The logo for “The Batman,” which was released on March 4, is pictured in a promotional image for the movie. “The Batman” pushes the standard Batman movie formula while also remaining familiar for fans of the previous films. Photo fair use of DC Entertainment, Inc.
Robert Pattinson defies negative expectations and gives a memorable portrayal of Batman in “The Batman,” released March 4.
“The Batman,” the highly-anticipated superhero film directed by Matt Reeves, was released on March 4. The movie was well worth the wait with Batman’s signature gritty atmosphere and a riveting storyline.
Drawing from classic Batman storylines such as “The Long Halloween” and “Batman: Year One,” “The Batman” focuses on a back and forth mental game between millionaire Bruce Wayne’s (Robert Pattinson) alter-ego, Batman, who has been on the streets for two years, and the Riddler (Paul Dano), a clue-loving killer looking to expose a larger conspiracy in the city of Gotham.
In contrast to many other superhero films released in the last few years, such as “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” “The Batman” doesn’t rely on eye-catching fight scenes to keep the viewer engaged. Instead, it focuses on a slow-paced detective story, one that is common in the comics but rarely seen on the big screen in this genre.
Instead, it focuses on a slow-paced detective story, one that is common in the comics but rarely seen on the big screen in this genre.
Something that might turn off casual viewers is the movie’s run-time. Sitting at just under three hours, “The Batman” is much longer than the average film and requires a dedication of time and focus from the audience.
While Pattinson does a good job embodying the dark and brooding personality of Batman, he sticks out like a sore thumb when it comes to playing his counterpart. However, that portrayal works well for how early Batman is in his career in this film, and leaves room for Pattinson to grow and develop the character in future sequels.
Many familiar Batman characters are featured in this film, such as Lt. Jim Gordon (Jeffrey Wright), Carmine Falcone (John Turturro), Alfred Pennyworth (Andy Serkis), the Penguin (Colin Farrell) and Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz), along with a surprise cameo at the end of the film.
Though there are dark elements and crimes described in the film, only a minimal amount of it is shown directly on screen, allowing the movie to hold on to a PG-13 rating.
“The Batman” and all the characters within set up a great start to a new franchise, which will leave the viewers anxious to know where the story is going to go next.
