Written by Matt Reeves And Peter Craig
Directed by Matt Reeves
Batman: "Our scars can destroy us, even after the physical wounds have healed. But if we survive them, they can transform us. They can give us the power to endure, and the strength to fight."
It's felt like an eternity since this movie was announced and even since the first DCFanDome event debuted the first trailer. It's been a long time but now that the movie has finally arrived, the obvious question has to be asked - does it live up to the hype? Yes, and then some.
With a new Batman film and a new actor in the role, you'd be forgiven for thinking this movie would rethread familiar territory but this movie has Batman (Robert Pattinson) in his second year as the Caped Crusader and while there are reminders of the Wayne family murders, there are no particular flashbacks to that particular key moment. Saying that though, the legacy of the Wayne family does play a large part in the motivations of the main villain in question.
The main villain of course being the Riddler (Paul Dano) aka forensic accountant Edward Nashton. Going down a clearly inspired Zodiac killer route, this might be the most ruthless live action version of the Riddler we've had as Nashton has taken it upon himself to expose the true corruption of Gotham City while using his famed riddle motif to great effect.
The Riddler's victims are not the most sympathetic of people but their deaths certainly leave an opening for power grabs. Mayor Don Mitchell, Jr (Rupert Penry-Jones) got the ball rolling but his demise resulted in at least bright hope for Gotham City with Bella Real (Jayme Lawson) genuinely wanting to make Gotham into a better place. The way she also stepped up during the Riddler's final act of terror also spoke volumes of her sincerity to succeed where her predecessor failed.
As for the Riddler's other victims, there was Commissioner Pete Savage (Alex Ferns), who we barely knew and the limited screen time he had did not present the character in a positive light. DA Gil Colson (Peter Sarsgaard) certainly got the most explosive exit while Alfred Pennyworth (Andy Serkis) almost paid the price for Thomas Wayne's (Luke Roberts) past connection with Carmine Falcone (John Turturro). The Riddler definitely had a list that he was crossing off with no mercy.
The most interesting part was that while Riddler was determined to make the reclusive Bruce Wayne pay for his family's sins, the former also felt a connection to the Batman and even believed they made a great team together. Paul Dano will definitely lap up the acclaim that Heath Ledger did as the Joker for The Dark Knight and he definitely deserves it. His Riddler truly delivered in this movie.
Of course while the Riddler might be the main villain of the movie, he's not the only rogue member causing havoc in Gotham. The movie goes to great lengths to show how much power Falcone has moved the city and due to that, both Catwoman (Zoe Kravitz) and Penguin (Colin Farrell) have their motivations, largely driven by Falcone throughout this movie as well.
Zoe Kravitz takes on the mantle of Selina Kyle in the beginning of her Catwoman journey very well. She plays off Robert Pattinson's Batman extremely well and her determination to get justice for her friend, Annika along with her past with Falcone all help to cement her in a sympathetic light. Not to mention this movie also helped to lay the ground work for a potential Catwoman spin off that the WB would be crazy not do.
As for Colin Farrell's Penguin, it's the start of his career, he's given fantastic scenes with both Batman and Lt James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) and his hunger for power will be something that we know will get explored as this franchise continues. Farrell's a highlight throughout the movie and I definitely want to see more of him.
Last but not least, there's Batman's emotional journey from criminal bogeyman to full blown hero during the Riddler's final act. It's a beautiful character that Robert Pattinson acted the hell out and it was great to see this Batman not only working with the likes of James Gordon (their rapport was fantastic), Alfred and Selina but also to see him move past the need for vengeance and to truly step into the light as a hero.
- Officer Martinez (Gil Perez-Abraham) went from being hostile towards Batman to willing to help him during the third act. I found it funny that he seemed to be a bit of a Bruce Wayne fanboy.
- This movie brought some more recent comic lore into the mix with Martha Wayne also being a member of the Arkham family and having her own history of mental illness.
- The influences for this movie do seem to be The Long Halloween, Ego and a certain element of Year One, despite being set during Batman's second year.
- As for Barry Keoghan's character, I won't spoil it here but trust me, you won't be shocked by the reveal either. A brief post credit scene does feature one last message from the Riddler.
- Standout music: Michael Giacchino's score for the whole movie, the chilling use of Ave Maria as well as Nirvana's Something In The Way.
- Chronology: October 31st to November 6th. The Riddler's spree almost lasted a week before he was sent to Arkham.
The Batman could've collapsed under the weight of the enormous expectations that it had but it didn't. In fact Matt Reeves has managed to give audiences one of the best Batman movies with a gripping story, drenched in comic book goodness and noir delight. Robert Pattinson easily proves everyone wrong and delivered immensely in the title role. I don't want to bandy the term 'masterpiece' but this movie certainly deserves it though.
Rating: 10 out of 10
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