The Batman Review: Matt Reeves’ direction got praised
In Matt Reeves’ nocturnal, nihilistic, neo-noir take on the Caped Crusader, Batman, never a day person, is thrown into continuous night. The Batman, a three-hour film directed by Matt Reeves, is packed with action, character introductions, gadgets, and other superhero accoutrements. It’s a depressing mood piece, drenched in gloom and wrath, that reduces the comic’s archetypes to abstracted shadows and grubbily human people. If Jim Carrey’s Riddler showed up in this film, he’d fit in about as well as Bugs Bunny in ‘Taxi Driver.’
Regardless of all these references, this is undeniably a Matt Reeves picture. He achieves here what he achieved in previous instalments of the “Planet of the Apes” franchise: he creates an exhilarating, exciting spectacle that is founded in genuine, emotional implications. This is a Batman film that recognises its place in pop culture, but not in a winking, ironic way; rather, it accepts the comic book character’s legacy, only to study and reimagine it in a significant and bold way.
With Robert Pattinson taking over as Bruce Wayne, we have an actor who is not just willing but eager to explore this figure’s strange, dark inclinations. This isn’t the handsome heir to a fortune strutting about in a fantastic outfit. Travis Bickle wears the Batsuit, disillusioned and disconnected. He’s two years into his role as Batman, and he’s monitoring criminals from a high vantage point in Wayne Tower—an innovative departure from the normal sprawl of Wayne Manor, implying even greater isolation from civilization.
Pattinson exudes the vibes of a hungover indie rock star. Even behind the military gear and eye black, you can sense the high he gets from swooping in and carrying out his version of retribution at night.
Pattinson is at his finest when he’s portraying people that make you uncomfortable, as he’s demonstrated in nearly every job he’s played since “Twilight” made him a global sensation in 2008, working with distinct auteurs ranging from David Cronenberg to Claire Denis to the Safdie twins.
The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson, Zoe Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, Paul Dano, Colin Farrell, John Turturro, and others, is set to hit theatres on Friday, with previews beginning on Thursday.
