The Batman

Mere seconds into Matt Reeves’ The Batman, Robert Pattinson’s growly voice-over accompanies shots of a grimily beautiful Gotham, making one thing clear—this both is and isn’t your father’s Batman.  The father, of course, is Christopher Nolan, who for better or worse has changed how we interpret the caped crusader.  Some directors grossly missed the point of his trilogy and envisioned the character as all-encompassing darkness, without any of the nuance and commentary found in Nolan’s films. See: Zack Snyder’s ‘Batfleck’ films, which are grim and dour to the point of parody. (That being said, an argument could be made for Zack Snyder’s Justice League on HBO MAX, a 4-hour epic so pornographically lugubrious that at some point it becomes a sublime delight unto itself.)  Reeves cleverly sidesteps Snyder’s failings by anchoring his film with well-rounded characters, a dense but not overwhelming plot, and incisive social commentary. While it doesn’t entirely escape Nolan’s shadow (at this point, what Batman film can?), the film is largely successful at carving out its own niche and—AND—most importantly, justifying its own existence.

The film mercifully skips the origin story that we’ve seen a million times as we meet Batman in the early stages of his career.  An early, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shot of his journal shows the label ‘Year 2,’ a clever, winking nod to the 1987 comic, itself a sequel to Frank Miller’s groundbreaking “Batman: Year One” graphic novel.  At this point, the character is firmly established as Gotham’s protector—the bat signal already pierces the night sky--though his reputation is still growing.  Criminals aren’t sure whether to fear him or laugh at him, and (best infomercial voice) cops hate him! He has one friend, however, in Jeffrey Wright’s Lieutenant Gordon, still in the nascent stages of his journey toward becoming Police Commissioner.  He also encounters Selina Kyle (Zoe Kravitz, slinky and smoldering), a cat burglar who may or not be an ally.  Other notable figures are Oswald Cobblepot (Colin Farrell, unrecognizable and clearly having fun underneath his impressive makeup), Carmine Falcone (John Turturro, hamming it up), and everyone’s favorite butler, Alfred (Andy Serkis, under-used).  Last but not least is Paul Dano, making the most of his limited screen time as Edward Nashton, easily the most disturbing Batman villain seen on screen since Heath Ledger’s iconic Joker.   Once our titular character begins to negotiate wary alliances with these characters, he finds himself embroiled in a three-hour saga of crime and corruption that would make Scorsese proud. No one here is innocent, and, to the writers’ credit, no one claims to be.

Despite the length, this is a fairly engrossing tale (my attention flagged at times, but I blame that on not having my morning coffee beforehand), and the twists and turns keep the plot humming along nicely.  Part of what makes this engaging is that it really feels like a fresh take on Batman.  The first time we see him, he strides purposefully into the open, his heavy footfalls announcing his presence.  This is not a Batman who hides in the shadows and picks his prey off one by one.  This is a Batman who refuses to hide, walks head-on into gunfire, and dispenses brutal beat-downs to his opponents.  As he growls to one of his would-be attackers, “I am Vengeance.” We also finally get to see why his comics counterpart is termed ‘The World’s Greatest Detective,’ as he works with (and sometimes against) the police to solve crimes and piece together the overarching mystery. One of my favorite moments is when he stands on a rooftop, ready to deploy his wingsuit, his eyes widened with fear—a rare moment of on-screen vulnerability for the character.  The film is full of clever touches like this, in which Reeves cleverly reminds us that Batman is not just a cipher, but a human being underneath all that violent angst.

Again, this is an incredibly dark film—the fact that there’s tie-in children’s merchandising is hilarious, because I don’t know what child would sit through this movie.  There’s literally no humor to speak of, although that’s probably preferable to Nolan’s and Snyder’s groan-inducing attempts at levity.  And the violence inflicted on some of the characters is truly sadistic.  (The film owes an obvious debt to David Fincher’s Se7en.) It’s easy to imagine the filmmakers working to convince the MPAA not to slap an ‘R’ rating on this movie. 

However, the film manages to avoid succumbing completely to darkness, which is in no small part due to the acting.  Pattinson spends more time in the cowl than any previous actor, but still puts his own fresh spin on the role.  His Batman is a broken man, full of emo angst, and one who is in desperate need of a therapist; this is the first take in which his vigilante alter-ego appears to be explicitly helping him process his trauma.  His scenes opposite Kravitz are also a delight, as their sizzling chemistry is palpable and imbues his character with a sexuality not usually portrayed on screen.  Similarly, though Serkis feels underutilized, their scenes together are a welcome source of warmth in the film.  (Keep tissues on hand for the scene in which Alfred paternally, lovingly comforts Bruce from a hospital bed, having survived a vicious attack by the Riddler.)  And though he makes a late-game appearance, Dano’s performance is so gleefully unhinged that it becomes almost difficult to watch.  Fair warning--his falsetto rendition of “Ave Maria” in the police station will probably scar you. SPOILER ALERT: the one false note is Barry Keoghan’s end-scenes appearance as The Joker. I’m sure Keoghan will do a fine job in the next film, but I’m mystified as to why filmmakers need to keep revisiting this character. Especially when Batman has such a varied and interesting rogues gallery. Give us Calendar Man, Talia Al Ghul. Hell, even Man-Bat (it’s a ridiculous character, but I’m biased. A man who tries to cure deafness and turns into a giant bat? C’mon. Anyhoo, rant over! END OF SPOILER ALERT

Visually, the film looks fantastic, with dark, muted cinematography that’s beautiful to look at.  It’s apparently never daytime in Gotham, but the city has never looked better.  This is the first Batman film in which Gotham itself is a supporting character, as we see stunning shots of its skyline (not quite New York, not quite Chicago) and glide in and out of decrepit police stations, ornate gothic churches, and lots (lots) of alleyways. Each principal location appears to be situated in its own distinct neighborhood with its own unique visual style, so that by the time we revisit, say, the Iceberg Lounge, it’s instantly recognizable by its exterior alone.  The only missteps are in the film’s occasional reliance on CGI. It’s a bit jarring to see Pattinson’s character suddenly become digitized in order to pull off death-defying stunts.  It makes one long for Nolan’s practical effects, but Reeves is a far more capable action director than his predecessor ever was.  A standout sequence is a prolonged car chase featuring the batmobile jumping through a wall of fire. The visuals are nicely complemented by the score, which drives home the grungy, emo atmosphere.  Nirvana’s goosebump-inducing “Something In the Way” fits perfectly on the soundtrack.

In all, this is a largely successful film, one which works on its own merits by exploring new avenues for an iconic character. Indeed, the film itself is rich enough that this could accurately be described as a crime film which happens to feature Batman.  The final scenes remind you of why Matt Reeves is one of the most nuanced blockbuster directors around—just see his take on tribal politics in the Apes trilogy. Without spoiling things, the climax of The Batman is highly reminiscent of recent real-world events, to the point where I’m not convinced that Reeves isn’t psychic.  This uncanny parallel violently pulls Batman into Our World, as he faces enemies that our real-life politicians are powerless to confront. It’s a smart play, as it makes Batman’s arc that much more immediate and real. This is a man who gets put through the wringer and learns to become a figure of hope in a world full of bad-faith actors. In the end, I found myself thankful for daylight and fresh air when I exited the theater after this three-hour misery tour.  But I also found myself looking forward to the next plunge into darkness.