The Batman: A Grim And Gritty Superhero Noir
Batman ventures into Gotham City's underworld when a sadistic killer leaves behind a trail of cryptic clues. As the evidence begins to lead closer to home and the scale of the perpetrator's plans become clear, he must forge new relationships, unmask the culprit and bring justice to the abuse of power and corruption that has long plagued the metropolis.
The Batman makes a smart play by ditching the “origin story” framing device and adopting a “Year Two” approach. This unburdens us with backstory that’s well established canon by this point and thankfully spares us from having to watch Bruce’s parents get murdered for the zillionth time.
Instead, we’re presented with a version of Gotham City where the Batman is already established but hasn’t quite worked out all the kinks yet, which still gives us an early point of entry with plenty of room for future growth and development. It’s one of many clever decisions writer/director Matt Reeves and co-writer Peter Craig make in a film that rivals the very best the franchise has to offer.
The pair pull from DC staples like Year One, Hush, and The Long Halloween, as well as a diverse array of film influences (that include the likes of The Godfather, Klute, Se7en, and Zodiac to name a few) to create a unique cinematic experience that captures the feel of a real page-turning graphic novel. Their vision is a logical progression for the franchise, and it’s one that’s affectionately built upon the films that came before it.
Tonally, it’s more in line with the gritty, grounded, and self-serious work of Christopher Nolan, but there’s visible streaks of Tim Burton’s ‘89 and ‘92 films as well. This is most evident in The Batman’s world building and set design, which masterfully stitches together portions of London, Liverpool, Glasgow, and Chicago to create a hybrid metropolis that feels familiar yet new. You get Nolan’s urban feel with Burton’s gothic vibes, but Reeves also throws in the perpetually rainy aesthetics and unsettling charge of David Fincher’s Se7en for extra personality and bite.
Although the film refrains from regurgitating Batman’s genesis, it peripherally becomes an origin story for Oswald Cobblepot (AKA Penguin) and his ascent to the high-profile crime boss we’ve come to know. The main focus of the story revolves around Riddler’s chilling QAnon-eque attempt to unmask a massive citywide conspiracy and his personal link to Batman, which extends beyond mire psychology. There’s also heavy emphasis on Batman’s romantic relationship with Selina Kyle (AKA Catwoman), both of whom are tied to Riddler’s shenanigans, albeit through different means.
The aspect that connects all The Batman’s narrative threads is the film’s theme of class and class struggle. This is especially potent when it comes to the three main leads (Batman, Catwoman, and Riddler), all of whom are orphans from different economic backgrounds. Bruce may have grown up in a world of privilege, but the other two came from more harsh, impoverished worlds of torment and hardship. Both Catwoman and Riddler hold a mirror up to Batman and ultimately change him for the better.
Historically, Bruce Wayne and his alter ego is the least interesting character in a franchise that’s so often elevated and made iconic by its villains. The Batman is really no different, but much like the film’s “Year Two” framing device, Reeves and Craig find a new angle to the beloved character who’s well worn into the comic book zeitgeist. Where past Batman films explored the duality of the character, who’s split between the vigilante detective and billionaire playboy, The Batman strip that away almost entirely, blurring them into one and the same. Interestingly, there’s more Batman than Bruce Wayne here, and a part of the character’s arc is him finding his connection to humanity again.
In terms of performances, The Batman has them in spades. A totally unrecognizable Colin Farrell completely disappears into Oswald Cobblepot, and he serves up some De Niro vibes straight outta Raging Bull. To create his chilling Riddler, Paul Dano taps into Spacey’s John Doe from Se7en and mixes it with shades of his character from Prisoners. In terms of terror, he gives Heath Ledger’s Joker a good run for his money. Jeffrey Wright is a solid Commissioner Gordon (and vaguely reminiscent to Morgan Freeman’s Detective Somerset, again from Se7en). Zoë Kravitz gives Selina a lot of depth and dimension. She’s easily the most stunning Catwoman we’ve gotten thus far. She and R.Patz share great chemistry and bring out the palpable romance the cat and bat share in books like Hush. As for Pattinson… well, he’s as great as he’s ever been, and he makes an excellent Batman! He definitely has the jawline and the moves, and he does wonders with only his eyes and body language (so clearly the mask work paid off).
Michael Giacchino’s phenomenal score is also a major standout. He exhibits excellent range and sets up musical motifs and themes like an opera (which is appropriate af for this sweeping epic of a police procedural). He not only underscores the thrills and triumphs of the action, but he also creates some achingly romantic and eerily haunting melodies that really solidify the film’s overall mood and attitude. The batsuit and batmobile are also incredibly badass, and they rank amongst the coolest designs the franchise has ever seen.
Totally justified in its length, The Batman is an excellently crafted comic book film that gives a strong start to what is sure to be a promising trilogy. Reeves has said he intended to topple Nolan’s trilogy, and if he can sustain this tone, mood, and intensity for two more features, we have no doubt that he’ll achieve that. The tease of a future team-up between Riddler and Joker (Barry Keoghan in a brief cameo) will be the true test, and only time will rightly tell, but we’re very eager to see the bat signal fly again.
Recommendation: Definitely give The Batman a watch. It’s not just a solid Batman joint, but also one of the strongest films to drop so far this year. You can still catch it in theaters right now, or you can stream it on HBO Max on 4/19.
What do you think? We want to know. Share your thoughts and feelings in the comments section below, and as always, remember to viddy well!