Lately, I have been avoiding many of the Marvel and DC Films. The last 2 movies that I watched in its entirety was James Mangold's The Wolverine (2013) which explored Logan's connection to Japan and Guardians of The Galaxy (2014) by James Gunn. Between both movies, I have to admit that I still liked The Wolverine better although Guardians brought something fresh and different to the stable of 'superhero' movies. Actually, I grew up in 1980s & 1990s with Marvel and DC and my siblings and I were avid readers of their comics in our teens. So why have I been avoiding their recent releases? Honestly, my interest in 'superhero' movies have fizzled out over the years. Now that I am older, it is only natural that I prefer films with more 'realism' instead of the 'fantastic' or the 'improbable'. I am also not a fan of the films from the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), DCU (DC Universe) or DCEU (DC Extended Universe) as I personally feel that they complicate things by trying too hard to introduce too many characters in a pre-determined and short timeline. In addition to this, the many forced crossovers between the characters and films are confusing and tiresome which can lead to a lack of gradual or focused development for the characters and films individually. Of course, this is my personal opinion and I don't expect others to share my views on this.
But in 2022, the world was grappling with Covid-19 and there were not that many films being released in that year while the few that were released were not really to my liking. However, in March 2022, a major film, The Batman, was released by Warner Brothers which was written and directed by Matt Reeves, a perfectionist responsible for films like Cloverfield, Let Me In, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes. A little known fact here, Reeves is actually the son of late actor, Christopher Reeves, who starred in three Superman movies in the early 1980s. So, his involvement with this DC film is strangely ironic. The film was in development since 2013 however it only took off after Ben Affleck, who was signed on to produce, direct, co-write and star in it, decided to drop out from the project and the film was officially taken over by Reeves in 2017 who then decided to re-work the story to focus more on Batman's early vigilante period or rookie years. With the absence of Affleck, the planned DCEU connections to this film was also scrapped allowing more creative freedom for Reeves to explore the titular character and the Gotham 'universe' in another timeline. The origin stories of famous Gotham residents like Catwoman, Riddler, Penguin, Police Commissioner James Gordon (he is only a police officer in this film) and Alfred Pennyworth not only feel fresh in this film but are given added dimensions by Reeves. As I mentioned earlier, this film premiered during Covid-19 so it is hardly surprising that its filming and release was greatly delayed by the pandemic. However, I truly believe that the pandemic and the changes surrounding this movie ultimately contributed to its huge success.
So what drew me to this movie after I avoided so many recent Marvel and DC films? Firstly the involvement of Matt Reeves, a perfectionist famous for cult films like Cloverfield and The Planet of the Apes franchise. I was really curious to see his version of the Dark Knight and Gotham and after seeing the film, I was not disappointed at all. Secondly, the scarcity of films during the pandemic was another factor that made me forget my aversion to 'superhero' movies. The were not many big budget or high profile movies being released in early 2022. So when this movie was released, it naturally attracted a huge response. The film was also available for digital download and streamed on HBO Max a month later. This was a smart move on Warner's part since there were many that missed the film's theatrical release because of the pandemic. Warner had also spent a huge amount of money promoting the film before its release which paid off in dividends. When the film's teasers and trailers debuted on the internet, I was actually very drawn to them. Not only were snippets of the film intriguing but the moody song featured in the trailers which is actually a remix of Nirvana's 'Something in The Way' seems to resonate with the listener long after hearing it. Of course the final factor that motivated me to see the film was the man himself, Robert Pattinson. Prior to this film, it was widely known that Robert Pattinson was trying to distance himself from the Twilight movies and was 'cutting his teeth' on a lot of small and independent films. He even worked with famous directors like David Cronenberg and Christopher Nolan (yes, the same director responsible for Batman Begins, The Dark Knight & The Dark Knight Rises). An unlikely but nonetheless intriguing choice for the role, his portrayal of Batman was highly anticipated by many. Before him, Keaton, Bale and Affleck portrayed a more matured and confident Wayne/ Batman. So I was curious how he would portray the younger version of the caped crusader. How did he fare? In my opinion, his understated performance in the film was exceptionally good. Although initially you feel apprehensive on whether he can really carry the role, his sullen, monosyllabic and almost shy depiction of Wayne/ Batman actually works in the film to great effect. While giving the younger, lonely and reclusive Wayne an almost 'rock star' quality, Pattinson manages at the same time to convince the audience that the young Batman in this film is not only unsure of himself during his confrontations with his adversaries but he is also very self conscious of his bat-suit. In this film, the young Bruce Wayne is naive, shy, awkward and sheltered which is very obvious during his initial run-ins with Selina Kyle/ Catwoman. Because he is younger, he also has a more dependent relationship with the older and experienced (war veteran) Alfred who is more a mentor and surrogate father to him here than a butler. Pattinson's nuanced, subtle, minimalistic and almost non-verbal performance manages to convey all these traits and emotions (even behind the mask) with mostly only looks, gestures and his tone of voice which is pretty remarkable. Even the way he talks in this film seems deliberate. Evidently, he has taken this mantle as the new Batman very seriously and has put a lot of effort into his performance and it really shows in the film. If anything this movie has showed me that Pattinson has not only matured as an actor but he is an actor that is to be reckoned with in the future.
What Matt Reeves and this movie actually achieved was to bring realism and darkness back to The Batman film franchise which many fans have missed lately. Ever since my classmate lent me a copy of Alan Moore's Graphic Novel A Killing Joke in the 1980s, I had always viewed the character of Batman and the residents of Gotham as very dark characters. However, I have not seen this level of realism or darkness in any Marvel or DC films of late with the exception of Heath Ledger's Joker in The Dark Knight or the 2017 movie Logan which chronicles the last days of Professor Xavier and the Wolverine. Reeves also manages to depict the other Gotham residents in a more realistic light minus the campy costumes and exaggerated mannerisms. In this film, we have a young Selina Kyle (in her pre-Catwoman phase) working as a waitress in a nightclub owned by a mid-level mobster named Oswald Cobblepot (The Peguin). Zoe Kravitz is truly the perfect choice for Selina. Not only does her beautiful and exotic looks make her the obvious candidate for the role but she also tackles the fight scenes with a believable physicality coupled with an almost feline like grace. By the way, actor Collin Farrell is almost unrecognizable as Cobblepot in the film. His standout performance has even earned The Penguin his own TV series on HBO Max which will debut later this year. Even the main villain here, The Riddler/ Edward Nashton (played excellently by Paul Dano), is portrayed more like a terrorist with a political agenda (he claims he is inspired by Batman and plans to wipe out Gotham's rich and powerful) with a penchant for ciphers and riddles rather than the theatrical criminal mastermind often depicted in a green unitard decorated with question marks. Instead here, he is garbed in a gas mask and an oversized military like green jacket. Lastly, we have Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth, Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon and John Turtorro as Carmine Falcone each perfectly cast in their respective roles. Andy Serkis's involvement in this movie is hardly surprising since he and Reeves were both principally involved in the Planet of the Apes reboot. Serkis plays Caesar in the Planet of the Apes films but you don't get to see him cause it's all motion capture and CGI. But his very visible performance here as a tougher Alfred gives the audience a more believable mentor and teacher for Wayne. After all, he is supposedly a war veteran who taught the young Wayne all his fighting skills. I really like Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon too. There were many established actors who has played this character before Wright, including the likes of Gary Oldman, but they don't seem to stand out to me like him. In this film, James Gordon is only a police lieutenant so he is frequently seen out in the field or 'sleuthing' with Batman. He also happens to be Batman's only ally in the Gotham City Police Department. During their investigations into The Riddler, Batman is often ridiculed by the other police officers. Understandably, it is difficult for others to take you seriously when you are walking around in what seems to be a Halloween costume but only Lieutenant Gordon seems to notice Batman's sharp detective skills underneath the bat-suit and is willing to work with him to solve the case. It is here that Wright manages to capture the awkwardness in Gordon's early relationship with Batman and show the audience that Gordon is not only an astute detective but someone who can be empathetic towards others including our main protagonist and it is this trait that essentially makes this version of James Gordon endearing. Besides, since Gordon is not yet the Police Commissioner in this timeline, I feel that he is able to play a bigger role in the story since he gets to be Batman's sidekick in the film instead of Robin. Another character worth mentioning here is Gotham's crime boss, Carmine Falcone, played by actor John Turturro who is really perfect for the role. I last saw the talented actor in a guest starring role in Amazon Prime's new series Mr & Mrs Smith earlier this year in which he really stood out despite his brief appearance in it. Lastly, the final but nonetheless important character in the film, the Batmobile. In earlier Batman films, the Batmobile has always been outlandish and fully custom made cars but here Pattinson gets a modified muscle car that resembles an actual car. Beautiful but menacing, the car looks like something Wayne would have come up with after tinkering in his garage which brings us back to the fact that this film is all about realism or the nearest version to it because here you are actually dealing with a film where the main protagonist is a vigilante in a bat-suit. There is an extended and impressive car chase scene between Batman and The Penguin in the film which also introduces and showcases the Batmobile to the audience for the first time.
The other theme that is prevalent in this movie is the darkness that has been missing in most of the recent Batman films. Here, Gotham City at night is always dark and rainy. Even the day time scenes are gloomy and grim. The appearance and architecture of Wayne Manor is purposely re-imagined as neglected, starkly gothic and foreboding. The Bat Cave is huge, dimly lighted with resident bats that looks more like an abandoned underground service tunnel. But what stood out the most to me was the song 'Something In The Way' by Nirvana and Michael Giacchino's score which are both beautiful but haunting. I believe the soundtrack for this movie is what sets the tone of the entire film and story line. In an interview with Reeves, he actually reveals that he was listening to the Nirvana song while writing the first act of the film and this song actually helped him to develop the character of Wayne.
The Batman 2 : Release Date, Plot, Cast & Trailer (DigitalTrends) by Blair Marnell
If you have never seen the film, you should definitely check it out since it sets a new standard for future Marvel/DC films. I have included Amazon US links below for those interested in viewing the film either on Amazon Prime, Blu-Ray or 4K UHD.
The Batman (2022) Blu-Ray (paid link)
The Batman (2022) 4K UHD (paid link)
The Batman (2022) Amazon Prime (paid link)
Addendum (29th July 2024) : The official trailer for Colin Farrell's new series The Penguin which will premiere on 19th September 2024 on HBO Max has already appeared on YouTube and I have also included below a recent video from Warner Brothers on the genesis of the original 2022 film The Batman by Matt Reeves.
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