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

A new era for Batman has begun, and it's really exciting.

In this neo-noir thriller, Batman goes full detective, something that wasn't developed at all in previous film versions. This time, we get a cunning protagonist that, with the audience, connects the dots that will let him solve the case, along with some hurtful doubts about his family.

Robert Pattinson shines as the titular superhero. Although we don't get to see him that much as Bruce Wayne, his portrayal of the masked vigilante probably it's my favorite so far. His Batman exudes fear at every moment, but he's no perfect hero. The fact that the story is placed in his first years of crime-fighting lets us see some of his clumsiness in various situations, stressing his vulnerabilities. But it's the emotional ones that make his character more compelling and nuanced. His obsession with making a difference backfires immensely, and this is the core of the story. After all, maybe vengeance is not enough. Hope we get to keep this version for a long time.

The rest of the cast is great too. Zoë Kravitz, as Catwoman, flirts with the femme fatale trope for a moment, but her character develops into something of her own along the way. Jeffrey Wright is phenomenal as Commissioner Gordon, unexpectedly delivering some comic relief (I know what it sounds like, but just wait to see it). But Paul Dano is the true star here as the psychopathic Riddler. Even with his mask on you can feel the insanity with which he portrays the iconic villain. Think of him as the Zodiac killer with Jover vibes.

Overall, this is a solid film and a great way to start a new trilogy. Definitely want to see what happens next in this version of Gotham, especially because of the state left at the end.