The Batman property has been around for the better part of a century. With multiple adaptations and incarnations, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Whether it’s a light hearted hero, or a brooding dark knight Batman works in practically any environment. This brings us to 2022’s The Batman directed by Matt Reeves and starring Robert Pattinson which perhaps has the most unique iteration of the character we’ve yet to see in live action, in this wonderful new installment.
Bruce Wayne in the film was based off of Nirvana’s lead singer Kurt Cobain, which explains the usage of Nirvana’s Something In The Way. The many similarities between the two are glaring. Bruce is a grungy, anti-social, outcast who has no care for himself whatsoever. He dresses in baggy, unwashed clothes with patches on them. It’s made clear that Bruce is not very hygienic; going days without a shower until Alfred reminds him to do so.
Whereas other versions of Batman have portrayed Bruce Wayne as the traditional playboy billionaire and face of Wayne industries, Pattinson’s Bruce refuses to leave the house unless disguised as a drifter or as Batman. Bruce is not interested in having any part in his fathers company and has multiple arguments about the matter with Alfred.
The main antagonist of the film is Edward Nashton aka The Riddler played by Paul Dano. Gone is the green three piece suit with question marks, and in its place is a Zodiac Killer inspired military jacket and mask. Edward leaves Batman greetings cards at every crime scene with a riddle inside which will give a clue to Batman when answered. The Riddler also uses social media as a way of live streaming his messages to Gotham and online forums to recruit goons. The performance is great and can be bone chilling at times.
The corrupt upper class of Gotham are The Riddler’s targets, and Batman along with a couple allies has to stop Edward before he claims more lives…even if they aren’t so innocent. This cleverly written plot leads to secrets being unveiled, ones that leave Bruce even more empty on the inside.
The Penguin is also in the movie as the right hand man to Gotham’s mob boss Carmine Falcone. Oswald Cobblepot is a Tony Soprano esq character, with an Italian accent and facial scarring. He has yet to claim The Penguin name, however the seeds have been planted for Oswald to climb the ranks of Gotham in the future. He is definitely a highlight of the movie and his upcoming HBO Max series will be a must watch.
Selina Kyle and Jim Gordon are Batman’s two closest allies. Selina is a low level cat burglar trying to make it in life. When her roommate goes missing she calls upon Batman to help track her down. Selina is her seductive self, but she’s given such a vital role in the movie that helps to flesh out her character making her just as compelling as Batman himself. Gordon is only a lieutenant in this film and actively calls upon Batman for help, while other officers believe they should just arrest him. Gordon is a very selfless and is a very active character, constantly in the fight against The Riddler and Falcone. No one in the movie feels shoehorned into it, everyone has a purpose and reason to be in the movie which is what makes the characters so engaging.
The Batman has an amazing atmosphere, and looks visually beautiful. The plot is a fun mix of Seven and Zodiac, with many twists and turns that keep you guessing. I highly recommended this to anyone with the slightest of interest in it.