Reinvigorating Justice: A Review of The Batman (2022)
By Aiden Binette
The silver screen has seen many different renditions of Batman. From Adam West to Robert Pattinson, a wide variety of actors, directors, and writers have portrayed the Caped Crusader over his 56 years of film appearances. All of these different artists come together to form the persona of Batman: Dark, a silent vigilante of justice who fights crime in the dead of night. A world-class detective who brings criminals into the proper authorities after apprehension, who vows to combat the scum of Gotham City without taking a life. These attributes define who Batman is, but most filmmakers who adapt the character leave the detective role out of Batman's persona, and that is what makes Matt Reeves's The Batman one of the best adaptations of the character.
2022's The Batman, like all of the other movies before it, takes place in Gotham City, a grim metropolis running rampant with crime and corruption. While the city may appear to have some good times ahead, Halloween night marks the first of many murders by the Riddler, who leaves behind a letter for Batman that initiates the plot. Thereafter, the evil of Gotham City exposes itself as Batman struggles to solve the Riddler's schemes and unearth the truth about his past.
The first 12 minutes establish the world of Gotham City and the current state of its politics and people. Crime is so rampant that the bat signal is a scare tactic rather than a call for Batman, crime runs rampant, and the police force is corrupt up to its commissioner. Matt Reeves is aware that the audience is attending a Batman movie and thus builds up the reveal of Batman throughout that sequence, only alluding to him through a monologue that serves the narrative purpose of painting the bleak picture that is Gotham City. This scene alone sets the tone, setting, and themes of the film so naturally, viewers will not even notice the 12 minutes that transpired without a single frame showing Batman.
Characterization seems to be a skill that not many writers know how to accomplish perfectly. Most opt for a smaller main cast or (in worse movies) have multiple characters with the same personality type. On that note, Reeves and Peter Craig knock it out of the park with how well they characterize their cast. No two characters feel alike, and every single character is memorable. Also, every character has easily understandable goals that the writers do not need to spell out for the audience. For example, Officer Gordon wants to stop the Riddler's murders to deliver peace to Gotham City by lawful means. However, Batman wishes to solve the mystery the Riddler proposes to not only bring him to justice but also expose the criminal underworld that rules Gotham by his means and morals. Likewise, Catwoman seeks her form of justice on those that she deems vile based on her own set of values that contrast with all parties introduced prior. These characters share similarities to Batman that bring the movie together and make things feel more cohesive, but also ensure that each character feels unique from one another.
Speaking of the Riddler, he is the primary villain of the movie, and while there are other factors, he remains the main focus. Reeves and Craig take many liberties with the character of the Riddler but do an impeccable job making him compelling, detestable, and understandable in his plan, motives, and ultimate goal when it comes to the state of Gotham City. Now, most villains have a similar goal to the heroes. For example, Batman and The Joker both compete for the will of Gotham City throughout The Dark Knight, and in Tim Burton's Batman Returns, Batman and The Penguin struggled for the loyalty of the people of Gotham City. Following this trope, Reeves and Craig had The Riddler and Batman grapple for the future of Gotham City. Both parties wish for substantial change, but their methods and reasons are wildly different. The similarities between the two, and their respective differences, are what powers the movie going forward, fueling the development of the characters and the mystery of the film. These attributes collide to form one of the most believable hero-villain dynamics that superhero movies have seen in years. The Batman depicts a "We're not so different, you and I" hero-villain relationship that the audience does believe when coupled with the theme of vigilantism.
The Batman poses many questions throughout the nearly three-hour run time, and the two most important questions that it answers are: "What does vigilantism entail for the people, law enforcement, and criminals?" and "Is it right for the people to exact the change they want outside of politics?" Debatably, these topics should never come close to a superhero movie, but given the source material, it feels remarkably natural. The film leaves audiences thinking about the morality of the Riddler, Batman, and Catwoman's actions. While the ideas of the people wielding substantial power are not very complex, the film executes this question extremely well by splitting the answers among the three vigilantes of the film. Catwoman and the Riddler’s motives are politically aimed but personally fueled, which results in limiting the required amount of suspension of disbelief for the audience, which is key when making a more grounded and realistic story like what Reeves and Craig set out to do. While The Batman itself doesn’t answer these questions directly, it is made clear that the sequels that will follow will give a definitive answer to the questions the first film proposed.
This film is weird, not tonally, but The Batman is shot in very unconventional ways compared to its peers in the Superhero, Action, or even Crime Drama genres. Not a single scene has a poorly composed shot, and it shows. The camera work is so masterfully executed it makes scenes of two people talking just as intense as a fight scene where Batman takes down 13 goons. Speaking of fight scenes, they are incredible. Most shots use practical effects which involve props and fixtures in real-time rather than being done in post-production with computer effects. This practice achieves a more realistic look to an otherwise unconvincing display and makes scenes like Batman's escape from the police station and the hallway stick in moviegoers' minds several days after they exit the theatre.
Matt Reeves's The Batman is a strong contender for best Batman movie, only rivaled by The Dark Knight, but does this mean the new one is worse? No, if anything, it is a much-needed step in the right direction for Batman movies in the future. This review has remained entirely spoiler-free for that reason alone. I implore all of you watching or reading this review to see this movie before it is not available in theatres anymore. Yes, it is nearly 3 hours long, but the film does not waste one second of your time. It is not only one of the best crime dramas of our generation, but one of the best superhero flicks of our generation. A well-constructed mystery that leaves the audience awaiting every clue, well-established and developed characters, and action scenes that leave the audience wanting more Batman from Reeves and Craig: Those are what await you if you decide to watch 2022’s The Batman.
By Aiden Binette
The silver screen has seen many different renditions of Batman. From Adam West to Robert Pattinson, a wide variety of actors, directors, and writers have portrayed the Caped Crusader over his 56 years of film appearances. All of these different artists come together to form the persona of Batman: Dark, a silent vigilante of justice who fights crime in the dead of night. A world-class detective who brings criminals into the proper authorities after apprehension, who vows to combat the scum of Gotham City without taking a life. These attributes define who Batman is, but most filmmakers who adapt the character leave the detective role out of Batman's persona, and that is what makes Matt Reeves's The Batman one of the best adaptations of the character.
2022's The Batman, like all of the other movies before it, takes place in Gotham City, a grim metropolis running rampant with crime and corruption. While the city may appear to have some good times ahead, Halloween night marks the first of many murders by the Riddler, who leaves behind a letter for Batman that initiates the plot. Thereafter, the evil of Gotham City exposes itself as Batman struggles to solve the Riddler's schemes and unearth the truth about his past.
The first 12 minutes establish the world of Gotham City and the current state of its politics and people. Crime is so rampant that the bat signal is a scare tactic rather than a call for Batman, crime runs rampant, and the police force is corrupt up to its commissioner. Matt Reeves is aware that the audience is attending a Batman movie and thus builds up the reveal of Batman throughout that sequence, only alluding to him through a monologue that serves the narrative purpose of painting the bleak picture that is Gotham City. This scene alone sets the tone, setting, and themes of the film so naturally, viewers will not even notice the 12 minutes that transpired without a single frame showing Batman.
Characterization seems to be a skill that not many writers know how to accomplish perfectly. Most opt for a smaller main cast or (in worse movies) have multiple characters with the same personality type. On that note, Reeves and Peter Craig knock it out of the park with how well they characterize their cast. No two characters feel alike, and every single character is memorable. Also, every character has easily understandable goals that the writers do not need to spell out for the audience. For example, Officer Gordon wants to stop the Riddler's murders to deliver peace to Gotham City by lawful means. However, Batman wishes to solve the mystery the Riddler proposes to not only bring him to justice but also expose the criminal underworld that rules Gotham by his means and morals. Likewise, Catwoman seeks her form of justice on those that she deems vile based on her own set of values that contrast with all parties introduced prior. These characters share similarities to Batman that bring the movie together and make things feel more cohesive, but also ensure that each character feels unique from one another.
Speaking of the Riddler, he is the primary villain of the movie, and while there are other factors, he remains the main focus. Reeves and Craig take many liberties with the character of the Riddler but do an impeccable job making him compelling, detestable, and understandable in his plan, motives, and ultimate goal when it comes to the state of Gotham City. Now, most villains have a similar goal to the heroes. For example, Batman and The Joker both compete for the will of Gotham City throughout The Dark Knight, and in Tim Burton's Batman Returns, Batman and The Penguin struggled for the loyalty of the people of Gotham City. Following this trope, Reeves and Craig had The Riddler and Batman grapple for the future of Gotham City. Both parties wish for substantial change, but their methods and reasons are wildly different. The similarities between the two, and their respective differences, are what powers the movie going forward, fueling the development of the characters and the mystery of the film. These attributes collide to form one of the most believable hero-villain dynamics that superhero movies have seen in years. The Batman depicts a "We're not so different, you and I" hero-villain relationship that the audience does believe when coupled with the theme of vigilantism.
The Batman poses many questions throughout the nearly three-hour run time, and the two most important questions that it answers are: "What does vigilantism entail for the people, law enforcement, and criminals?" and "Is it right for the people to exact the change they want outside of politics?" Debatably, these topics should never come close to a superhero movie, but given the source material, it feels remarkably natural. The film leaves audiences thinking about the morality of the Riddler, Batman, and Catwoman's actions. While the ideas of the people wielding substantial power are not very complex, the film executes this question extremely well by splitting the answers among the three vigilantes of the film. Catwoman and the Riddler’s motives are politically aimed but personally fueled, which results in limiting the required amount of suspension of disbelief for the audience, which is key when making a more grounded and realistic story like what Reeves and Craig set out to do. While The Batman itself doesn’t answer these questions directly, it is made clear that the sequels that will follow will give a definitive answer to the questions the first film proposed.
This film is weird, not tonally, but The Batman is shot in very unconventional ways compared to its peers in the Superhero, Action, or even Crime Drama genres. Not a single scene has a poorly composed shot, and it shows. The camera work is so masterfully executed it makes scenes of two people talking just as intense as a fight scene where Batman takes down 13 goons. Speaking of fight scenes, they are incredible. Most shots use practical effects which involve props and fixtures in real-time rather than being done in post-production with computer effects. This practice achieves a more realistic look to an otherwise unconvincing display and makes scenes like Batman's escape from the police station and the hallway stick in moviegoers' minds several days after they exit the theatre.
Matt Reeves's The Batman is a strong contender for best Batman movie, only rivaled by The Dark Knight, but does this mean the new one is worse? No, if anything, it is a much-needed step in the right direction for Batman movies in the future. This review has remained entirely spoiler-free for that reason alone. I implore all of you watching or reading this review to see this movie before it is not available in theatres anymore. Yes, it is nearly 3 hours long, but the film does not waste one second of your time. It is not only one of the best crime dramas of our generation, but one of the best superhero flicks of our generation. A well-constructed mystery that leaves the audience awaiting every clue, well-established and developed characters, and action scenes that leave the audience wanting more Batman from Reeves and Craig: Those are what await you if you decide to watch 2022’s The Batman.