to be a world-builder for future properties but unlike similar films in recent memory, it did not forget to deliver a strong enough story to make the world building work. Creating plenty of suspense and tension with some exciting action along the way, in the end, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that this is only just the beginning and that’s okay.

On a technical level, The Batman is beautiful to look at throughout, bringing Gotham City and its many intricacies to life. While there is plenty of darkness, there is also light as some great lighting and camera work resulted in some engaging shots throughout the film. No detail was spared which did not go unnoticed be it production design, special effects, or sound design. Meanwhile, the epic score excelled in moments big and small as audiences will find themselves on the edge of their seats. 

At the end of the day, the best part of The Batman was its superb performances led by Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/Batman. A more brooding/internalized performance, the character carries so much emotional weight and trauma that he manifests through his actions as Batman. That focus has led to dejection which didn’t make him the best with others but that other human side of him was clear whenever he was with Serkis’ Alfred for whom they had great chemistry. Kravitz was a scene-stealer as Selina Kyle/Catwoman as she and Pattinson made a fun team. However, that chemistry did not extend to the film’s incessant need to connect them romantically which felt forced. Finally, Dano was another scene-stealer as the Riddler, finding the right combination of unhinged and still likable in a sense while Wright brings the right gravitas to his Jim Gordon. 

Overall, The Batman had some big shoes to fill but it’s safe to say that it has carved its place near the top of the heap.

 still courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.