‘The Batman’ Soars to New Heights

In the same way that Joker shed a light on the mental health crisis, I think The Batman speaks to the generational impact of family legacy.

In The Batman, Gotham is grittier than ever before, even Wayne Manor is a dilapidated mansion at the heart of the filthy city. It’s here we find a brooding Bruce Wayne (Batman) played masterfully by Robert Pattinson. His obsession with vengeance has taken Bruce down a lonely path, blurring the line between himself and his vigilante alter-ego. Unlike other adaptations, Reeves doesn’t recount Batman’s origin story and focuses almost entirely on Batman, somewhat to a fault. Altogether, the film revolves around the identity of Batman and the dangerous lengths we go to find the truth.

For a long time, I placed Robert Pattinson in the Twilight box, and it wasn’t until I saw Tenet by fellow Batman director Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight trilogy) that I realized what a malleable, sensitive actor Pattinson is. His nuanced portrayal of Batman as a vigilante, detective, lover and avenger is engaging from start to finish. I also enjoyed his camaraderie with both Lt. James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) and Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman, (Zoë Kravitz) which occasionally laced some humor into the slow-burn thriller. Although I wish Batman’s character was better developed in the third act and there was more Bruce Wayne in the equation, I hope this isn’t the last time we see Pattinson suit up as the Caped Crusader.

The supporting cast of The Batman was phenomenal. I’ll see anything Jeffrey Wright is in, and he didn’t disappoint as the meek yet courageous Lt. Gordon. In fact, most of my favorite moments in the film were his interactions with Batman. Zoë Kravitz was the perfect blend of sexy, savvy and strong as Selina Kyle. In The Batman, Selina works at a private club run by Carmine Falcone (played by John Torturro) and The Penguin played by a completely unrecognizable Colin Farrell. The car chase scene between Penguin and Batman will definitely have you on the edge of your seat to say the least. Paul Dano’s portrayal of the Riddler did give me pause from time to time, but mainly because I could not stop internally laughing at his costume which killed any terror he was supposed to instill as the villain. However, regardless of the costume and the underwriting of what could have been an incredible climactic scene between Batman and the Riddler, Dano never ceases to impress on screen.

Without giving away any spoilers, what lies at the heart of The Batman is more than a stylistic noir thriller. In the same way that Joker shed a light on the mental health crisis, I think The Batman speaks to the generational impact of family legacy. Although The Batman may not recount Wayne’s origin story, the film illustrates the pain it caused and shows the aftermath of buried trauma. At a turning point in the film, Bruce Wayne shares a tender moment with his doting butler Alfred (played by Andy Serkis) where he’s reminded to look past the shortcomings of others and his family legacy to find his own place in the world. The Batman reminds us that even in a city full of broken people that seems far beyond saving, there’s still hope to be found.

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