The Batman Is Everything DC Fans Are Looking For

The Batman is dark, gritty, brooding, bloody.. and did I mention dark? The entire cast shines, and the three hour length is never felt.

DC has always been the dark and gritty version of comic books, and The Batman is no different. This movie is completely unafraid to embrace the hell hole that is Gotham and give DC fans exactly what they want — and perhaps even more. The villains are psychotic, Batman is broody and never smiles (heck, neither does Bruce Wayne), and the story being told is scary, maniacal, and downright terrifying at times.

There are jump scares placed conveniently throughout the film, but they are here to help tell the story, not just for the heck of it. The same goes for all the shocking moments and times that Director Matt Reeves really and truly decides to push that envelope. Everything is done for a reason, and that is why this movie is a step above many, many others. Any time a familiar, yet also brand new, world is being introduced, it is important to build it correctly. The Batman pulls that off with incredibly well timed pacing, a world building that allows viewers to see Gotham exactly like it is, and character building that gives every single person on screen their time to shine.

The Batman exceeds all expectations, and as someone who has always been a fan of the underbelly of Gotham, I was blown away by this film. It is everything that I want in a Batman movie and more. 

How Is Robert Pattinson?

When Robert Pattinson was cast, there was a split reaction. Many remember him as Edward from Twilight and despite the arguments that he is truly a very good actor and has numerous other credits under his belt, it felt like an uphill battle. Christian Bale has always been my favorite Batman, but Robert Pattinson is giving him a run for his money. The Batman warrants one more watch before I can make a decision but Pattinson captures what this man is all about. 

Bruce Wayne is a man that lost his parents at a young age and then swore to protect his city from the seedy criminals that run it. He doesn’t have any special powers but he has trained his whole life for this. While I can certainly see why there are some complaints about Pattinson’s Bruce (I myself was not a fan at first, but he grew on me and I accepted the choices made for this character to be the way he is), it works with the story being told. 

There isn’t much Bruce Wayne to be seen on screen anyways. The majority of the time we see Pattinson he is kicking ass in the batsuit, with absolutely no fear. He plays Batman extremely well with a stone cold face that never moves. For those fans that have played the Arkham series video games, there are some parallels during certain scenes that will have you cheering. He is quick, good at what he does, and doesn’t always hold back. And he looks amazing while doing it.

How Are The Villains?

As someone who has always been a big fan of villains, especially those that reside in Gotham, I was over the moon pleased with how The Riddler, The Penguin, [REDACTED FOR SPOILERS], and Carmine Falcone are portrayed in this film. The Batman perfectly showcases the insanity of these criminals, and DC fans are going to love it. They all truly have a screw loose, in one way or another, but Paul Dano is the stand out here.

Even though the villains, for the most part, split their time on screen equally, Dano just truly captures the maniacal nature of The Riddler. His motives, and the truth that he wants to expose, make this story a great one. Seeing him go toe to toe with Batman, when they get chance to, is amazing. The biggest complaint here is that we didn’t get that enough. Although, it does make sense for them to be playing a sort of cat and mouse game for a while, until they can see each other face to face. 

In an effort to remain spoiler free I will not go into detail, but there are some choices made with this character that are pure perfection, and Dano pulls it all off with ease.

Colin Farrell is completely unrecognizable as The Penguin. If I did not know he was cast as him, I would have no clue in watching the movie. Farrell also understood his assignment here, and captures the essence of Oswald Cobblepot, who thinks he is a lot more important and scary than he is. For those who have watched the show Gotham, Farrell’s version is a little bit different than Robin Lord Taylor’s, but he does have a lot of the same subtleties to him. There is one scene in particular that I cannot speak about, but man, he blows it out of the water here.

John Turturro as Carmine Falcone is another brilliant casting choice as he is perfectly terrifying, but not in your face about it. Those who know the character well, will immediately love the acting choices that Turturro made. He should be nominated for his work in The Batman. 

That spoiler villain I can’t talk about? Let’s just say I got chills. MAJOR ones.

The Cast Has Unmatched Chemistry

It isn’t just the villains that do a great job in The Batman though, the entire cast works very well together. Zoe Kravitz steps into the boots of Catwoman unapologetically and gives her own spin on one of my favorite characters of all time. She is badass, but she is also vulnerable. Her and Pattinson have some fire chemistry and there is a sexual tension that could be cut with a knife between those two, which is very on brand for Batman and Catwoman so it works very well. 

Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon also works very well with Pattinson’s Batman. This is the relationship that they have in many of the other portrays of Batman and I loved seeing them on screen together. Gordon’s unquestioning confidence in him shines through the screen and makes for one of the best duos in the film. 

Andy Serkis is fantastic as always, this time as Alfred Pennyworth, and while he is not in the movie much, every scene he has makes an impact. One of which had me wiping tears from my eyes because of how subtly powerful he played it alongside Pattinson.

Is There Enough Action?

With a three hour long movie, there has to be a lot of good action right? The answer is yes. The Batman has one of the best car chase scenes of all time that will have the majority of audiences, and all DC fans, on the edge of their seat and ready to explode with excitement. The Batmobile? Holy cow, she is beautiful AND badass. I love her.

But that isn’t the only action scene. There are many brutal fight scenes – this is Gotham after all – each one better than the last. The hallway scene is another one that will live rent free in my head for years (yes, years) to come. This is Batman, this is Gotham, and this is the seedy and dark underbelly of the city that DC fans everywhere love.

Is It TOO Long?

The Batman is three hours in length, so is that too long? I have to admit I went into this thinking does it have to be that long? The answer is yes. Thanks to the wonderful world and character building early on, it is easy to become invested in the story being told. The pacing is actually done really well, and keeps things moving along while also providing down time between adrenaline pumping action and chase scenes. 

Does the third act fall apart a little? Perhaps. There a few choices that feel unnecessary, but at the same time, I wasn’t mad to be sitting there watching it all unfold. When The Batman ended and the credits started to roll, I realized I could have sat there even longer. That doesn’t happen too often.

Related: 50+ Of The Most Chilling The Batman Quotes

Overall Thoughts

Matt Reeves makes some very interesting cinematography choices like using a lot of reds, and blurring some scenes. While these feel very strange at first, they somehow work. I can’t explain why but they fit and I am here for them. This movie also has a little bit of humor mixed in, used in the exact right way for a DC film. There isn’t a lot, and they are quick to be overshadowed by a plot twist or fight, but they are there, and I appreciate it.

There is one moment in particular that was completely unexpected. There was an audible gasp that waved over the entire audience when it was revealed. A great turning point in the film, and very well done.

The Batman can’t be discussed without mentioning the score from Composer Michael Giacchino. It is truly perfect in every moment of the film. It does a fantastic job of heightening the suspense and intensity — and it quite literally bone-chilling at times. 

Overall The Batman is long, and the story isn’t perfect, but the cast works so dang well together, the action is truly epic, and the villains are insane (in the best way possible). This movie explores Gotham as DC fans have come to know and love it, and that is why it works so well. Pattinson is phenomenal as Batman, and pretty good as Bruce Wayne too. Choices have been made and once you accept them, this movie is damn close to a masterpiece.

Don’t go into it expecting many light moments, this movie is a thriller at the core, and a phenomenal one at that. It is a detective noir, a mystery, and something really special. 

The Batman is a journey through the seedy underbelly of Gotham filled with epic action, unmatched cast chemistry, and maniacal villains. Everything that DC fans have wanted, and more.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

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About The Batman

Batman ventures into Gotham City’s underworld when a sadistic killer leaves behind a trail of cryptic clues. As the evidence begins to lead closer to home and the scale of the perpetrator’s plans become clear, he must forge new relationships, unmask the culprit and bring justice to the abuse of power and corruption that has long plagued the metropolis.

The Batman hits theaters on March 4th.