Review of The Batman (2022) by Leonard_Baker — 04 Mar 2022

I've been waiting for this movie since the moment I saw the first shots. Already from them it became clear that the movie would turn out to be at least incredibly stylish. And this expectation was justified!

Pattinson fits perfectly into the role of the inexperienced, still unrestrained, but already moral compass and 'don't kill' code, Batman. He feels very physical here: you literally feel the necessary heaviness of his suit, the force of blows in well-placed fights. Robert looks just as cool as Bruce Wayne, who is written less like a billionaire playboy, but more like a recluse still reeling from a childhood tragedy. It's definitely an interesting approach that creates a psychological thriller/detective atmosphere.

As far as the cast, it's generally very good. Paul Dana just steals his scenes. And the very approach to the character of the Riddler has been very updated for our time. You believe him, you are afraid of him, you want to put him behind bars in Arkham. The suspense associated with it is very reminiscent of Fincher's Zodiac, which is a very nice compliment. The confrontation with him is purely intellectual, which makes the film feel like a noir detective until the third act.

The role of the Penguin is played by Collin Farrell, although he was made up in such a way that I would never know! His character is also less comical, closer to the ground, but not too much. I wonder what they'll do with it in the sequel.

Zoë Kravitz is perfect for the role of Catwoman. Her gait, look, blows are performed with the necessary grace of a cat. And most importantly: her character is not introduced for fan service, she moves the plot almost on a par with Batman.

As it turns out, director Matt Reeves, already an established master of thrillers, also has the guts to release a three-hour film in the era of couch-watching movies. But I warn you: this visual perfection needs to be viewed on a larger screen. Watching the film, you understand why it was decided to make the film so long: it has so many necessary storylines, many characters, and there is enough time for everyone. I can just imagine how Reeves argued with the producers, proving the necessity of each scene. And it's true, although the scenes are long, they never drag on too much. They rather make you savor the atmosphere and create pleasant suspense.

And there is something to savor here: each frame is thought over ten times, verified a hundred times and polished to a shine. At the cinema, I dreamed of a print screen button about every two minutes! Cinematographer Greg Frazier, who was apparently restricted in Dune, went all out and experimented with everything he could. Haven't had such visual ecstasy from watching a movie in a long time. The oppressive atmosphere of Gotham, mired in crime, is also facilitated by the very oppressive music of composer Michael Giacchino. And the song Something in the Way by Nirvana fit perfectly. I will rewatch the scenes with her again and again.

I would like to call the self-sufficiency of the film a separate plus. Yes, there is literally one scene that directly hints at what will happen in the sequel. However, in general, the film feels like a stand alone work. Even if you don't know anything about the character, everything will be clear to you. There are no constant references for the sake of references, which are full of Marvel films and sometimes detract from the film. And accordingly, there is no desire to look at YouTube 'top 100 details that you did not notice!'. Instead, it seems to me that the content around the film will be devoted to video essays that talk about the themes and symbols of the movie.

Of course, it was not without its downsides. Due to the fact that Bruce is a recluse here, you don't feel much difference between him and his alter ego. We seem to always see Batman on the screen, just sometimes he is without a mask and mascara under his eyes. I also missed interacting with Alfred. It feels like several important scenes with him were cut in the editing. I hope that their relationship will deepen in the next film. Also, sometimes I was annoyed by the invulnerability of the suit, even for bullets.

To sum it up, if you're willing to sit for three hours in a movie theater for visual enjoyment and speculate with the director about the psychology of outsiders, then you need to go to the movies. If you're a Batman fan, you need to go to the movies. If you're fed up with Marvel movies and want something fresh in the genre, you need to go to the movies. The film is worth the three hours you spend on it.