The Latest Adventure of the Dark Knight Goes Detective Noir
By Eoin Haggerty | Observer Contributor
Matt Reeves’ take on The Dark Knight is a grisly yet familiar story of redemption and how one must face their past, no matter how unwanted it is. Its epic runtime of nearly three hours is not unwarranted as it lets the city of Gotham live and breathe–along with the characters that inhabit it. Though, at points, the world may seem fantastical and over the top, that is just the nature of The Batman.
Robert Pattinson stars as the titular hero, with Zoe Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, and Colin Farrell filling the following roles of Cat woman, Commissioner Gordon, and the Penguin. Pattinson’s approach to Batman is one previously seen, with him only in his second year of being the caped crusader. Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne is also secretive and cold, perhaps still reeling from the trauma that made him into what he is. Kravitz’s Selina Kyle is one we have seen before as well. As she is established as a worker at a local lounge, who makes her money on the side as a thief, not unlike the animated adaptation of Cat woman, which also begins a will-they/won’t they with Batman.
Although Gordon is not as involved with the main character, Wright brings a more weathered and on-edge approach to the character, like in the Harley Quinn television series. Colin Farrell as the Penguin was a fine addition to the cast as well, but I thought his New York accent was overdone at certain points in the movie. While all these actors do a good job making these characters their own, Paul Dano as the Riddler is, in my opinion, the standout star of this film.
This new version of the Riddler seemingly takes cues from serial killers, a far cry from the jester-like Jim Carrey version of Batman & Robin, and is bent on exposing the below-the-surface corruption running rampant throughout the New York-inspired city. Dano’s intelligent yet neurotic interpretation frightens everyone who is unlucky enough to meet him.
Although the movie is called The Batman, it is decidedly more about the Wayne family and how their power has influenced everyone in Gotham, from club owners to mob bosses and even the District Attorney. This is like the storyline in the telltale video game adaptation of Batman, which sought to explore Bruce Wayne as a person and his legacy, yet the movie goes in to a much more engaging direction.
The visual aspect of the film complements this detective noir story by inserting shots of Bruce Wayne looking at the clues at each crime scene, which as the events culminated together, some could compare to the finale of The Dark Knight Returns. The viewer also goes under the cowl, so to speak, with Batman at points in the film to see his process, and how through his eyes, his family has tarnished the streets of Gotham. Overall, the almost 3-hour long movie about one of the world’s most famous superheroes is one that takes its source material and ultimately spins a new and interesting narrative that fans surely won’t want to miss.
Comments are closed.