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At this point in time, superhero movies have flooded Hollywood, most notably with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, leaving DC's live action filmography having to play major catch up. While they've been starting to make a few strides in branching out to featuring other characters in their history, it would seem that Batman is the number one crime fighter they constantly fall back on. And while I'm a huge fan of the character, even I was initially on the fence of seeing yet ANOTHER film with him when this newest installment was announced. But after good word of mouth, I made the trek to theaters to see this next incarnation of the Dark Knight.....and was completely blown away.
Taking place during just the second year of Batman's crime fighting career, the Dark Knight vigilante has made a name for himself in Gotham City; primarily using fear to subdue and deter criminals. While he has the full support and friendship of Commissioner Gordon, the rest of the GCPD are more than leery around him---even more so when Gordon gets Batman directly involved in helping him solve the murder of a mayoral candidate. It doesn't take them long to figure out that a serial killer calling himself 'The Riddler' is behind the brutal crime, with the insane murderer leaving behind a trail of deranged puzzles for our heroes to solve, hinting at who his next victims will be. But the farther Batman goes down the rabbit hole, the more he begins to uncover an entire network of corrupt businessmen, politicians, and policemen; all of whom are manipulating various aspects of the city for their own gain. With the help of Gordon, as well as a former sex worker-turned cat burglar named Selina Kyle, Batman will have to utilize all his gadgets and wits to thwart the Riddler and see just how far the conspiracy goes. And in the process, he just may find out that what Gotham really needs is not an avatar for vengeance, but a symbol for hope and justice.
I felt bad for Robert Pattinson back when he was announced to play our main hero, since it seems many people just can't get over his sparkly vampire days of "Twilight". I'm hoping this movie will finally put those naysayers to rest, because he's a phenomenal actor who completely disappears into the role of the Dark Knight. He says a lot with very little. He actually doesn't talk a whole lot, and expresses most of his inner emotions and thoughts with his actions and, most notably, his eyes. The movie does an excellent job of showing how and why Batman is considered the world's greatest detective. There's plenty of scenes of him just quietly and meticulously looking over evidence and other tiny details in a room. And while he's usually one step ahead of everyone, the movie's careful to also not depict him as some ridiculous super genius who's perfect at everything. Quite the opposite. There's plenty of times where he screws up or interprets a clue wrong, and half of the fun of the film is trying to solve the case along with the characters. The film has faith in the audience that they'll be smart enough to pick up on these details and not have to be spoon fed information.
This is clearly early in Batman's career as a crime fighter. (The movie even points out we're only in Year Two.) Gordon trusts him, but he's still at odds with the rest of the police force. The Batmobile is basically just a beefed up car; fairly indestructible, but nothing too elaborate. He has a few gadgets, but nothing like the seemingly endless supply of swiss army knives he pulls from his Tardis-deep utility belt in past incarnations. He's a competent fighter, but it's nothing stagey or flashy. His punches are calculating and quick--meant to take down a target swiftly the way a real fight would actually play out. Basically, without losing his comic book-y essence, this is, arguably, the most realistic take on Batman you'll ever see. Special mention also goes to the cinematography, in particular, how lighting and shadows were used. The way scenes were shot really put you in the shoes of the people who get snuck up on by Batman. I was constantly scanning dark spots in a room, wondering if and when Batman was going to appear, and nine times out of ten, I'd guess wrong. And much like the criminals, you don't fully see him until it's too late. This is easily the best depiction of Batman's ninja skills that I've ever seen. (Weirdly enough, this movie manages to out-ninja "Batman Begins", which had actual ninjas in it.)
I don't think I'm giving anything away in saying that the Riddler is the main villain (the trailer pretty much gives it away). However, the mystery doesn't stem from trying to figure out who he is (any comic fan can tell you that). The mystery and suspense comes from trying to deduce what his main goal is, why he's doing what he's doing, and who the next victims are going to be. He's incredibly scary (and is obviously heavily based off the Zodiac Killer). Even scarier is that when his grand scheme is finally fully revealed, you almost find yourself agreeing with him, though of course, he and Batman's methods of trying to take down city-wide corruption are light years apart. I don't want to spoil much else, but there ARE multiple villains in this; probably the most ever in a single Batman film, and yet, it doesn't feel cluttered at all. Every single character, hero and villain, has a purpose for being here, and every single one of them are interesting and/or entertaining to watch. At no point did I ever get bored when the plot veered off to a new person. It constantly leaves you guessing which people are on the take and how deep does the corruption go?
On the subject of characters, this is easily the best on screen depiction of Catwoman ever. Her backstory is incredibly interesting, and it makes complete sense why she also goes down a vigilante path and how she has the skills that she does. She's not just shoehorned into the plot so Bruce can have a love interest. She and Batman are practically equals and pretty much partners by the end. On a related note, it's really nice to see Batman and Commissioner Gordon working so well together. In most other depictions, he's regulated to turning on the Bat-Signal, giving some information here and there, but otherwise letting Batman do all the heavy work. Here, he's basically practically Batman's Robin, with the two constantly exchanging and comparing notes and helping one another; sometimes outright saving each other.
Finally, this movie decided to take the "Spiderman: Homecoming" route and begin the story with Batman already firmly established, with only a few backstory details scattered here and there. The rest, you can easily figure out on your own via the dialogue and actions. This film isn't the origin of how Bruce Wayne becomes Batman, but rather, him figuring out how to become a BETTER Batman. He begins the story believing that taking vengeance and striking fear into criminals will clean up the city streets. But when crime and violence only seems to rise, he realizes that, while scaring bad guys helps a little, it's not doing much to give the rest of the citizenry any hope. And by story's end, he may come to discover what he has to do to become the type of superhero that Gotham really needs.
This was one of the most refreshing takes on Batman that I've seen in years. It's basically a crime drama with capes, and stays grounded in relative realism without losing the things we love about the character. I can't wait to see what other stories can be told in this new film universe.
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From the manufacturer
A killer targets Gotham’s elite, sending The Batman on an investigation. As evidence mounts, he must forge new relationships, unmask the culprit and bring justice amidst corruption.
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THE BATMANThe Batman is two years into his role as Gotham’s embodiment of vengeance – a nocturnal vigilante who strikes fear in the hearts of criminals. While questioning his family’s legacy, the reclusive scion of Gotham’s richest family stalks the streets at night, employing a lethal combination of mental mastery, physical strength and expert technology on his journey to becoming the city’s symbol of hope. |
SELINA KYLESelina Kyle is a mysterious figure who is quietly infiltrating Gotham’s seedy underbelly to further her own agenda. Her fierce attitude and tenacious agility are the perfect tools to excel as a cat burglar, but hidden underneath the array of identities and motorcycle leathers is a protective soul who’s more at home with the city’s strays than its citizens. |
THE RIDDLERThe Riddler has quickly established himself as Gotham’s deadliest threat yet. This enigmatic, masked killer has devised a sinister series of puzzles and tortuous devices to entrap Gotham’s elite and publicly unmask the city’s darkest truths. |
THE PENGUINThe Penguin, aka “Oz,” is the proprietor of Gotham’s exclusive nightlife hotspot, The Iceberg Lounge, a meeting place for the city’s underworld. While this shady crook is known for running his mouth as well as running operations for the city’s top gangster, Carmine Falcone, he definitely has designs on even more. |
Customer reviews
There's just something about this movie...
Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2022
First off, I love this movie. I saw it twice in theaters and have watched the blu-ray twice. There's just something about it. No, it's not a perfect movie, but there's so much good here that it's outweighed by it's flaws. The cinematography is amazing. There are so many shots in this movie that reminded me of much older films, and several that I had never seen anything like. Pattinson does a great job as Batman. There's something about his presence on screen that is just visceral. There are several shots of just his eyes and the way he's looking at people that is breathtaking to me for some reason. I can't look away. They did so well with his makeup and cowl and it looks so intense. The fight scenes are great as well. No shaky cam, weightless combat. The camera is fixed on the action and you can feel every punch and gunshot through the screen. The movie feels like a classic to me, almost like an older film, and I'll enjoy it for years to come. There's too much to mention, I just loved it.
Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2022
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Top reviews from other countries
Diego M.
Excelente, de lo mejor del caballero de la noche!!!!
Reviewed in Mexico on June 18, 2022
Diego M.
Reviewed in Mexico on June 18, 2022
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