The Bats goes dark- Movie Review

By Jack Baxter

Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy have been hailed as perhaps the best superhero movies of all time – most certainly the best Batman movies – since their release from 2005 to 2012.

Now, an opponent has arisen – The Batman – and I think Nolan might have met his match.

The film is set in the same city as the previous movies, but features a new villain – The Riddler. The sadistic killer leaves behind a trail of cryptic clues and as the evidence begins to draw closer to home and the scale of the perpetrator’s plans become clear, Batman must forge new relationships, unmask the culprit, and bring justice to corruption that has long plagued Gotham City.

On the surface, the film doesn’t seem too far removed from those that have come before it – a sadistic villain; a city plagued with corruption and abuse; and a desperate chase facing the protagonist. However, it can still be interesting to explore different stories that can arise from the same starting point.

Telling us these stories is Matt Reeves, who you might know better for the Planet of the Apes trilogy. Reeves’ version of the story is much darker than before – Nolan will often break the tension with a joke, but Reeves doesn’t do that – instead, we are forced to face the unfunny, hard-hitting situation that we are witnessing.

The writing throughout is pretty good – not quite the level of Nolan’s, but still features some memorable lines that could definitely resonate with audiences.

Whatever Reeves lacks as a writer, though, he hugely makes up for as a director. The film is an all-encompassing, sensory-overloading experience. We become completely absorbed in the on-screen universe. This film isn’t quite as fantasy driven as its older variations – it’s entirely possible that the events of the film could be happening in the very world we live in – there’s no extra-terrestrial beings or wizardry. Instead, we are presented with a quickly declining world, and a person wanting to make a difference – a position that we could find ourselves in.

Playing the helpless hopeful is Robert Pattinson. His acting is excellent – his character is far more depressed and vulnerable than ever before, but perhaps this reflects the world in which he resides. He plays Batman almost like Joaquin Phoenix played The Joker – a character with a background, a story, an ambition, plagued with obstacles and issues to overcome in a deteriorating world. These two characters may be enemies, but perhaps they’re not entirely contradictory.

Then again, comparing this film to Christopher Nolan’s renditions may be a tad unfair – both films are feasibly for different audiences – Nolan’s being slightly funnier and more geared towards fans of action blockbusters, while Reeves’ is certainly darker and more reminiscent of a thriller.

Both directors’ interpretations of the story are well worth the watch – whatever your genre of choice.

l The Batman is now showing in cinemas, as well as on HBO Max.