THE BATMAN (2022)

It's an unenviable task left to Director and Co-writer Matt Reeves in mining for new aspects to the Batman character to bring to the screen. We Join our title character where 'The Greatest detective ' is not yet fully realised and an inhabitant of a much darker city than seen before. Gotham itself is realised as a halfway house between Tim Burton's. The BATMAN(1989) and the Christopher Nolan Batman entries. Reeves's version is not as bold or grand as Nolan's films, but here chooses to delve into the more contemplative character beats than dialogue.with great use of cinematography and score to frame the city and its inhabitants. The plot follows well into the second year of the Batman campaign, and on the case of serial killer 'The Riddler' who is terrorising the already haunted streets of Gotham city with a calling card on each victim addressed to our hero. But it is a case, as 'The Batman' soon discovers that threatens all unravel all aspects of both sides of the law. The script is really a hotchpotch of Fincher's Seven and Gotham the TV series to be honest, with some nod's to DC's 'Watchmen'style voice over. At three hours outstays it'swelcome by a good fifty mins with a strange Gotham in peril climax ,despite the main plot mystery already solved, and really becomes the weakest here. Robert Pattinson's role here is left to play the angry detective playing catch up with the machinations of the city and the plans of its Villians ,who are the one who really orchestrates this narative. It is probably a thankless task as role, and we are not treated to any growth of character as of yet. Also there is no glimpse of the Bruce Wayne facade, which other actor's have usually have had fun with in previous incarnations, it leaves Patterson with really one note to play with. But he does it well with sullen brooding ease. In fact the highlights of the film really belong to the the villains here,not so pantomime as Burton's classic or even Nolan's. Riddler,Catwoman, Falcone and Penguin all make their appearance. With them all being played with A list actor talents ,with Zoe Kravitz stealing the show, as Selina Kyle, with no want or need for anybody as defined in the comics. It's a shame we don't see BATMAN himself develop more agency and hints at what a more rounded hero he is fated to be. It is the 'Best BATMAN Movie'? No certainly not. But good to see, a comic book movie explore the darker territory, that current Marvel Movies dare not tread.