Yet another Batman movie has entered the DC Universe, and this one ranks pretty highly in my book. While Robert Pattinson’s performance as Bruce Wayne/Batman does not triumph over those of past Batmans (Christian Bale and Ben Affleck), the overall script, character arcs, captivating action scenes, and eerie soundtrack make for a memorable superhero movie that is unlike any other. 

Different from other Batman movies, “The Batman” does not provide an immediate backstory to Bruce Wayne’s character. Given that the story has been remade and refilmed for the public so many times, I can understand this choice. With that being said, if you go into the movie without the knowledge that Bruce Wayne was orphaned as a child, you might feel lost in the first half of the movie, since this is frequently alluded to, but they do not go into nearly as much depth as they have in the past. The movie does however provide a clear picture of who Batman is to the people of Gotham City, showcasing their differing reactions to his name. 

This movie was not what I had expected it to be: cheesy, over the top, and uninteresting, as past DC movies have made me feel. Instead, it was almost less of a superhero movie and more of a thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat for the entire two hours and 56 minutes. Everytime I heard Michael Giacchino’s theme song for this movie, I could feel my heart racing, as whatever scene it came with would leave me asking more questions. 

Pattinson is suited up for the majority of the movie, which does not really allow for an accurate showcasing of his acting abilities. Because of this, I was not completely sold on his portrayal of his character, but I also don’t think there were enough scenes for him to show off in.

The main villain in this movie was “Riddler,” played by Paul Dano, who delivered in portraying the effects of childhood trauma on his character’s present state. I think this is best shown in the scene where he is finally unmasked, and talking face to face with Batman. Other iconic characters that showed up in this rendition included Penguin, who was played by Colin Farrell, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth, and the likable officer James Gordon played by Jeffrey Wright. An honorable mention to Zoe Kravitz as Cat Woman—everytime she was on screen, you could really only look at her. 

You can really tell the amount of time, effort, and talent that went into each aspect of the making of “The Batman.” The set was detailed and accurate, but the Bat Cave was underwhelming when compared to other versions of the past. The movie of course featured the many gadgets that Batman is accustomed to; when these appeared, they were neither underwhelming nor transcending. Farrell was utterly unrecognizable under the meticulous and detailed makeup that transformed him into his character, Penguin. The costuming perfectly represented the individual characters, but I will say, I missed Riddler’s eye-catching green suit. 

Overall, “The Batman” has quickly moved up to first place on my list of favorite Batman movies, with “The Dark Night” just behind it. I was intrigued by the newest version’s unique take on the popular superhero; it had a sense of realism, despite its outrageousness. I am excited to see what direction they move it towards in the future, as its ending insinuates that we will continue to see Robert Pattinson in the movies to come. 

⅘ paws