The Beauty of ‘The Batman’
My thoughts on Matt Reeves’ take on DC’s Gotham Prince
(Spoilers ahead, read at your own discretion.)
Sometimes I find myself sitting down and thinking about how absolutely fantastic this movie was, and every time this happens I am reminded of how much I’d love to watch it for the first time again.
Please note that I have never been the biggest Batman fan, but while I was watching this, I couldn’t help but root for Bruce as he fought Gotham’s crime with his remarkable, character-building black eye shadow on. standing tall in his heavy combat boots and walking like he owned every place he set foot in during the entire movie.
I have so much to say about this film, yet I struggle a lot when it comes to choosing the right words because it seems to me that no amount of characters will do it justice.
The Batman surprised me in a very positive way. The visuals, cinematography, and its general grim, dark tone felt very adequate and gothic detective story-like, which suited the plot perfectly. The score is also worth mentioning as the usage of Nirvana’s “Something in the Way” was somewhere close to perfection.
I must emphasize, though, that I completely loved how well Pattinson fit the role (his Batman voice sounded so natural and every line was delivered brilliantly), and highlight how genuinely appreciated Reeves’ take on Bruce’s vulnerability, which Robert embodied perfectly, was. I particularly enjoyed the scene in which he sits next to Alfred’s hospital bed, straight face and fearful eyes (despite being the strong and well-built character that we all know), and tells him how scared he is; it just sends the right message. In fact, what I love the most about Robert’s Batman is precisely how human and real he feels, and how easy it is to emphasize with him.
I love that the spotlight stays on the main character throughout the whole movie even though, as a big Zoë Kravitz fan, I firmly believe that Selina Kyle stole the show quite a few times. Furthermore, the Batman Universe is very well known for its villains — the Joker being a very iconic one, I dare say that Heath Ledger’s brilliant performance was actually what stood out the most in the Nolan trilogy — which, don’t get me wrong, is not a bad thing. However, mid-movie I caught myself realizing how cool it was that I finally established a strong connection with Bruce and found him as fascinating as everyone claimed he was. While Paul Dano delivers a very different yet equally solid Riddler, Pattinson remains the main star of his movie.
Zoë is, from the viewer’s standpoint, quite frankly the perfect Selina; she oozes charm and sensuality while also being able to stand up for herself and for the people she loves (Annika). The Bat and the Cat’s attraction towards one another is clearly there, and the chemistry that flows between them is so effortlessly magnetic that I frequently catch myself daydreaming about it.
All in all, between the beautiful, gloomy Gotham imagery, well-crafted characters, and magnificent soundtrack, it is safe to say that Matt Reeves’ The Batman is an absolute hit who left everyone who saw a glimpse of it wondering what the future holds and looking forward to what’s next.
