The Batman

Matt Reeves is at the helm for this latest reincarnation of DC’s Batman. Robert Pattinson dons the dark suite as we discover him in a Gotham over run by crime, from petty robbery to organised gangs run by overlords who have criminals and corrupt public servants in their pay. The crimes take a new twist with the violent murder of the mayor. Heading the investigation Lt. Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) brings Batman to the crime scene, where they discover a clue left for him from a new menace to Gotham, The Riddler (Paul Dano). But this is only the beginning as Riddler starts to carry out a series of killings to expose the corruption at the heart of Gotham, which challenges Batman to face not only these crimes but demons from his own past.

So does this Batman bring anything new? I think it does. There is a lot to enjoy here. With a gorgeously dark gothic look and some refreshing grown up storytelling. It’s feels more like a noir detective thriller than superhero film and works really well.

While Pattinson doesn’t bring anything particular fresh to Bruce Wayne that’s Ok. Zoe Kravitz’s Catwoman is a good foil and holds her own and there is good support from Wright as well as Colin Farrel (under a lot of prosthetics), John Turturro and Andy Serkis.

Oddly the film that this reminded me of most was Dirty Harry. Not for its world weary protagonist, but actually for its villain. Andrew Robinson’s Killer in Dirty Harry was wonderfully disturbing and Paul Dano’s subtle unhinged menace brings something marvelously disturbing here, a fabulous bad guy performance.

It’s not perfect, it is much too long with a final third that feels very “and here’s another thing”. But that’s a small gripe on what, even for its run time, is an enthralling and engaging grown up comic book film.

This is a detective story at its heart with a brilliantly disturbing foe. Yes it’s too long, but its well told story remains absorbing and engaging. This is a refreshingly dark, brooding, grown up film and for reminding us that you can do that with a comic book franchise it should be congratulated.