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erosia-rhodes · 2 years

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Review: Pleasantly surprised by The Batman

I did not expect to enjoy The Batman because the trailers made it look like a film that took itself way too seriously, and I was like, “Do we really need another Batman movie right now?” But just like I didn’t think we needed another Star Trek movie and then fell in love with the 2009 reboot, I found myself enjoying Matt Reeves’ film which somehow found a new take on a character that is older than rock n’ roll. It’s not perfect, but the things I liked far outnumbered the things I thought were dumb, so let’s break it down like that.

Things I loved

The original take that Bruce Wayne is a barely functional, emotionally stunted, human being who is unable to connect with others. This totally tracks when you think about it. You’d have to be seriously unwell to dress up as a bat and beat people up at night, right? He was probably forced to go to therapy as a kid and it just didn’t take, so now he does this instead. He’s so messed up that he’s incapable of creating a cover as an irresponsible playboy like he does in other films. This man isn’t just broken, he’s shattered! Some people have suggested he might even be a bit autistic. (The last time I remember seeing a new twist on an old character like this is when Matthew Macfadyen’s Darcy in the 2005 Pride and Prejudice wasn’t so much an arrogant guy, just an introvert with social anxiety who comes off that way.)

Batman is also more flawed than I recall him being in any other movie. He’s quick to judge, totally misreading the Selina/Falcone situation. He’s a bit of a prick to Alfred about the Wayne cufflinks and quickly feels shamed when he learns they were a gift from his dad. He crash lands in his bird suit. His car stalls out once before he gets it going. He’s kind of naive about how deep corruption goes in Gotham City. And he didn’t notice that criminals were embezzling from the Renewal fund that his own father set up. All these flaws make him feel like a real person (which can be hard when dealing with a guy who dresses up like a bat). This dude has a lot to learn and a lot of room to grow in any sequels which leaves the potential for a satisfying character arc.

Leaving the grease paint on Bruce's eyes works so well. It matches the emo vibe, but is also practical. I’m always a bit annoyed in other Batman films when the dark eye makeup magically disappears when he takes the cowl off.

I love that Bruce lives in the city instead of residing in the suburbs. If you’re going to police the city, you should live there, and not be a cop who lives 20 miles away and drives into town to lord over a community they’re not part of. It also makes logistical sense since it cuts down on his response time to emergencies.

They really nailed the Batman/Catwoman dynamic. Lots of unresolved sexual tension and mutual longing there. Lots of similarities in their characters, but differences that challenge and change each other. I also liked that it was a key part of the story and not just a side plot.

Catwoman in general was awesome. Good job, Zoë Kravitz!

The film didn't end in a big CGI battle. Refreshing! Take note, Marvel!

Things I liked

Wayne manor looks like the love child of a gothic cathedral and a McMansion. It’s bonkers, but I love it. It’s also a bit rundown and not well taken care of, just like Bruce.

Since he’s still in his early, low-tech years, I liked the DIY vibe Bruce had of running around the city in a hoodie and a backpack, even though I don’t think you could fit the bat suit in a backpack.

Felt right that most people weren’t all that impressed or scared by Batman. He’s still building his reputation at this point and taking on small-time criminals, so he’s mostly seen as a weirdo rather than a threat.

It was refreshing that the new mayor is a young, black, women instead of another white dude, which feels reminiscent of real people like Muriel Bowser of DC or Keisha Lance Bottoms in Atlanta.

There was good POC representation overall too with Zoë Kravitz and Jeffrey Wright cast in main roles.

So glad we didn't have to watch the Waynes get murdered again or Martha's pearl necklace break and scatter because they were too cheap to buy one that’s properly knotted, as Comic Book Girl 19 pointed out years ago.

It was nice to see Bruce’s parents be flawed as well, with Thomas accidentally getting a reporter killed and Martha dealing with mental health problems. They tend to come off as saints in the other films.

The introduction of a history of mental illness in Bruce's family was an interesting way of suggesting he might be a bit mentally ill too.

It was great that the cops kept commenting on the absurdity of letting a vigilante at a crime scene. It was classic “hanging a lantern,” but I appreciated it.

There was a stripper pole at 44 Below but no gratuitous stripping scene! This was the most miraculous thing in this entire film!

Catwoman wears a chunky heel which is the most sensible heel to wear if you’re a superhero. It provides maximum stability while preserving flexibility of the sole, making it easier to walk in than a wedge heel. Jill Bearup has a great video about this topic.

The Riddler’s incel army that congregates in a hidden chat room felt like a modern problem that could actually happen.

Batman is referred to as the world’s greatest detective, so it was nice to see him do some detection here, even if the Penguin had to help him with the rat riddle and a random cop figured out what the carpet tool was.

The whole film noir vibe overall worked really well, and the visual look of the movie matched that tone.

Robert Pattison does have an amazing jaw line.

I like how understated John Turturro’s performance as Falcone was. He’s got this soft-spoken, kind uncle vibe to him, but you know he’d snap your neck in a heartbeat if he had to.

Overall, it was interesting to see a film focus 90% on Batman instead of Bruce Wayne, since this film seems to imply Batman is his “real” self, at least at this point in his life.

I liked that Selina has much higher emotional intelligence than Bruce. She's able to read people at the club and manipulate them in a way he seems incapable of. And I do think she was manipulating Bruce a bit when she kissed him on the roof since she needed him on her side. Oh, those femme fatales!

Things I’m ambivalent about

I don’t know how I feel about the prominent use of Nirvana in this movie. This might be because it makes me feel old.

Batman’s parents were murdered in 2001? Ok, I definitely feel old.

The Riddler basically got away with everything, right? He didn’t blow up Bruce Wayne, but he achieved all his other plans. His incel army let him down in the end, but that’s not really his fault. Getting arrested was one of his goals, so the fact that he’s locked up isn’t a triumph either. So, the villain sort of won?

It’s kind of weird that married couple Peter Sarsgaard and Maggie Gyllenhaal have both been blown up in Batman films.

Things I disliked

The opening was boring. Yeah, I know the Riddler’s voyeurism of the mayor’s mansion parallels Bruce spying on Selina later on, showing similarities in their characters, but I didn't know who he was spying on, so I wasn’t invested or interested it. Then we had to watch a boring political debate on TV until finally, finally, the Riddler appears and something interesting happens.

When Batman beats up the gang at the beginning of the film, it would have been nice if that had hooked into the main story in some way. It does a good job of establishing the character and showing that the people he saves are also scared of him, but it feels tangential to everything else. You could lift it right out and you’d still understand the plot of the film.

The voiceover of Bruce’s journal entries reminded me way too much of Rorschach from Watchmen, so it didn’t work for me at all. It also seems dumb to be documenting your crimes in such detail.

So, yeah, the first 12 minutes had me believing I was right to assume this would be a bad movie until we finally got into the main story and things turned around.

Jeffrey Wright’s voice is so distinct that I kept thinking of him as the Watcher from the Disney+ What If…? series, which was distracting, but not really anybody’s fault. (Shame on you, Jeffrey, for deservedly getting so much work!)

Colin Farrell was good, but why was he hired to play the Penguin? Fat people get less acting opportunities than thin people, so I would have preferred they hire an actual fat person instead of letting a thin person take that role.

I wish they’d been more clear about whether Selina was in a romantic relationship with Annika or not. The fact that they were living together and she called her “baby” suggests intimacy, but then Selina kissed Batman the day after she found Annika dead, which would be really tacky if they had been an item.

Some of the more absurd exits. Do people have to leap off buildings and slide down repelling lines all the time? Isn’t the elevator more sensible sometimes?

I could have done without all the Ave Maria. It’s kinda overused.

The movie is too long. They could have shaved some time off at the beginning and also near the end. Kill your darlings!

Things I hated

I typically love Michael Giacchino’s work, but the Batman theme sounds way too much like the Imperial March from Star Wars. Someone should have taken him aside and told him this was basically plagiarism. Every time it played, it took me out of the movie and broke my suspension of belief because I was looking around for Darth Vader to show up.

I have come to hate any scene in a movie or TV show where a character makes a big murder board with lots of photos and strings and pushpins and Post-Its. It’s old and tired and I don’t think people actually do this that much in real life. I get that it makes an interesting visual, but it just feels dumb. So, I am not a fan of Bruce Wayne spray painting the floor of his house as he puzzles things out. I know he’s eccentric and he’s at a particularly low point because Alfred was hurt, but what is the housekeeper going to think? Has she figured out he’s Batman and never said anything cause she’s so close to retirement?

No one is upset that Batman created a fiery wreck on the interstate that destroyed at least one semi truck and probably injured several people? It was totally reckless and if someone did that in real life, I would want them jailed. I’m sure the people on NextDoor Gotham City had something to say about that!

I ended up thinking about this movie way more than I ever thought I would. I generally love the world they’ve built here. I hope the sequel leans into the things that worked and away from what didn’t. I’d like to see Bruce start to build a public, philanthropic identity as a way to be a source of hope in the city, and not just vengeance, even though he’ll feel totally awkward and uncomfortable doing so. It’d also be nice to see Catwoman and Penguin show up again instead of wiping the board clean like they do in other films. It would make this feel like a lived-in world where people don’t just disappear because you’re rolling out a new plot.

And hey, the mayor’s son could be the new Robin! Seriously, this kid had the most traumatic week ever. First he finds his dad gruesomely murdered, then he’s almost run over at the funeral where a man explodes, and then he gets stuck at Gotham Square Garden during a mass shooter incident and flood. This kid is going to be so fucked up. I bet he lives in fear of duct tape and lying for years. All you have to do is kill off his mother and have Bruce adopt him since he already deeply empathizes with the kid.

Good job, everybody! Looking forward to visiting this world again in a few years.

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