THE BATMAN (2022): Spoiler-Free
By: John (Jack) Shebell js1467@plymouth.edu
The 2022 version of The Batman is the Batman movie I have always wanted. Now let me explain…
Batman, or “vengeance,” ventures into the underworld of Gotham City as a disturbed, sadistic killer leaving clues that lead the caped crusader towards his plans. Batman must form new relationships, unmask the killer and his plans, and attempt to bring justice to the corrupt city of Gotham.
In this movie, we see a younger version of Batman played by Robert Pattinson, and I feel that his character is very true to the source material. Robert Pattinson’s version of Bruce Wayne is much more awkward, reserved, and has a very haunted feeling. Bruce Wayne doesn’t care about the actual human experience and is much more focused on being Batman and protecting the city of Gotham. Batman scares the criminals of Gotham as he lurks and fights in the shadows. “They think I am hiding in the shadows, but I am the shadows.” Throughout this movie, we also see the detective side of Batman (Bruce Wayne) as he tries to decode the clues and unmask the killer’s true identity. I have always wanted to see this side of Batman in the movie, and I really think they nailed it in this film. The Riddler is great in this movie, and every scene the killer is in feels haunting and unsettling. (Yes, very vague, but I won’t be explaining anymore because this is a spoiler-free review.) This movie creates the feeling that something like this can actually happen in the real world, and I was surprised by some of the things they did.
While Robert Pattinson was great as both Batman, and Bruce Wayne, so were the other cast members of this movie. Zoe Kravtiz as Selina/Catwoman was well-acted in this movie, and I think Kravitz fits the part perfectly. This is the best Catwoman we have seen portrayed in a film, and I truly understand her motives throughout most of this movie. I am very excited to see where they take her storyline in the future Batman movies. Furthermore, Paul Dano as The Riddler was genuinely fantastic and, in all honesty, the best villain shown in a Batman movie other than Heath Ledger’s: The Joker. Colin Farrell was unrecognizable as the villain named Penguin, and I thought he also did a great job in this movie. Jeffrey Wright was great as James Gordon, and I really enjoyed the relationship they showed between him and Batman. Lastly, I thought Andy Serkis was terrific as Alfred Pennyworth, the Butler and Father figure to Bruce Wayne. I believe they genuinely hit the nail on the head with Bruce and Alfred’s relationship, and it’s very respectful to the source material.
Matt Reeves directed this movie and co-wrote the script with Peter Craig. Overall, they did a great job with this movie, and I feel like they genuinely understand Batman, Gotham City and the villains/criminals that cause havoc there. The cinematography in this movie is impressive, and I genuinely believe it is among the best I have ever seen in a film. I also feel that the whole team that worked on this movie did a great job with the writing because it felt very realistic but continued to stay faithful to the source material, with a slight twist here and there. I actually think that this movie included a lot of necessary aspects of the character, and I felt like every scene belonged. This film also has a three hour run time, but I had never found myself bored of this movie and waiting for it to end. I am so excited to see where the next Batman movies head, and I think the series has a bright future by diving deeper into Gotham’s dark city.