The Batman (2022)

The Batman is a comic book movie from director Matt Reeves, starring Robert Pattinson as the titular character. When the Riddler begins executing key political figures in Gotham, Batman is forced to investigate the city’s corruption and question his family’s involvement. Let’s consider the pros and cons of The Batman…

Pros: Firstly, the acting in this movie is top notch! When Pattinson was originally cast as Batman, I joked that his jawline would do half the work for him. I wasn’t entirely wrong, considering he spends the majority of time skulking around as the caped crusader. However, I think Matt Reeves displays excellent judgement by making this story about a younger and more fallible hero. Secondly, the score from Michael Giacchino is bold and memorable, especially during the detective scenes when all other sounds are drowned out. Lastly, although there aren’t as many action scenes as you might expect, the ones that do make the cut are fantastic! I’m specifically thinking of the opening hand to hand combat scene as well as the car chase with Penguin. Speaking of Penguin, how about those practical effects?!

Cons: A glaring flaw before even watching the movie is the nearly 3 hour runtime. I’m not saying the pacing is bad, but it’s a big commitment for anyone so keeping it this length was definitely a gamble. Equally as detrimental to the story is the amount of side characters that each have their own subplot. I understand the urge to make every movie into an epic, but I would have liked the focus to stay on the Riddler, instead of the red herrings he was throwing out. Overall however, I think the screen time is balanced well between everyone, and I’m hopeful the sequel will continue to flesh out these characters.

I give The Batman an A-. Pattinson is a natural Batman and Reeves puts his own unique spin on Gotham and these recurring characters. It’s unlike other comic book movies due to the emphasis on showing Batman’s detective and reasoning skills, but there’s still exciting action and an interesting story here. Happy Watching!

“I’m vengeance!”