The Batman Review: Most Unique Bat Film Since The Dark Knight

Did you think Christopher Nolan's take on Batman was realistic? The new film, The Batman, is unlike any Batman movie we have ever seen. It is more of a detective procedural than a superhero movie. Law and Order is combined with horror. This is a Batman story told with a commitment to reality which distinguishes it from all other films featuring the character. It works very well.

The story is gripping and exciting, with lots of gorgeous imagery and several high-octane action scenes. When the film's finale betrays that overarching vision, it's a letdown because the film's dense story and long runtime create such a deep investment in this untraditional superhero story. After being impressed by The Batman's ambition and commitment to realism, everything flies out the door in its finale, leaving us with a detached set piece that could have been in any other Batman movie before it. There is so much good to be found before that, it is only a minor gripe on what is the most unique and interesting Batman film since The Dark Knight.

The Batman picks up two years into Bruce Wayne's time as the Caped Crusader, when a mysterious new villain named The Riddler starts killing famous officials. Jim Gordon brought the Batman in after The Riddler left a card addressed to the Batman at each crime. Most of the other cops don't trust this masked avenger who runs around the city at night, but Gordon does, and the two form a formidable crime-solving duo.

That is the first thing that makes The Batman so captivating. Jim Gordon is the second most important person in the movie, behind Batman. The Batman is made into Superhero Seven, with Batman as Brad Pitt, Gordon as Morgan Freeman, and Riddler as Kevin Spacey, from the very first scene. Batman and Gordon go from brutal crime scene to brutal crime scene, looking for clues, solving riddles, each of which compounds the mystery of the Riddler's motives.

Selena Kyle is a waitress who has a personal connection to one of the victims as well as The Penguin, a second in command to Carmine Falcone. The comic book characters we know from Batman lore, like Selena and Penguin, aren't yet. Like Batman, they are very early in their journey, and as the Riddler's web extends out, they will get wrapped up in it. There is something oddly pleasing about watching a man in a Batsuit solve mysteries, stop crime, and interact with other strange and wonderful characters.

The Batman is a movie about discovering the truth and discovering oneself. There are big, heroic moments in the film that touch up upon an expected superhero movie grandeur. He is not the best yet. He makes mistakes. Selina Kyle is a very capable cat burglar, but her commitment to her missing friend blinds her. She teams up with Batman because she is not ready for all of this, and that relationship shows each of them that life has more to it than just fighting crime and getting revenge.

There are lots of little subtextual threads like that. Batman and Bruce Wayne are challenged by several characters for their privilege in ways that feel almost shocking because it cuts him down to size. The audience can relate to the Mayoral candidate, who becomes a beacon of hope because of the whole plan of The Riddler, which is centered on government corruption. Some of the scenes that tackle gun violence are more disturbing than others. The relationship between parents and their children is important. In addition to forwarding the story, almost every scene works to get you to think about more than just the movie.

The performances are fantastic and lots of that comes from them. Bruce Wayne and Batman are almost different characters, and that makes it clear that this version of the hero is more comfortable with a mask than without. He is powerful, confident, and menacing with it. Without, he is shy, guarded, and almost scared. The same can be said for Selena, though she is equally impressive with or without the mask. She is cunning but also vulnerable and loving in both versions. It's a good take on the character. Dano's Riddler gets less screen time than almost everyone else in the film, but he's electric whether he's giving a simple smile or a piercing scream. Farrell's boisterous Penguin is a highlight, standing out from the other corrupt men he keeps company with.

One of the highlights is the work with Fraser. It is stunning. The Batman is not a good movie. A movie that was very dark. When there is light, it almost paints the frame, creating exquisite shots and sequence throughout, drawing your eye to exactly where the filmmakers want it to be. The visual effects are all but invisible because most of those sequences are well done. Men are flying through the air. You know you are looking at visual effects for two-thirds of the movie. They have to be there, but it all looks real, and their use is subtle, so you can barely see them.

It is that thing that holds everything back. The Batman doesn't end there, as Batman, Gordon, and Kyle work to solve the shocking mystery. It keeps going, and we get to see a massive third act action set-piece for every major superhero movie you've seen in the past thirty years. It would be fine if, for the previous two-plus hours, the film was so sumptuous, grounded, and lived in that the Batmanness of it almost melts away. The ending of the film is a disservice to the rest of the film, and it leaves the movie off on a more awkward, ambiguous note, even if there is a lot of spectacle on display.

The Batman is an impressive movie even though it has some mistakes. It is an engaging and entertaining movie. It isn't the exciting superhero version of the character we remember from Tim Burton or Christopher Nolan, but it shouldn't be. This is Matt Reeves. The effect is similar to the one that Robert Pattinson had with the dark knight, that Batman is getting better at what he does every day. We will get the chance to see more of that growth in the future because The Batman is unique and complex.

The Batman is opening on March 4.

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