Tuesday, March 1.
It’s been nearly ten years since a new standalone Batman film has been projected on a silver screen. The night was still young when I arrived at the theater for the Fan First Event. It was a packed house. I could feel the swell of energy pulsating throughout the crowded IMAX auditorium. Everyone, including myself, was ecstatic. But no one, including myself, was prepared for what ensued in the following three hours.
Perpetually grimy, ferociously angry and soaked in raincoated angst, “The Batman” by Matt Reeves is nothing short of unforgettable. Since the character’s creation in 1939 by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, audiences worldwide have seen countless cinematic incarnations of the character, ranging from campy fun to brooding moodiness, but this version, starring Robert Pattinson, is more vicious and desolate, delving deep into the true ethos of what it takes to become Batman. Inspired by gritty works of Alan J. Pakula and David Fincher, this film earns its stripes almost immediately by heralding the long-awaited arrival of “The World’s Greatest Detective” in stunning fashion.
From its chilling Halloween-night opener to its triumphant finale, “The Batman” features a bruised macrocosmic cesspool of crime and head-to-toe corruption in Gotham City (arguably the film’s best character), which is being plagued by a series of grisly murders committed by The Riddler. In his second year of crimefighting, Batman, partnered with Lt. Jim Gordon and Selina Kyle, must use his wits and unbreakable will to solve the haunting case, but also to fully understand why he puts on the mask. This superhero noir is thrilling, engaging and entirely worthy of praise.
Smashing all the stout and skeptical expectations, Pattinson is phenomenal as the perfect rendition of an obsessive, emo and vampiric Batman. I never had a doubt in my mind that he couldn’t pull it off. The suit, the look, the voice.
Pattison is “The Batman” as far as I am concerned.
Echoed by Nirvana’s “Something in the Way,” Pattinson’s performance is subversive and daring, brimming with so much hidden rage that his calculated, sociopathic alter ego almost emulates the psychopaths he locks up by night. As Bruce Wayne, he looks ghoulish, stating “I don’t care what happens to me,” even if something is in his way. The fine line between billionaire playboy and costumed vigilante is almost non-existent as he searches for a resolution to his own method of justice – vengeance.
Across the board, the entire cast is spectacular. Significant praise must be awarded to Zoë Kravitz who encapsulates Catwoman to a tee as she also tries to find her own balance between justice and evil. Her romance and chemistry with Pattinson are intoxicating too. I was completely won over by the film’s non-cliched portrayal of mobsters with John Turturro’s cool and conniving Carmine Falcone, as well as Colin Farrell’s unrecognizable Penguin. Jeffrey Wright’s Jim Gordon is terrific, providing the perfect amount of levity and level-headedness, while Paul Dano’s Riddler is unmistakably terrifying in a Zodiac Killer-inspired performance that demonstrates the contemporary dangers of online radicalization. Also, I cannot forget to mention the ever-wonderful Andy Serkis as Alfred either. Even though he doesn’t have much screen time, his relationship with Bruce Wayne serves as the film’s beating heart.
Performances aside, it’s the gonzo and methodical three-hour story that won me over. Matt Reeves has never released a bad film throughout his career and “The Batman” is no exception. In fact, it might be his greatest achievement yet as he proves himself to be a master stylist and versatile storyteller. His story flexes all his innate love and knowledge for the films of Bogart, Bacall and Fincher. He manages to translate it into a compelling and gripping coming of age story of a broken detective finding his purpose and meaning in a city well beyond saving, rather than a ham-fisted origin story. His film is a humanistic experience that feels like two movies in one which may not resonate with everyone, but, in the following days since my screening, I have not been able to shake this film out of the backburner of my mind. It is that powerful.
In addition, composer Michael Giacchino’s score is one for the ages. His themes are bleak, mournful, but somehow uplifting in a way that you’ll feel your body float out of its astral plane the louder they are played. It’s the very soul of the film. Equally so, the director of photography Greig Fraser has cemented himself as one of the best cinematographers in the business. Like with last year’s “Dune,” so many frames of “The Batman” will be seared into pop media for decades to come. The aesthetic and approach read like an homage at times, but it is so hypnotic and visceral that you can’t help but stare in awe of its technical mastery.
What can I say? I was fully won over by Matt Reeves’ “The Batman.” I left the theater feeling enlightened, but also a little uneasy on how to even go about articulating what I witnessed. Initially, I thought “that was really good, I liked it,” but, after much time and deliberation, I have found myself obsessed, mulling over every facet of its portentous genius. It absolutely ranks among the Dark Knight’s best filmic entries with a story so dark and terrifying that it is surprising how inherently hopeful you’ll feel afterward, especially amidst global chaos.
In short, it is a masterpiece. The answer is masterpiece.
End of review.