The Batman (2022) Review

This might be a bit incoherent since I want to get my thoughts out quickly and get back to playing Elden Ring (yes, it definitely has a hold on me). Possible spoilers below (but I'll try to be cryptic).

Batman has been around for 80 years and I think it's safe to say that it's hard to come up with an original story or fresh take on the Caped Crusader. So many writers, artists, and movie directors have taken the reins on his IP and have served up quite a few homers over the decades in every form of media. I'd say that Batman is arguably more popular than Superman, if not, well known.  

Despite the popularity, every Batman movie has featured some sort of flashback to Batman's origin story. It's either the gun being held by the crook with Thomas Wayne in the way trying to protect his family or the scene of an orphaned boy on his knees in between his two parents. Heck, even the Joker (2019) had a scene for that as well. It gets old and it gets tired. 

Thankfully Matt Reeves' The Batman evades that trope that other Batman movies have fallen into. Despite reusing many popular villains that were known from previous movies, the cast seems to have gotten a more realistic portrayal. Batman is definitely grounded (very much like Nolan's Batman) and more old school in his tools. More on his personality later. I liked how Catwoman was semi-complicated character with her own goals and motivations. She was only acting in her best interest, but that motivation was believable and made her relationship with Batman work well (though I don't think the dialogue in the movie was extremely well written for this portion of the movie). The Riddler being a QAnon conspiracy theorist (but in a good way, I guess? I mean he is taking down corrupt politicians...just uh...maybe shouldn't be killing them) was a choice I originally didn't like at first but Paul Dano really sold it for me. In fact, I really got Prisoner (2013) vibes from him throughout this movie. 

This brings me to the real meat of what I liked about this movie: the detective work. I think Batman using his head and trying to work a case as the audience is working is really cool. Batman is still in his infancy and doesn't really have his footing yet and I loved how it showed through the movie. Many times I was thinking that Batman could use more gadgets and at the same time I was thinking 'well , maybe Batman is thinking the same thing as well.' the beginning of the movie really roped me into the movie when Alfred and Bruce were deciphering the first clue. It was refreshing to see Batman work with Gordon in this movie, testing the trust in their relationship. With all the people being outed as corrupt, there were several moments where Batman or Gordon would easily think the other was up to no good. The tension and friendship played out pretty well. Though there were many times where the actor who played Gordon oversold his gritty cop persona, some scenes almost became like a Key and Peele sketch.

The other aspect I liked was something that was cut and pasted from "The Dark Knight" was how Batman is so much more like the villains he fights than even he realizes. The way he skirts above the law is well within the grounds to have him arrested, but the only differences between him and his villains are the values he holds and the fact that he doesn't kill. There are times where Bruce and The Riddler almost dress the same that I was getting a bit confused at who was who. I think it was intentional though. There were a lot of good questions that got down to the core of Bruce Wayne and Batman. The biggest one: What has he been fighting for this whole time? And does he really have the right to do so? 

The methodical pacing of the movie was a double edged sword. I found the slow and methodical way Batman moves around in each scene was perfect in creating the mythos criminals make up about Batman. He is inhumane and otherworldly. Batman walks around like a ghost and it was great how his presence made everyone uneasy around him. The introduction of him walking out of the shadows after seconds of still darkness was equal parts thrilling as well as terrifying. But the problem was that there was a lot of that throughout the movie. It's good that he stayed consistent, but when it takes 30 seconds for our Caped Crusader to open a rat cage and take an envelope out (at like the 2 hour mark of this movie), it ruffles my feathers. There was also an absurd amount of Batman staring at people in this movie. I can understand why he was staring, but it doesn't mean I like it that much. Quick note though: Could it be that Marvel has completely dominated the mind space of the superhero movie genre that we're all expecting larger than life action movies? I was talking to friends about this. Maybe the pacing of the movie isn't that terrible. I was hooked on Zodiac (2007) and The Batman follows something very similar. But because it is Batman, maybe I'm just brainwashed into thinking he needs to fight with more gadgets and stuff? Maybe I just can't stand the movie to be smaller like Logan and play out more like a crime drama than an actual super hero movie. 

I read one review before watching this movie and it mentioned that everything was too dark and rainy. I honestly thought this would be a hindrance in enjoying this film, but the darkness was pretty cool. It really created the Gotham I would imagine in comics: Always night. Besides one or two scenes in the movie, the dark tone never made it hard to see what was happening on screen. 

Lastly, music. Oh man, Batman's theme is just really good. Like I'm listening to it right now on repeat. It can get stuck in your head with those loud blaring bass horns and trumpets. Using "Something's In the Way" by Nirvana should come off as edgy and contrived but I thought it not only was a good sound for the movie but the lyrics fit somewhat to the actual plot of the movie. The Riddler has them all trapped like animals and the other part of the song is a spoiler. So won't get into that. 

Besides the slow pacing of the movie that I'm slowly getting over, I felt like there were many moments where the movie could have (and at one point should have) ended, but didn't. I felt like the last twenty minutes of the movie (while having a pretty cool action sequence) wasn't really necessary. There was definitely a point where the movie could have ended and left on more of a cliff hanger. Also there was one cameo in this movie that I hope doesn't play out as a teaser for the villain in the second movie. 

I'd give this movie probably a 8/10. I definitely looking forward to seeing Pattinson as Batman again. I think he did a pretty good job. While Bruce was very mopey and tightlipped, I think we might see as equal where there is more energy in his character. Lots of little things that got this movie weighed down and some performances that sort of were not really convincing enough (mainly Jim Gordon).