Starting off with positives, this is a tightly crafted grounded mystery film that feels inspired by the movie Seven yet being its own thing and not being derivative. This film gives us a Batman that we've seen elements of but this film allows us to see Batman as a true detective and not just a brawler. You see him mentally and psychologically tested as well as physically tested. It gives us a interesting story to watch and get invested in. The clues are written really well and the answers are cleverly hidden. This feels like a film that once Matt Reeves was brought in, he wrote every aspect of it first and waited until the final draft was perfect before filming.
Talking about the fantastic ensemble cast, Robert Pattinson delivers, I believe, to be the most intense and menacing Batman we've seen. I loved every aspect of his Batman so much from his subtle voice work to his nicely designed Batsuit. Even the way he walked, so slowly yet with an intimidating presence. Zoe Kravitz gives us another sassy, sexy version of Selina Kyle and is so well cast in the role. Paul Dano brings the darkest and eeriest Riddler we've ever seen and brings a lot of mystery to the character and as you get further into the film, we get some great moment that cements him as one of the best villains we've had in film. There's even a scene that could challenge the incredible Joker interrogation scene in the Dark Knight. The rest of the cast are just as great especially an unrecognisable Colin Farrell but those were my main three standouts.
The action is also really nicely handled. We see everything that happens onscreen and it's choreographed really well. We see Batman as a brawler but we also see him as a skilled fighter and someone who can take a beating and still get back up. I also loved the use of practical effects that are clearly used throughout, effective stunt work, wire work etc.
Now let's take about the aesthetics because wow that is what impressed me the most. This film has some of the best use of dark lighting I have ever seen. Dark lighting is hard to do sometimes because a lot of the time you can't see whatever happening onscreen but it is used so well in this film. I won't spoil too much but let's just say the tag line "Batman wears black because he doesn't want his enemies to see him coming" is used very efficiently and that is helped by the incredible cinematography. I really loved the way the Batman walking moments were framed and during a car chase especially you feel how dangerous it is despite the camera just leaning in on the two characters it centers around.
This is also probably the darkest Batman movie and I mean that tonally and visually. Gotham looks like a darkened lived in city and weirdly enough, the darkness in places feels like a character in the film as well. This also goes for a noir thriller tone but this is the closest Batman film we'll get to a horror film. Some of the imagery and especially the presence of Riddler is just horrifying to watch.
This film also has a great use of sound design. The roaring sound of the Batmobile is the easiest standout but even little things that stood out, particularly the sound of tape ripping had a painfully sharp sound to it.
The production is just brilliant to watch. This does not feel like a film made km a studio, this feels like a movie filmed within a massive city that has been Gothamised. The aspects of Gotham City looks gloomy but in a great way and at times does feel like a character itself within the film.
There's also a nice sense of humour in segments of the film. It's not overused and it doesn't tonally change the scene but it's very cleverly placed within the dialogue. One moment involving Penguin had me laughing out loud.
And how this film meets its climax, some may feel disappointed, I felt satisfied as it fits the story and tone and also breaks the superhero formula and template. Also I have to say, this is a nearly three hour long film and for me, it really didn't feel like it. When it ended, it felt quick, I checked my phone and it fit the time frame. This is a very well paced film that, for me, never caused me to feel its length.
Now I just want to state I loved this film but I did have some issues so let's move onto the mixed aspects of the film and I only have one. There's a character who appears in the film that made me roll my eyes because we have seen multiple versions of this character a lot across the years and the reason it'd mixed for me is because I know a lot of people will be excited for this character so it feels unfair to refer it as a negative.
Also just to say, there is not a post credit scene but there is a little something at the end that you can wait for if you'd like to but it's not worth watching the credits for like seven minutes.
As for negatives, I also only have one and for me, whilst I found Robert Pattinson to be a great Batman, I found his version of Bruce Wayne to be very dull. Now I will say Bruce Wayne is not in this film for long so this has time to be fixed in the next film and this negative could change upon rewatch but for me, he's a great, intimidating Batman but a very boring Bruce Wayne.
But overall, I knew this film would be safe in Matt Reeves hands and this is easily my favourite film of the year. It met my expectations and could go up within rewatch. Now I will say do not go in with the expectations of this being better than your favorite Batman film because that is ridiculous. Just expect this to be a great Batman film and look forward to the sequel which I am.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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