Little Fish (C or 2/4 stars)
Though this film is titled 'The Batman', it really is a superhero movie in name only. Matt Reeves' take on this iconic hero is more film noir crime drama than anything else, but ... I kinda dig that. Powered by Greg Fraser's veiled, shadowy visuals, Michael Giacchino's muscular music score, and written by Reeves & Peter Craig ... this Batman is as dark as it gets. Crime is running rampant in rain-slickened Gotham City on Halloween night and, reclusive billionaire Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson) is doing all he can to battle it as the masked vigilante known as Batman; or Vengeance, as he calls himself. He has an ally in Lt. James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright), who allows him to co-investigate crime scenes such as the bizarre, grisly murder of the mayor.
It's there where he finds a cryptic clue in the form of a 'riddle' left for him by the perpetrator, Edward "The Riddler" Nashton (Paul Dano), who is targeting corrupt gov't officials such as DA Gil Colson (Peter Sarsgaard). With the aid of his beloved, trusting butler, Alfred (Andy Serkis), Bruce tries to find this nemesis, with that resulting in him meeting Selina Kyle (Zoe Kravitz), a nightclub waitress who moonlights as Catwoman. She works for Oswald Cobblepot (an unrecognizable Colin Farrell), aka the Penguin, at a high-end club where many corrupt city officials congregate; all beholden by hook or crook to mobster Carmine Falcone (an unnerving John Turturro). And Selina is hell bent on finding a woman under her protection who was recently kidnapped. With more city officials being targeted, attacked, & more dangerous clues being left for The Batman, Bruce does what he can to sort it all out. But The Riddler has more than one catastrophic trick up his sleeve.
'The Batman' is a solid film with interesting cinematic choices made by Matt Reeves. I loved the intriguing opening act, and I loved the killer final act {including a visual effects extravaganza that showcases a Gotham City under siege}. But I can't lie in saying that I was consistently riveted throughout the needlessly long 176 minute run time. The film is SO dark, SO brooding, often too-quiet, & contains that remarkable, yet droning soundtrack that risks lulling viewers into a state they may not want. I appreciate the detective story angle to this, punctuated by bursts of action & spectacle. But I feel that I need another viewing or two to absorb all the miniscule moments of narrative detail & relevant themes that are tackled during the course.
Thrown into the Batman lore with nary a flashback scene, we see Pattinson's caped crusader AS he is; wounded, with years of stress & anger shown deep in his eyes. He is not Michael Keaton's Batman, or Clooney's, Kilmer's, Affleck's, or Bale's. There is no hint of the wealthy playboy. He has his own character arc; an avenging angel who morphs into a somber detective trying to figure out menacing clues about his troubled past, confounding present, & keeping Gotham safe from a madman. I wouldn't say Pattinson's is my favorite interpretation, but the mask suits his chiseled looks and, he acquits himself fine as our bleakest hero yet. I enjoyed Zoe Kravitz as the slinky, smoldering Selina/Catwoman; she also provides fleeting moments of levity.
And as I mentioned above, the final act climax is scintillating to watch unfold. That is thanks to Paul Dano, who has played twisted villains in the past. He is just as unsettling here as The Riddler; an unhinged type who segues from sadistically killing city officials ... into orchestrating chaos & destruction upon the citizens of Gotham. 'Explosive' is one word to describe it. So yeah, I am interested to see where this franchise goes. It is bleak, dread-inducing, portentous, & operatic: all things I tend to like, haha. But so, too, is it lugubrious -- heavy to a fault. 'The Batman' is a good blockbuster with some strong artistic merits. I love this superhero & love crime thrillers, but I think I needed a bit more light & shade to the proceedings this time around.
It's there where he finds a cryptic clue in the form of a 'riddle' left for him by the perpetrator, Edward "The Riddler" Nashton (Paul Dano), who is targeting corrupt gov't officials such as DA Gil Colson (Peter Sarsgaard). With the aid of his beloved, trusting butler, Alfred (Andy Serkis), Bruce tries to find this nemesis, with that resulting in him meeting Selina Kyle (Zoe Kravitz), a nightclub waitress who moonlights as Catwoman. She works for Oswald Cobblepot (an unrecognizable Colin Farrell), aka the Penguin, at a high-end club where many corrupt city officials congregate; all beholden by hook or crook to mobster Carmine Falcone (an unnerving John Turturro). And Selina is hell bent on finding a woman under her protection who was recently kidnapped. With more city officials being targeted, attacked, & more dangerous clues being left for The Batman, Bruce does what he can to sort it all out. But The Riddler has more than one catastrophic trick up his sleeve.
'The Batman' is a solid film with interesting cinematic choices made by Matt Reeves. I loved the intriguing opening act, and I loved the killer final act {including a visual effects extravaganza that showcases a Gotham City under siege}. But I can't lie in saying that I was consistently riveted throughout the needlessly long 176 minute run time. The film is SO dark, SO brooding, often too-quiet, & contains that remarkable, yet droning soundtrack that risks lulling viewers into a state they may not want. I appreciate the detective story angle to this, punctuated by bursts of action & spectacle. But I feel that I need another viewing or two to absorb all the miniscule moments of narrative detail & relevant themes that are tackled during the course.
Thrown into the Batman lore with nary a flashback scene, we see Pattinson's caped crusader AS he is; wounded, with years of stress & anger shown deep in his eyes. He is not Michael Keaton's Batman, or Clooney's, Kilmer's, Affleck's, or Bale's. There is no hint of the wealthy playboy. He has his own character arc; an avenging angel who morphs into a somber detective trying to figure out menacing clues about his troubled past, confounding present, & keeping Gotham safe from a madman. I wouldn't say Pattinson's is my favorite interpretation, but the mask suits his chiseled looks and, he acquits himself fine as our bleakest hero yet. I enjoyed Zoe Kravitz as the slinky, smoldering Selina/Catwoman; she also provides fleeting moments of levity.
And as I mentioned above, the final act climax is scintillating to watch unfold. That is thanks to Paul Dano, who has played twisted villains in the past. He is just as unsettling here as The Riddler; an unhinged type who segues from sadistically killing city officials ... into orchestrating chaos & destruction upon the citizens of Gotham. 'Explosive' is one word to describe it. So yeah, I am interested to see where this franchise goes. It is bleak, dread-inducing, portentous, & operatic: all things I tend to like, haha. But so, too, is it lugubrious -- heavy to a fault. 'The Batman' is a good blockbuster with some strong artistic merits. I love this superhero & love crime thrillers, but I think I needed a bit more light & shade to the proceedings this time around.