(SPOT.ph) If you’re looking for the usual fanfare that comes with every film iteration of the Caped Crusader known to man – the suave, the tech, the women, even the ever-so-infamous Bat nipples – then you’ll need to look at Matt Reeves’ take on the origin of the Caped Crusader with a fresh set of eyes. Don’t fret! This is as good an adaptation as Batman movies can get — especially if you factor in the initial reaction to Robert Pattinson being cast for the role. Seeing as trailers and clips have been sprouting like mushrooms on YouTube, there’s no denying people know that when he signed on to wear the cowl, he meant business.
Also read: You Can Now Buy Tickets to Watch RobPat as The Batman in Metro Manila Cinemas
Taking inspiration from the graphic story arc Batman: Year One, The Batman is set during the second year of Bruce Wayne’s (Pattinson) crime fighting activities a time when the world at large only seemed to view him as no more than a nuisance vigilante trying to strike fear into the hearts of lawless elements in vain. Making things look a little less than hopeful is the fact that he only has his butler and father-figure Alfred Pennyworth (Andy Serkis) and police officer Lt. James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) on the list of people he could actually trust as he slowly establishes himself to be the very personification of vengeance in the smelting pot of ruthless criminality known as Gotham City.
Completing the image of extreme desolation that best depicts the gravity of the lawlessness this version of Batman has to deal with are an unlikely mix of characters, all deeply ingrained in the underbelly of the city’s crime scene: mafia boss Carmine Falcone (John Turturro), Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot aka The Penguin (Colin Farrell), and perennial cat-mom-slash-burglar Selina Kyle (Zoe Kravitz). Wayne/Batman must forge erstwhile alliances with them all as he figures out cryptic clues a serial killer known only as The Riddler (Paul Dano) leaves behind in every high-profile murder he commits.
How does this version of the Batman compare?
In his take on the Batman narrative, Reeves completely shuns earlier visualizations of Bruce Wayne–stripping him down completely to allow audiences to focus on the much darker aspects of wearing the mantle. Nowhere can the fancy gadgetry that have been customary to every iteration be found here; instead, they’ve been traded specifically for more utilitarian pieces, from the Batmobile down to the glyph embedded in Batman’s chest plate – amplifying further his vision of a detective beginning to explore the possibilities of weaponizing fear in the never-ending quest against crime and corruption. Reeves delivers in creating an environment riddled by chaos, further amplified by a musical score that channels even more devastation and lunacy amid a dystopian society thanks to film composer Michael Giacchino, all in crime noir fashion.
But this version of the World’s Greatest Detective wouldn’t exactly amount to anything without the person tasked to wear the cowl. Without a doubt, Pattinson’s portrayal of Bruce Wayne/Batman, just as those that came before him, stands on the shoulders of the 1989 Tim Burton-directed movie with Michael Keaton taking on the titular role. We’ll take this time to note that Keaton was also considered to be a lessthanfavorable choice for the role due to his more prominent work as a comedian. And while 1995’s Batman Forever established the partnership between Val Kilmer’s Batman and Chris O’Donnell’s Robin, and the mid-2000’s Dark Knight Trilogy saw Christian Bale in the role exploring the possibilities – and consequences – of wearing the cowl, Pattinson succeeds in constructing a more visceral level of thought to the character, a logical move considering his version of Bruce Wayne is only at his second year of fighting crime.
In further deepening the duality of the character, he presents both personas’ nihilistic tendencies, allowing them to intersect while effectively maintaining that fine line that separates the jaded Bruce Wayne from the rage-fueled Batman. That duality gives audiences an opportunity to question whether Bruce taking on the mantle of Batman is going to work. The choice to dwell deep in the shell of a man at the edge of despair puts in a more personal motive for him to keep fighting crime, which allows Pattinson to show audiences a more angst-driven, rage-fueled brawler in every action-packed scene, all while trying to battle his inner demons: his parents’ deaths, a solitary life, self-doubt, that feeling of hopelessness for the city and its residents, and at one point in the movie, fear itself.
If you’re one with extensive knowledge and a deep appreciation of the Batman stories that have been brought to life over the decades—whether it be from reading the comics, watching its various animated forms, or viewing the many, sometimes admittedly confusing film adaptations—then The Batman is most certainly a take you’ll find refreshing. Yes, despite it going even darker than the entire Nolan trilogy. With an ensemble cast and a storyline that veers away from traditional behavioral development devices often employed in film adaptations, this take on the characters from both the Batman family and the Rogues Gallery might, to a certain extent, allow you to understand better the motivations of each—not just Batman, but perhaps also Selina Kyle, Jim Gordon, or yes, even the Riddler. Whether said decisions were meant to serve a more noble purpose or they simply wanted to watch the world burn.
On a side note, you don’t have to watch ‘til the very end of the credits, but you might want to stick around long enough; there just might be a setup for possible sequels. You never know.
RATING: 4.5 out of 5 spots