The Batman

Image credit: moviemeter.nl

We know the story of Lazarus; restored to life four days after his death in a miracle performed by Jesus Christ. The term is constantly used in scientific and popular culture when discussing a phenomenon that includes resurrection or restoration. In cinema there are number of characters that are subjected to the Lazurus treatment, usually superheroes. I woke up thinking about this this morning because last night I finally got around to watching the newest escapade in one of cinema’s most favoured resurrectionists: Batman. I’m very late to the party, but I finally bit the bullet and hunkered down for the two and a half gritty hours that is The Batman.

For two years Batman has been a symbol of fear and vengeance in Gotham City, but that has not stopped the city from plummeting further into decay, corruption, and hell on Earth. Thugs rides the subways, a decent day’s work ends in a mugging, and the rich, selfish, and corrupt are in power. A serial killer is on the loose, leaving his victims’ bodies riddled with messages, one of which is always addressed to The Batman. As Batman and Commissioner Gordon delve deeper into a dangerous game of cat and mouse with this Riddler, they unearth some very disturbing truths about Gotham; a city that seems so far beyond hope that the only chance to save it might just be destroying it.

I remember this film getting good reviews when it came out despite the complaint that it was on the long side. That’s really the mark of a good movie today isn’t it: when you don’t notice the length? And yes, this is actually a rather good Batman movie. The first thing that was refreshing about it was the fact that it wasn’t another retelling of Bruce Wayne's childhood trauma that turned him into a masked vigilante. At this stage I think more people know the story of Batman better than the alphabet. In this thriller, the character of Batman is already established and in a very precarious position as to what he represents. While Robert Pattinson, who delivers a very good performance, broodily answers the question of ‘who are you’ with ‘I’m vengeance’, the character goes through a very interesting arc as he’s feared by the petty criminal masses, hated by the local law enforcement, and inspiring to the neglected and disturbed who would become killers. The entire film, while narratively being the hunt for a serial killer, is an identity movie: one in which Batman’s own values and legacy goes through a centrifuge.

Gotham has always been a spectacularly gritty, dirty, and dank destination. When you think about it, it’s a portrait of a metropolis on the verge of dystopia. This is why directors such as Tim Burton and Christopher Nolan have best depicted it in their Batman movies. Director Matt Reeves, continues with the Nolan-esque filter of dank dim lighting and harsh orange morning tones. Some pretty excellent action sequences serve to further push this harsh city closer to the edge with a car chase that doubtless killed at least twenty people and caused a major pile-up that would put the highway out of action for months. It’s interesting to think about how the coolest sequences are often the ones that show the most flagrant disregard for human life, especially in Batman movies.

Image credit: mubi

A cross between Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy and Silence of the Lambs, The Batman is a pretty good addition to the Batman arsenal, though admittedly I struggled a little bit with it because I personally have begun to feel disinterested in Batman because there’s so many of them. But in terms of film, the story is sound, there’s a good array of beloved characters including Catwoman and the Penguin, and it’s nice to see some familiar faces resurfacing after a bit of a hiatus; I couldn’t help thinking, ‘what have Robert Pattison and Paul Dano been up to? Haven’t seen them in a while’.

Director: Matt Reeves, 2022

Cast: Robert Pattinson, Andy Serkis, John Turturro, Zoe Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, Peter Sarsgaard, Jayme Lawson, Paul Dano, and Colin Farrell