The Batman (2022): Pattinson from Twilight? Seriously?
Although we’re still a very new site, some of you may have noticed that we haven’t reviewed a lot of mainstream new releases. Rest assured, as today’s review indicates, we love new films too! But let’s be honest: If you just want to know about the new stuff, there are hundreds of sites where that is the main priority. We here at MovieSlap feel it’s important to also focus on the lesser known gems of today, the great movies of the past that may have gone unnoticed, and even some of the absolutely incredible foreign cinema (particularly in Korea!) that you may end up loving just as much – or maybe even more – than the typical Hollywood fare of today, if just given the chance. It’s fun to be different! But also, the men and women who serve as the creative force behind these lesser known projects of the past and present deserve to have a spotlight shone onto their efforts, especially since many of the actors, directors, writers, and gaffers (okay, okay…maybe not the gaffers necessarily…) that you love today, are successful because they did some pretty amazing work when they were just starting out. So we’d like to invite you to join us in watching and discussing a wide variety of film and TV, and as always, if there is something you think we haven’t seen, please keep those great recommendations coming in! If we review your suggestion, we’ll give you a shout out on the ever-growing VIP Red Carpet! Now, let’s talk about The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson!
Marvel Fatigue
As I’m finishing up my 40s, I’ve had the typical ailments: aches and pains, blood pressure issues, weight gain, and more. About two years ago, I self-diagnosed as having Marvel fatigue. As fun as it has been seeing some the characters from my 5th grade lunchbox show up as live action heroes on the big screen, I could feel the pre-release anticipation for each film dwindling. Granted, on the DC side of things, there have been far fewer releases over the same span of time, but I found myself much more engaged with those offerings. Truth is, I generally really like movies that aren’t afraid of the darker side of human nature and have a bit of raw grittiness to them. In that regard, at least for now, I find the DC properties a bit more satisfying.
DC Grittiness
As an example, season one of Peacemaker (2022) on HBO just finished up earlier in the year. If you’ve seen it, you will likely agree that it’s just not the sort of show you’ll see from Marvel (and that’s not a criticism, just a difference) and it certainly was not geared toward kids. It was raunchy, violent, graphic, sometimes a bit perverse, and very adult. In other words, I loved it! The Batman doesn’t go to the same depths that Peacemaker does, but it is definitely dark. As I was watching, I half-expected to see it fall more in line with previous Batman films in terms of tone, and maybe even get a bit campy here and there, as the 1989 release of Michael Keaton and Tim Burton’s Batman did. In my opinion, it seemed to steer clear of the worn path and maintained itself as fresh territory for the caped crusader. Sure, the characters are familiar to us, but I feel director Matt Reeves successfully freshened up the Bat and much of the belfry.
Pattinson doesn’t Sparkle, but he Shines
Although many of us learned our lesson in 2008 to not make assumptions about an actor’s ability to take on a role – a lesson that began with a collective gasp at the casting of Heath Ledger as the Joker – over the last year or two I’ve seen several “wait, you mean the Twilight guy?” comments pertaining to Robert Pattinson as the the Batman. Having seen his range and ability on full display in Good Time (2017), I felt pretty optimistic that he’d find the batsuit to be a proper fit, and he absolutely does (and it is). But even more impressive are the performances of Colin Farrell (“Oswald Cobblepot”), Paul Dano (“The Riddler”), and Zoe Kravitz (“Selina Kyle”). Reeves had a lot to work with here, and he made the most out of this supporting cast.
I suspect the majority of people already know if they plan to see this film or not without having to read reviews, but for what it’s worth, I was very impressed with The Batman and Pattinson fits the role well.. My understanding is that Colin Farrell will reprise his role in a spin off series slated for release in 2023 on HBO. If The Batman is any indication, that will be one to keep an eye on.
Score: 8.8/10
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Zoe Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, and Colin Farrell
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