THE BATMAN

		Review by E.C. McMullen Jr.
THE BATMAN - 2022 USA Release: March 4, 2022 DC, Warner Bros. Rated: USA: PG-13

It's 2022 and ourselves, our parents, our grandparents, and our great-grandparents have had their BATMAN movies, serials, and TV shows.

No other DC Comics superhero gets more attention, not even the ones created to be versions of BATMAN, but in other cities (THE GREEN ARROW in Star City / Seattle, for example).

So if you haven't seen THE BATMAN and you trust my view of cinema I'll tell you right out: THE BATMAN is the equal to Christopher Nolan's BATMAN BEGINS and surpasses Tim Burton's BATMAN (and from theater to VHS to DVD to Bluray I love Tim and his BATMAN vision). However, Director and co-writer, Matt Reeves (FUTURE SHOCK, CLOVERFIELD, LET ME IN, DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES) brings a vision I never expected and, until the credits rolled, I never knew I wanted.

If you haven't seen the movie, now is the time to stop reading.

If you have seen the movie, this is why I love it: Ready?

Here we go,

THE BATMAN feels like Bruce Wayne as Batman, year one. He's rough around the edges and lacks confidence, which makes his willingness to press forward and do what he does anyway, all the more heroic and more than a little stupid.

But that's because Bruce Wayne is what he should have always been: Obsessed to the edge of insanity, where an Arkham Asylum forever looms in his periphery. His costume is well stitched together, providing protection, but the stitch marks are still visible. There is nothing polished or cutting edge high tech about his Batmobile or Batcycle or toolbelt. He's not at the stage where he has all those "wonderful toys".

Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson: HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE, THE HAUNTED AIRMAN, TWILIGHT [all], COSMOPOLIS, THE ROVER, HIGH LIFE, THE LIGHTHOUSE, TENET) is physically fit, but he's far from jacked. His body is covered in fresh wounds as well as scars that all look rather new.

There is his loyal butler, Alfred (Andy Serkis: THE LORD OF THE RINGS [all], DEATHWATCH [2002], KING KONG, THE PRESTIGE, EXTRAORDINARY RENDITION, THE COTTAGE, PLANET OF THE APES [2011 - all], THE HOBBIT [all], BURKE & HARE, AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON), but there is no Commissioner Gordon, and no one in the upper echelon of the Gotham Police is his friend.

However, Lt. James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright: PRESUMED INNOCENT, HAMLET [2000], D-TOX, THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE [2004], LADY IN THE WATER, THE INVASION, SOURCE CODE, THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE, WESTWORLD [TV]) is there and already has the Bat Signal.

We also have the introduction of a previous comic book villain who, since the 1980s re-imagining of Batman, has become a sort of frenemy to the Bruce/Bat. First in the comics and now, moving toward the movies, Selene (Zoë Kravitz: THE BRAVE ONE, X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, AFTER EARTH, DIVERGENT, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM, KIN, SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER VERSE) as Catwoman is to Bruce/Batman as Diana/Wonder Woman is to Superman during this same period.

Finally we have the villain himself, The Riddler (Paul Dano: TAKING LIVES, THE KING, LIGHT AND THE SUFFERER, COWBOYS & ALIENS, LOOPER, SWISS ARMY MAN). The Riddler is a mastermind and damaged chaotic neutral. Which means he thinks he's doing the right thing. He believes he's the hero, willing to sacrifice himself to save the people of Gotham from crime and political corruption. However, he has an "acceptable losses" ethos should the innocent get in the way of his plans. Worse, his plans actually figure on the loss of innocent lives getting in the way of those, like Batman, who could stop him.

Villains waiting in the wings include a confident, clock-minded Oz (Colin Farrell: MINORITY REPORT, PHONE BOOTH, FRIGHT NIGHT, TOTAL RECALL, THE LOBSTER, FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM, VOYAGERS), always watching, always waiting, and a faux friendliness that's meant to fool no one, but only enhance the threat beneath.

Damn! As always, Colin gives a stunning UN-Farrell performance. This chameleon always becomes the character and is never the same person twice.

There is a one-up quotient to BATMAN and that's figuring out how to make it ever darker, ever grittier. Superman may fight Supervillains and overpowering aliens, but Batman nearly always fought wealthy mobsters, their henches, and their powerful political bosses.

"But I can't be everywhere at once."
- The Batman

Tim Burton (BEETLEJUICE, EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, MARS ATTACKS!, SLEEPY HOLLOW, PLANET OF THE APES, THE CORPSE BRIDE, SWEENEY TODD, ALICE IN WONDERLAND) wasn't able to create the Frank Miller-style Batman he wanted in BATMAN RETURNS, until he first proved himself with BATMAN.

It was the 1990s and WB wanted to rid themselves of the shadows that writer and artist, Frank Miller brought to and inspired other writers with, THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS. Tim was having none of it and the franchise went over to Joel Schumacher (THE LOST BOYS, BATMAN FOREVER, BATMAN & ROBIN, 8MM, PHONE BOOTH, THE NUMBER 23), which must have seemed like a good idea at the time.

After a long downtime while WB heads were shifted on the board, Christopher Nolan's Miller-vision of the caped crusader was inspired in BATMAN BEGINS, but Nolan and Christian Bale's hearts were broken by the untimely death of Heath Ledger just prior to the release of THE DARK KNIGHT, and THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS suffered for it.

As for Ben Affleck's turn at being BATMAN? It was never a good fit and, unfortunately for the actor, he's become the George Lazenby of the Bruces.

So here we have Robert Pattinson who, for 10 years has gone out of his way in movies big and small (but mostly really small to the point of minute) to rid himself of the stain of TWILIGHT which, again, must have seemed like a good idea at the time.

Now that you've come full circle with me, you may still be wondering why I think this movie is so good.

On the other hand, if you've been a fan for any time at this site, you'll know that I only tell you enough to whet your appetite but never enough to spoil it.

Matt Reeves along with co-writer, Peter Craig (THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY Part 1 & 2), have created a Batman you probably never imagined. One of my nephews goes so far as to call it a Batman movie that isn't really a Batman movie, and I like how he thinks.

One more thing. Early photos of the Batmobile wasn't stirring people. It looked too backyard DIY.

So trust me when I say that when the Batmobile is introduced in this movie?

Ho-Lee-SHIT!

It became one of the most memorable Superhero moments in cinema history.

We've never had a Batman like this, and it's high time we did!

5 Shriekgirls!

This review copyright 2022 E.C.McMullen Jr.

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