Thoughts & Ramblings about The Batman Spoiler Free

Last night I finally got around to watching Matt Reeves’ The Batman until about 2 AM. I wasn’t quite aware of the near three-hour runtime, but I didn’t notice it anyway. The film flew by for me and gave me everything I could ever look for in a Batman film. It even gave me some things that I didn’t think I’d really appreciate until I saw it on screen.

To make it clear, while Batman does tend to be one of my favourite comic book characters, I wouldn’t say I’m an avid reader of the source material. I don’t really read comics in general, but I have watched a ton of YouTube videos going over some of the classics like Year One and…some of the other ones (I haven’t had my coffee yet). While I don’t know Batman intimately, I have an idea of what I would want for the character and where he could go.

To start things off, The Batman is an astonishingly gorgeous film. Some of the opening shots of Gotham do well to portray the dreariness of the city, with the harsh edges of its nightlife outlined with neon lights on the buildings above. This is contrasted with several scenes set in the daytime that give Gotham’s modern architecture a chance to shine. These skyscrapers mesh together well with the gothic-inspired scenery of the city’s past. And it all works in brilliant contrast to what the city could be in the dawn, modern and safe, and what it inevitably becomes at nightfall.

At its core, The Batman is a crime drama/detective story that sees our main cast trying to unravel a mystery. A serial killer known as The Riddler is going around and killing off the Gotham elite, and exposing the corruption of the city at the same time. This storyline is certainly interesting and gives way to many twists and turns, as well as a few mistakes. But to me, it isn’t the real focus of the film, thankfully. While it’s indeed interesting, we all know that Batman is going to swoop in and save the day and the status quo will go right back to normal (even if that’s not quite what happens).

The real meat of The Batman is instead focused on…well, Batman. This is Bruce Wayne’s second year on the streets as the Caped Crusader, and he’s someone who’s still learning to be Batman. He’s angry, vengeful, and routinely makes mistakes during The Riddler’s escapades that cause multiple unfortunate things to happen. This is the most flawed interpretation we’ve ever had of Batman on film, and it makes his journey so much more interesting.

Robert Pattinson adopts the role of Batman perfectly in every sense of the word. And to me, the best part about his performance is that it completely separates itself from every other interpretation of Batman. Bruce Wayne is an extremely messed up guy, who uses his millions of dollars to dress like a bat and beat up criminals. In no way could that ever be considered a normal thought process. The Batman doesn’t shy away from that fact, it doesn’t try to show Bruce as this supremely heroic individual, because at this point he isn’t yet. He’s someone who’s angry, bitter, and doesn’t really eat or sleep.

I remember seeing plenty of criticism when this film first came out about how Pattinson’s interpretation of Bruce Wayne doesn’t feel quite right. He isn’t the cheerful philanthropist making public appearances as one of Gotham’s hometown celebrities. When he’s not in the suit he’s extremely awkward, anti-social, and downright rude most of the time. And it works so well. At this point, Bruce isn’t able to separate himself from Batman, because he is Batman. The multi-millionaire Bruce Wayne doesn’t exist yet, and being able to see his genuine anxieties and uncomfort when not in his suit is incredible to watch.

All the other cast members do an incredible job of bringing these characters to life as well. Zoë Kravitz brings plenty of charisma to Catwoman, a character I’ve not really been fond of before. Paul Dano is excellent as The Riddler and has a few darkly hilarious moments that fit the character perfectly. Jeffrey Wright’s interpretation of James Gordon is now my favorite of that character on film. His playful banter with Batman makes the scenes they have together so much more fun. And while I’ll miss Jeremy Irons who perfectly captured Alfred Pennyworth in Zack Snyder’s run of DC films, I think Andy Serkis does a pretty great job too.

Ultimately, The Batman gave me everything I could have wanted. It’s a thorough, introspective look at Bruce Wayne and his journey as Batman. The overarching theme of becoming something more than just a symbol of fear, evolving to become a symbol of hope, is one that I absolutely love. It’s a film that’s not afraid to spend real time with these characters as they all go on very personal and reflective journeys. This was the perfect Batman film in my eyes, and I cannot wait to see where Pattinson takes the character next.