It makes sense that The Batman would have its opening scene take place on Halloween night. Gotham City, Batman’s stomping grounds, is practically a Halloween-fest all year round, with most of its denizens wearing masks. The Riddler (Paul Dano) is clad in a mask when he sneaks into the home of the Gotham City mayor and murders him--later promising more deaths and revelations of dark and dirty secrets online. This Riddler is a far different beast than Frank Gorshin’s Riddler, who I grew up with on the ’66 Batman TV series.
But as much as I will always worship Gorshin’s performance (and he remains my all-time favorite Riddler), I thought Paul Dano’s more creepy take of a deeply disturbed Riddler worked very well in The Batman. Tech savvy, including knowing just how to work the rubes into following him online, this new Riddler is far more dangerous--and even scarier--than ever before. And his weird quirk of dropping clues is given a legitimate reason: he wants Batman to go along with him for the ride. The fact that Dano gives such an amazing performance while under a mask and is only seen over a screen through much of the movie is an impressive feat on his part.
And Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman is perfection. It’s strange, I always wanted a Batman movie where Batman teams up with Catwoman, with them working as a well-oiled team to take down a larger threat, and that’s exactly what we get here. This Selina Kyle is a tougher, down to earth street fighter who’s easily at home while clad in a revealing dress in a swanky nightclub. Like Batman, she’s fearless, doing whatever it takes to get the job done. There’s no Robin in this movie, but that’s OK, because what better, and cooler, ally is there for Batman than Catwoman?
But the best performance in the entire film is that of Colin Farrell, who literally disappears in his role of the Penguin. Granted, his normally handsome features are buried under superb make up. But it takes far more than good make up to create a character, and Farrell brings it. The way the Penguin walks, the way he talks, is so good, so on point, that I sincerely hope Farrell gets an Oscar nomination--and I also hope the Penguin returns in the sequel.
The Batman himself, as depicted here, is simply outstanding. Still only in his second year as the Batman, a young Bruce Wayne is still working out some things regarding his darker alter ego, and we see the changes he makes over the course of the film. Robert Pattinson effectively captures the self doubt that Wayne has, as he wonders if he’s even doing the right thing, what with crime in Gotham City still surging after he’s made his Bat-debut. At the same time, his Batman is a ferociously intense Dark Knight with a well-designed Bat-suit who shines in marvelously done action scenes.
Wayne rides around Gotham City undercover on his motorcycle, inconspicuously clad in a hoodie. His impressive Bat-suit can be broken down to go with him, available for Wayne to wear at a moment’s notice (like the Mayor’s funeral). Gone (finally!) are the bulky rubber Bat-suits of Bat films past, which barely allowed the actors any natural movement. And while I’m not really super impressed with the new Batmobile design, I have to admit that it’s got the best, most bad-ass introduction of any Batmobile up to now.
It’s the details that matter in every film, and director Matt Reeves does an outstanding job of paying attention to even the smallest of them here. Because of this, The Batman is a fully formed universe right out of the gate. And it’s sheer perfection. I sat through this three hour film twice, and at the end, both times, I still wanted more of this Batman and his world. I still love (and re-watch) the other Batman films, especially the Nolan Bat trilogy, but Matt Reeves has made the most satisfying, most gratifying Batman film of them all. --SF
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