Film Snail

The Batman
The Batman

7.7

The Batman

PG-13·2022·177m

Summary

In his second year of fighting crime, Batman uncovers corruption in Gotham City that connects to his own family while facing a serial killer known as the Riddler.

Cast

Robert Pattinson

Robert Pattinson

Bruce Wayne / The Batman

Zoë Kravitz

Zoë Kravitz

Selina Kyle

Jeffrey Wright

Jeffrey Wright

Lt. James Gordon

Colin Farrell

Colin Farrell

Oz / The Penguin

Paul Dano

Paul Dano

The Riddler

John Turturro

John Turturro

Carmine Falcone

Andy Serkis

Andy Serkis

Alfred

Peter Sarsgaard

Peter Sarsgaard

District Attorney Gil Colson

Barry Keoghan

Barry Keoghan

Unseen Arkham Prisoner

Jayme Lawson

Jayme Lawson

Bella Reál

Gil Perez-Abraham

Gil Perez-Abraham

Officer Martinez

Peter McDonald

Peter McDonald

Kenzie

Con O'Neill

Con O'Neill

Chief Mackenzie Bock

Alex Ferns

Alex Ferns

Commissioner Pete Savage

Rupert Penry-Jones

Rupert Penry-Jones

Mayor Don Mitchell, Jr.

Kosha Engler

Kosha Engler

Mrs. Mitchell

Archie Barnes

Archie Barnes

Mitchell's Son

Janine Harouni

Janine Harouni

Carla

Hana Hrzic

Hana Hrzic

Annika

Joseph Walker

Young Riddler

Luke Roberts

Luke Roberts

Thomas Wayne

Oscar Novak

Oscar Novak

Young Bruce Wayne

Stella Stocker

Stella Stocker

Martha Wayne

Sandra Dickinson

Sandra Dickinson

Dory

Jack Bennett

Jack Bennett

Travis

Andre Nightingale

Ritchie

Richard James-Neale

Richard James-Neale

Glen

Lorraine Tai

Cheri

Joseph Balderrama

Joseph Balderrama

Lead Detective

James Eeles

James Eeles

Another Officer

Angela Yeoh

Angela Yeoh

Forensic Photographer

Leemore Marrett Jr.

Leemore Marrett Jr.

Muscle Cop

Ezra Elliott

Tactical Medic

Itoya Osagiede

Hushed G.C.P.D. Detective

Stewart Alexander

Stewart Alexander

FBI Leader

Adam Rojko Vega

SWAT (City Hall)

Heider Ali

Heider Ali

Officer (City Hall)

Marcus Onilude

Marcus Onilude

Traffic Cop (City Hall)

Elena Saurel

Elena Saurel

Detective on Phone

Ed Kear

Ed Kear

Surly Cop

Sid Sagar

Sid Sagar

Digital Forensics Cop

Amanda Blake

Amanda Blake

Command Crisis Tech

Todd Boyce

Todd Boyce

Fire Marshall

Brandon Bassir

Brandon Bassir

Young Officer

Will Austin

Will Austin

Traffic Cop

Chabris Napier-Lawrence

Chabris Napier-Lawrence

Cop (Mayor's Memorial)

Douglas Russell

Douglas Russell

Bitter Nobody

Charlie Carver

Charlie Carver

The Twins

Max Carver

Max Carver

The Twins

Phil Aizlewood

Phil Aizlewood

Falcone Bodyguard

Mark Killeen

Mark Killeen

Vinnie

Philip Shaun McGuinness

Philip Shaun McGuinness

Elevator Guard

Lorna Brown

Lorna Brown

Doctor

Elliot Warren

Elliot Warren

Train Gang Leader

Jay Lycurgo

Jay Lycurgo

Young Train Gang Member

Stefan Race

Stefan Race

Train Gang Member #1

Elijah Baker

Elijah Baker

Train Gang Member #2

Craige Middleburg

Train Gang Member #3

Akie Kotabe

Akie Kotabe

Lone Train Passenger

Spike Fearn

Spike Fearn

Vandal

Urielle Klein-Mekongo

Cashier

Bronson Webb

Bronson Webb

Hooded Gunman

Madeleine Gray

Injured Woman

Ste Johnston

Ste Johnston

Paparazzi

Arthur Lee

Arthur Lee

Paparazzo

Parry Glasspool

Parry Glasspool

Scared Drophead

Jordan Coulson

Jordan Coulson

Man in Suit

Hadas Gold

Hadas Gold

Newscaster

Pat Battle

Newscaster

Bobby Cuza

Bobby Cuza

Newscaster

Dean Meminger

Dean Meminger

Newscaster

Roma Torre

Roma Torre

Newscaster

Mike Capozzola

Mike Capozzola

Mediator

Amanda Hurwitz

Amanda Hurwitz

Counterwoman

Joshua Eldridge-Smith

Patrol Cop

Daniel Rainford

Suspicious Man

Nathalie Armin

Nathalie Armin

ATF Leader

Jose Palma

Jose Palma

Command Post #1

Kazeem Tosin Amore

Kazeem Tosin Amore

Command Post #2

Dave Simon

Police Chief Hanrahan (uncredited)

Rodrig Andrisan

Funeral VIP (uncredited)

Craig Douglas

Craig Douglas

Pallbearer (uncredited)

Crew

Director, Writer

Matt Reeves

Characters

Bob Kane

Characters

Bill Finger

Writer

Peter Craig

Reviews

g

garethmb

February 28, 2022

“The Batman” Is A Very Engaging And Unforgettable Tale That Is One Of The Best Adaptations Of The Character Ever

In 1989 Michael Keaton was seen as a very controversial choice to wear the Cowl of Batman but soon proved his doubters wrong by turning “Batman” and its subsequent sequel “Batman Returns” into massive Box Office success before leaving the cape behind.

While four other actors have taken up the cinematic version of the character in the subsequent years, Keaton has remained for many the Gold Standard with Christian Bale likely being his biggest rival.

When Robert Pattinson was named as the new Batman, there was interest but concern as an actor who is largely known for playing Edward in the “Twilight” films seemed to be an odd choice. However, I would say that anyone who has seen some of his recent work including his performance in “The Lighthouse” would be playing him a disservice by saying he was not up to the part.

In “The Batman”, audiences are given a darker and more broken Bruce Wayne, an Emo recluse who is far from the Socialite he has been portrayed as for decades and a very sullen and withdrawn individual who does not exude charm or grace and even shows issues making eye-contact.

When the Mayor of Gotham is killed shortly before the election by a mysterious individual known as “The Riddler” (Paul Dano), the vigilante known as “The Batman” is called in to help the police by Lt. James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright). Gordon has been working with Batman for some time but it is clear that his association with him has not won him any favors with his fellow officers, many of which openly question his use and involvement in the crime scenes.

Further complicating matters are clues left at the various crime locales that are addressed to The Batman and cause many to believe that he may be working with the very killer they are attempting to stop.

As the investigation unfolds, the seedy side of Gotham City comes to light in the form of a missing girl who was photographed with the married Mayor and may well be the key to the investigation. Her disappearance leads her friend Selina Kyle (Zoe Kravitz), to take on her Catwoman persona and delve deep into an underworld that features deadly individuals ranging from Carmine Falcone (John Turturro), and The Penguin (Colin Farrell), amongst others as she and the Batman conduct their own investigations that at times overlap and further complicate matters.

As the body count rises and Batman races to find the true method behind the madness of The Riddler, the tone becomes darker and more sinister in a deadly race against time.

The film eschews the usual abundance of action sequences and glossy special effects which are common for Comic Book related films and instead gives audiences a slow-burning murder mystery that holds your attention from start to finish over its three-hour run time.

The dark and foreboding tone of the film is brought home by the haunting and sharp piano keys of the film’s theme that permeates the film and punches home that this is a film clearly aimed at a more adult audience.

Pattinson does a great job showing the deeply broken individual that is behind the mask and that Batman is the only form of escape or therapy that Bruce Wayne has due to his insistence on saving a city that many argue cannot be saved. He has strained his relationship at times with Alfred (Andy Serkis), caused damage to the financial stability and reputation of the family company in his quest for vengeance and justice, and has become a bitter and broken recluse in doing so. In many ways, it could be argued that his only socialization with others is as The Batman and his single-minded obsession is chilling to watch.

Pattinson also handles the action sequences well as the film spaces them out to put the emphasis more on the man than the gadgets as they are kept to a minimum even during a thrilling chase with the new version of The Batmobile.

The strong supporting cast works well with the film and Paul Dano gives a very compelling and disturbing version of his character which makes the film even darker and more engrossing.

Director Matt Reeves has crafted a dark and foreboding tone and visual style as a good portion of the film takes place in the darkness and his screenplay is not afraid to take chances by putting the emphasis on the characters and their flaws versus an abundance of action and effects.

I found this version of the character and interpretation more engrossing than prior versions of the film as the bold move to do a slow-burning and dark murder mystery versus an effect-laden action film reminded me of some of the better Batman stories such as Batman: The Killing Joke or Batman: The Long Halloween.

The film is not going to be for everyone, especially younger viewers and some may take issue with the casting choices, but their performances shine and as such, “The Batman” was a very engaging and unforgettable tale that for me serves as one of the best adaptations of the character ever.

4 stars out of 5

Media

Status:

Released

Original Language:

English

Budget:

$185,000,000.00

Revenue:

$771,000,000.00

Keywords

police
psychopath
secret identity
crime fighter
superhero
nightclub
politician
based on comic
vigilante
organized crime
serial killer
millionaire
social injustice
murder investigation
aftercreditsstinger
masked superhero
political corruption
neo-noir
vengeance
mayoral election
tragic