DC has an array of heroes that audiences keep close to their heart, but Batman has proved to be the most beloved in the people’s eyes. With this comes high expectations for every new film that comes out, and Matt Reeves’s new film “The Batman ” doesn’t disappoint. 

“The Batman” stars Robert Pattinson as Batman, Paul Dano as Riddler and Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman. Reeves uses this movie to depict a younger Bruce Wayne who is getting accustomed to his alter ego who fights crime in Gotham while the citizens of Gotham have to learn to live with their new protector. 

Concerns that Pattinson wouldn’t be a good fit for the role of The Batman surrounded the film. He’s greatly known for his work in the “Twilight” series, and he’s recently been casted in roles that have matured his acting. This film was going to present a challenge for Pattison to correctly capture the role of Batman and make it his own as well. 

Pattinson does an excellent job at making Batman feel more like a human than an emotionless crime fighter as he’s still learning the ropes. This is all done through his dip into a darker and edgier side of the vigilante while still keeping heart tugging moments that refresh the audience. The audience is also reminded of the lack of experience that Bruce Wayne has as a protector of Gotham. This noteworthy performance of Batman brings him into a different light that hasn’t been elaborated on in different films. 

As seen in the trailers, the Riddler is the main antagonist of the story, where he wreaks havoc against people of importance. Gratefully the Riddler keeps his iconic riddle at the crime scene signature, but many aspects of the way he is depicted don’t stay true to the original character. The most noticeable flaw is his new outfit, a stark and bland contrast to his exuberant look in the comics.

Not only is the look of the Riddler modified, but they also twisted his backstory, making it untrue to the comics. Although this helps the story fit together to foster the hate he has for Bruce Wayne, it feels as though the Riddler has started to become someone else. These changes to the Riddler make him feel like a common criminal than the super villain that most are familiar with. While Reeves may want to go this direction with the oncoming trilogy, it could prove to become unpopular with comic fans. 

Concerning this film’s camera work, it does an adequate job of keeping a grim and mysterious tone of the movie consistent. Like all action movies, fight scenes are crucial for the success of the film.  The most notable fight scene is where Batman fights in a pitch black hallway, the only light coming from the tiny explosions the firearms make. The unique part of this scene is that it was all real, with no embellishing special effects. 

The film also has many artistic shots of Batman that help reveal his developing character. It uses parallel shots to convey the character change Bruce Wayne experiences throughout the film. Other than some of the fighting scenes, there isn’t much special about the cinematography of this movie. 

Although there were differences in the movie that comic fanatics would be upset about, this movie does an excellent job at unveiling a different look at this admired vigilante. Pattinson and the other supporting actors took their roles and brought life into the characters, making them feel real. For anyone looking to watch a unique Batman movie, Reeve’s adaptation is worth the money.

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