The wait has finally come to an end and we are at the gates of the return of the dark knight to the big screen: The Batman Of Matt Reeves is about to come out in all the rooms and with this review of ours we will try to analyze every single aspect, to understand if this umpteenth reiteration of the night vigilante of Gotham City it will turn into a perfect center or if it will be a hole in the water. The choice of Robert Pattinson as the new face of the bat man it was certainly particular, as was the choice of the Riddler as the main villain – which hasn’t happened since Tim Burton’s Batman Forever. Without further ado, let’s dive into this new adventure where our Bruce Wayne will be confronted with the greatest weaknesses of him.
I am Vendetta
Forever the bat man was one of the most beloved fictional characters in the film scene. The dozens of performances on small and large screen that follow one another from the sixties to the present day, both in live-action, animated or videogame versions, are the greatest proof of this. The fact is that only in the last ten years, between films with him as the protagonist or as a secondary character, the dark knight has already appeared on the screen more than five times and the results have not always been satisfactory.
So we would like to start our review of The Batman by asking ourselves how much yet another movie dedicated to Gotham’s night vigilante may be necessary to expand and explore its origins once again. Well, not only was this work necessary, but perhaps it brings to the screen one of the best cinecomics of recent years. A complex, multifaceted, adrenaline-pumping and never banal thriller. A spectacular cast that gives some of the best and most profound interpretations ever seen in a film dedicated to the bat man, staged by a great Matt Reeves who finally shows the enormous qualities of him not only in Hollywood but to the whole world.
From the amazing opening sequence we are presented with the bat man in all his ruthless desire for revenge, which he unleashes against all the criminals of Gotham City without sparing even one. Whenever the Bat-signal stands out among the gloomy skies of the city every outlaw feels immediately targeted by the night vigilante, as if at any moment from the darkness a punisher appears ready to make him pay for his every crime. This light in the sky therefore takes on a central role in the events of this feature film, introduced immediately as meeting place and confrontation between Batman and Detective Gordonwho after the sudden murder of the mayor of Gotham will have to contend with a ruthless and devious serial killer.
The frailties of The Batman
Many turned up their noses at the announcement of Robert Pattinson as a new face to play Bruce Wayne, considering it too mono-expressive or even “not up to par”. Well, if already with Cosmopolis or The Lighthouse had finally shown the world what he was really capable of, thanks to The Batman we can confirm in our review that the British actor truly deserves all the praise he is receiving in recent years, proving to the whole world that he is one of the best in the world. modern panorama. The Batman he brings to the big screen is perhaps one of the most profound, multifaceted and human ever seen. The immense internal pain that has troubled him since his parents were brutally murdered still cannot completely pass, and he tries to vent all his anger on the streets of Gotham, often however succumbing to his weaknesses and frailties, which despite the years of training continue to haunt him.
Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne is not the sentimental golem we have been accustomed to on the big screen, always cold, steadfast in his actions and always one step ahead of his opponents. Never as before in this film we see a total fusion between Bruce and his alter ego in costume, aspects that perhaps in the other works were defined and divided too decisively. In this work we find a Dark Knight even forced to chase his enemy, and the latter will not miss every opportunity to question his choices and his past as he tries to put one of Gotham City’s biggest scandals in the spotlight. And speaking of this enemy, perhaps we are faced with one of the perhaps less formidable villains on paper (perhaps even considered almost spooky at times) that thanks to the power of the excellent screenplay – edited by Matt Reeves and Peter Craig himself – turns into one of the most devious and disadvantaged killers ever seen on the big screen in recent years.
The Riddler by Paul Dano steals the show every time it appears on screen, always being two or three steps ahead of anyone else in this gigantic chess game, with which he wants to completely overthrow Gotham’s institutions. His presence lingers for the entire duration of the film even when he is not on stage, thanks to his diabolical plan which, step by step, will turn out to be more and more cruel and more and more “pyrotechnic”, putting a strain on the tenacity of Detective Gordon and Batman himself. Discovering his identity and stopping his trail of blood will almost become an obsession for Wayne, also because the media power of this psychopath will grow from murder to murder, driven by motives that will even go to dig up to our protagonist’s childhood. Was it really perhaps from the days of Heath Ledger’s Joker that you didn’t see such a charismatic villain in a cinecomic, and maybe by this time Marvel should begin to understand how to write an at least decent villain, which happens less and less frequently.
The Bat and the Cat
In the film economy the relationships between the Batman and the other secondary characters play a fundamental role. Pattinson’s troubled Batman needs to find comfort and sometimes even help from the people who have helped him from an early age, kind of like Alfred (Andy Serkis), or as the beautiful Selina Kylewhich will be a fundamental pawn in trying to stop the series of murders carried out by the Riddler (and not only). Zoe Kravitz’s Catwoman is the best ever seen on both small and large screens: instinctive, ferocious, decisive and profound.
Every twist to this intricate Batman thriller is key for the big picture; every little clue left here and there by the Riddler and every action of the characters involved in this film will always result in unexpected consequences, which will lead to dramatic revelations or reveal hidden secrets. Thanks to this collaboration between the cat and the bat, the pieces of the puzzle scattered around will lead to digging into the real rot of Gotham City, bringing our protagonists even in the presence of the Penguin (Colin Farrell), who will play a fundamental role in uncovering this mystery, as well as giving life to one of the most beautiful and adrenaline-pumping chases ever seen on screen since Mad Max: Fury Road.
Speaking of direction, the direction chosen by Matt Reeves for this film is at least commendable. The risk of falling back into speckish or even mimicking what other great directors did by bringing the Batman to the big screen was really high, but in our review of The Batman we can confirm that exactly the opposite has happened. The American director gives us a film of a really fitting pace, where the duration of almost three hours does not affect its enjoyment in any way, but on the contrary, once finished you can’t wait to have more. Reeves puts on screen scenes of a unique power, also experimenting with some courageous but absolutely winning choices. The myriad of important events that follow do not leave breath to the viewer, who however will not feel tired from following the events, but will instead offer a unique immersion.
To frame and compliment Reeves’ already excellent direction he thinks about it the exceptional photography of director Greig Fraser, which thanks to its play of light – but above all of shadows – gives a unique look to each scene, making our Batman even more scary and unpredictable for the criminals of Gotham City. Fraser experiments a lot with the light emanating from gunshots to create unique action scenes, soft lights of the street lamps that mask the face or appearance of the characters or even use the fire and explosions as the setting for some of the scenes that will surely remain iconic for the Dark Knight cinematic story.
Unfortunately, if you really have to nitpick, in the review of The Batman it seems appropriate to point out how sometimes the CGI turns out to be a bit too choppy and dancer, removing the naturalness of some action scenes starring Bruce Wayne and which immediately catch the eye of the viewer. Another small stumbling block can perhaps also be found in the film’s final act, where the consequences of the Riddler’s lethal plan don’t seem to be that devastating to the city and are pushed into the background pretty quickly.
Having said that, however, we can only advise you once again to enjoy The Batman in the room as soon as possible, even if only for the sumptuous soundtrack curated by Michael Giacchinowhich gives us some of the most impactful and memorable tracks we’ve ever heard since Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy. The main theme has already become iconicand will accompany the most emotionally charged scenes also in the film, but perhaps the most particular and appropriate piece is the one dedicated to the Riddler, who with each appearance will make his actions and words even more destabilizing and gruesome.
#Batman #Review #Dark #Knight #conquers #big #screen