Movie Review: The Batman (2022)

The Batman (2022) co-written and directed by Mark Reeves

I've always had a little bit of a problem with people who call this character "The Batman" instead of "Batman." Adding the article sounds pretentious and self-important (or bat-important, since they reference someone else), much like people who refer to themselves in the third person. Recent DC films (Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, for example) definitely suffer from a sense of pretension and self-importance. They really are not as great or insightful as they think they are. Walking into this film, I had a little twinge of doubt.

This story follows a string of murders by The Riddler (Paul Dano) who is killing off corrupt politicians and law enforcement personnel. He makes elaborate traps and puzzles, but not cute stuff like from the old Batman television show. This Riddler is more like the killer from Se7en or the Saw movies. He even has a warped, self-righteous motivation: he wants to take down the corruption that's ruining Gotham City. And there's plenty of corruption to take down.

Since the murders are so unusual, The Batman (Robert Pattinson) is brought to the first murder scene by Detective Jim Gordon (Jeffery Wright). The other cops are not so comfortable with The Batman on their job. But The Batman proves to be helpful and have some insights and observations that advance the investigation. Additionally, The Riddler left a card for him. The card contains a riddle and a cypher that reveal The Riddler's next steps. The uneasy alliance between the hero and the cops (at least the ones who aren't corrupt) becomes more complicated when The Batman meets Selina Kyle (Zoe Kravitz). She's working at a night club that is a hub of both crime bosses and the corrupt politicians/police that the Riddler wants to take down. She has her own agenda which mostly aligns with The Batman's, so they work together.

The story is fairly bleak and dark. The Batman describes himself as "Vengeance," a thematic characteristic for him. He uses a combination of brute force and brains to keep up with The Riddler. The only uncorrupt cop in the city seems to be Gordon. The rest of Gotham's government is dirty, allowing the underworld to run a lot of the city. Selina has a terrible backstory and is only interested in hurting those who hurt her. The Batman and Selina are supposed to have some romantic interest but I found it unconvincing. The bleak tone is underscored by the sadistic death traps set by The Riddler for his victims. I'm surprised the movie is rated only PG-13. 

On the other hand, the film has some very admirable qualities. First, the mystery is well-orchestrated and The Batman acts like he is the "World's Greatest Detective." He works well with Gordon as they follow up leads and hunt down clues. Second, the acting was good throughout. Pattison is a bit underwhelming as Bruce Wayne but a large part of that problem is the script which gives Bruce little to do. The silly haircut didn't help him--no wonder Bruce is a reclusive millionaire and not a playboy. If I saw a production photo, I would have assumed he was playing the villain. Pattinson does a good job as The Batman, even with the voiceover which is, of course, pretentious. Andy Serkis is great as Alfred, Bruce Wayne's butler. Colin Farrell was also very good as The Penguin, who is a minor character mixed up in the plot machinations. 

The ending gives a more positive spin on things as various villains claim comradeship with, or at least similarity to, The Batman. He immediately rejects this notion and winds up with a minor change of heart (or maybe he grows a heart). He wants to improve Gotham in a real way, an ambition that his allies see as Quixotic. The Batman discovers there's more to saving the city than fighting crime and beating up bad guys. While it's an admirable ending, it also feels a little tacked-on and isn't quite convincing. The idea is interesting and well worth exploring.

Mildly recommended.