Arguably, the second greatest comic book film of all time, The Batman, is everything you expect in a Batman film and so much more. From the direction to the score, to the cinematography and the acting, this is truly a masterstroke play from the ever great Matt Reeves.
I got to watch this film early because of a special fan screening here in my country, Fiji. I was extremely excited and my expectations were very high but this film still surpassed them. Robert as Batman is just amazing as he delivers a majestic, scary, and yet, in the end, he also evokes that sense of hope that the Batman gives to the people.
Paul Dano as The Riddler is so creepy! As they say, you can’t have a great hero without a great villain and this film is the definition of that. If Matt Reeves can achieve something so great with the Riddler, imagine what he would accomplish with the Joker! The rest of the cast gives amazing performances too. Zoe Kravitz is both stunning and deadly as Selena Kyle while my favorite Jeffery Wright only gets better as Jim Gordon. Everyone else, even with limited screen time, does well with what they are given.
The best thing about this film for me is that the Batman is not overpowered. He is very vulnerable at times and even makes a mistake in this film. All of that without losing his scary presence. Matt Reeves has put The Batman in the place where you feel this kind of Batman that you really need to see. The way the story was told was very strategic, you expect this to happen but another thing happens.
This is beautifully shot and the score is thrilling. This is somewhat like Dune where without the score and cinematography, nothing would click. It’s a all in one package. Michael Giacchino has outdone himself. The music was really tense and good. It’s still playing in my head and I think it would for a very long time. The shots were first class as well which was only made better with the production design and the set pieces.
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I think this is where DC excels. Marvel might have the better shared universe but when it comes to individual comic book masterpieces, then nothing comes close to DC. And I think this is the route that DC should continue with, especially, with The Batman. After watching this, there’s no way that I would want to see any other DC character in this universe. The Batman is better if it’s grounded and focuses more on real-world stories. That’s what makes such movies stand out better than any other comic book movie. After I left the cinema, there was a woman behind me talking to her friends. This is what she said: “I didn’t like this film because I am a Marvel fan.” How is that a reason to not like a masterpiece only because it wasn’t light-hearted enough and lacked cakes and unicorns? I enjoy watching Marvel films but The Batman is here to remind us just how much better DC’s individual real-world stories are. The Dark Knight, The Joker, and now The Batman. Nothing in the comic book films world even comes close.
Overall, this is what a Batman film should be. It’s dark, gritty, and nerve-wracking. This is the Batman I always wanted. This is the one I have been reading in the comics, the one on the animated show/movies. This is the Batman that portrays the greatest detective title. The Batman is very grounded, realistic and so much follows the comic book. Everybody should watch the film. 3 hours of the film does not feel long as every minute is earned. In fact, 3 hours feels like 2 hours and you’re left in the end wanting for more. Make no mistake, this version of The Batman is here to stay and is only getting started with reminding moviegoers just how phenomenal comic book stories can be on the big screen if done right. You cannot miss it at any cost! Only The Dark Knight is clear. Nothing else!
