Jash: The Batman is a superhero film based on the infamous DC comics character, directed by Matt Reeves and featuring Robert Pattinson, Zoe Kravitz, and Paul Dano as main characters. It was released on March 4th to unanimous critical acclaim, and in this case, the critics are absolutely right.
Dhruv: The Batman, provides a much needed breath of fresh air into the superhero genre, which, in recent years, had been dominated by average, formulaic and predictable films. In stark contrast to its peers, The Batman doesn't aim to please everyone or is necessarily a “family movie”, but rather it stands its ground and tells a formidable story.
Dhruv: Much like its predecessors, The Batman is rooted in a grimey, dark atmosphere pervading through the crime-ridden streets of Gotham, as the lines of morality blur. It holds the same level of quality and execution as the Dark Knight Trilogy, but adds its own spin to the familiar character of Bruce Wayne. Matt Reeves understands the core of Batman better than anyone, and successfully humanizes a broken Bruce Wayne, rather than rehashing the billionaire playboy character of previous films.
Jash: You nailed it. Matt Reeves finally gave me the Batman story I always wanted, one that actually understood the character. Setting the story in his second year of crime fighting allows us to explore a very different take on Bruce Wayne.
Dhruv: While the DC films and Dark Knight Trilogy illustrate Batman as Bruce Wayne’s crime fighting alter-ego, Matt Reeves portrays Bruce Wayne, the human, as Batman’s alter-ego, because this Bruce Wayne is so obsessed with his mission as Batman that he’s lost sight of who the person behind the mask is.
Jash: Exploring the damaged inner psyche of Bruce as he works out the plot's central mystery with Jim Gordon and is pushed further and further to the limit by the Riddler is such an engaging and unique plot, that still stays true to the core of Batman’s character. Finally, a Batman film where he actually gets to be the world’s greatest detective!
Dhruv: In all honesty, being a self proclaimed hero and the center of controversy, danger and anger has its implications on the psyche. This broken and damaged psyche is performed to perfection by Robert Pattinson, who fits the mold of a depressed, lonely and afraid man who can’t confront his demons. This humanization is what makes the audience connect so much more with Bruce Wayne. The supporting cast, from the Commissioner to Alfred, enable The Batman’s transformation from an agent of vengeance to a beacon of hope.
Jash: Bruce's character arc is directly intertwined with the movie's theme, a theme that is ultimately about moving past vengeance and finding hope in the cracks. It's such a simple theme and one so central to the character of Batman in the comics, and it's executed in such an effective and moving way.
Dhruv: The brilliance of The Batman isn’t just its great approach to the idea of Bruce Wayne, it also executes and illustrates its ideas with finesse. The muddy yellow color palette creates an entrancing atmosphere, fitting of Gotham, and akin to a David Fincer film, this atmosphere creates tremendous suspense and emotional investment in the world of Batman.
Jash: The movie has a masterful command over its cinematography, with every single detail of every single shot having a purpose, and still looking phenomenal. The visuals lend itself perfectly to the various tones the movie achieves, whether that’s unnerving and creepy, epic and grandiose, soft and mysterious, etc. The action, soundtrack, and direction are also excellent.
Dhruv: My only true critiques of the film are the forced romance and questionable dialogue throughout the film. While Zoe Kravitz did a splendid job with the role of Catwoman, I think the romantic tension between Batman and Catwoman in the film felt disingenuous and fake, and honestly didn’t contribute much to the film at all. Another qualm I had was the movie’s wild cliche and downright cringe worthy lines sprinkled throughout its runtime.
Jash: I see where you’re coming from with the dialogue, but as a lifetime comic book fan, I adored it. Batman is the only character who can get away with saying lines like “I’m vengeance.” because it is so indicative of his character and askew mental state, and the fact that they fully commit to every line makes it work so well. I do have to disagree with the criticism of the romance, the relationship of Bruce and Selina being the first one where he’s shown genuine physical and emotional affection since the death of his parents is powerful, and ultimately contributes to his turn away from vengeance at the end. Plus, I thought the tension was much more palpable than any other superhero film, mainly due to it actually being mature. I do think it had some pacing issues and plot contrivances, but that’s it.
Jash: The Batman is a towering achievement for superhero films and mainstream blockbusters, and you should go watch it now if you haven’t already. It’s on digital too, so no excuses.
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