As a life-long Batman fan it was hard for me to come to the realization that a new Batman film was coming out in 2022. 

Before it came out, I was adamant that the movie would flop and could never live up to the cinematic masterpieces that Christopher Nolan gave us with “The Dark Knight” trilogy.  

I watched it in theatres when it released and walked out thinking and vocal about what a waste of time the film was and how it’s still not better than Nolan. 

After being convinced by some of my peers, I decided to rewatch the film and give it another try.  

One of the best things about this film is the different approach it took on Batman. I had not seen a Batman character being conveyed in a dark and grim way. This new approach was intriguing because I was so used to Batman and Bruce Wayne being one certain way.  

The black eye shadow emphasized the eeriness of the vigilante.  

The fighting scenes were very entertaining and action packed. Unlike previous Batman films, in “The Batman,” Robert Pattinson was not limited in his movements in his batsuit. Former Batman actors including George Clooney and Micheal Keaton said that they were restrained while in their Batman suits.  

This allowed for a unique experience. It made Batman feel like not the same character, just a different person. 

The plot is one of the best aspects of the film, but the pacing is the downfall of it.  

The Riddler (Paul Dano) sets off a string of clues for Batman to figure out around Gotham City is a general synopsis of the film. With Catwoman (Zoe Kravitz) by his side, Batman also fights off crime and underworld criminals while trying to bring the Riddler down.  

The Riddler is a character that is hardly ever recognized so to bring a character who is overlooked to light was great. The Riddler has a special approach to the way he’s interpreted. 

The side characters were also a great addition to the story. Although he did not add a lot to the story, The Penguin (Colin Farrell) did enough to the story to make me want more out of the character. They’ve since made a show about Penguin, which was good. 

One of the downfalls of the film is its run time and pacing. With a three-hour run time, there were parts when I was kind of ready for it to end. The film focuses on Batman being a detective, which is different. We usually see Batman fighting crime and barely get a glimpse into his investigative side.  

While that is emphasized, we are still given a substantial amount of action. The car crash scene was very cinematic, and as stated earlier, the fighting scenes were gripping.   

Kravitz was a good side character to have, and her presence was felt. Catwoman’s story with her friend dying and persistence to get back at the people who did it was captivating. 

I was left wanting more out of the Riddler. Dano did a really good job portraying him, but because the character does not get a lot of attention, I would have liked to have known more about him and how he got to where he was at.  

We know his purpose and what he wants, but it doesn’t really make sense. He said he wants to get back at the rich and those in power, but he is tearing down the entire city and affecting those who had nothing to do with it.  

With what Matt Reeves did with this film, I’m looking forward to seeing what he does with “The Batman 2.” There are rumors that Clayface is going to be a villain in the next film, and I have never seen a depiction of him in cinema, only in Batman video games.  

The cinematography was great. Lighting played a major role in putting the audience in the film and setting the scene.  

While there are a lot of great things with the film, I can’t give it a perfect rating. For that, I would have had to have loved it after the first viewing, and there are some minor things that don’t make the movie 4.5. 

Rate: 4/5 

Cam’ron Hardy can be reached at 581-2812 or at cahardy@eiu.edu.