The Batman Serves as Another Comeback For the DC Franchise
WarnerBrother’s DC franchise has faced critical backlash since 2013’s Man of Steel through Joss Whedon’s Justice League in 2017. With the announcement of Matt Reeves’s The Batman during the same year DC fans lost hope with Justice League, the future was uncertain for this dying franchise.
In the wake of so many reboots and remakes, fans were also concerned with the intentions of this new film. After all, did the world need another Batman movie? Through Matt Reeve’s keen direction to Robert Pattinson’s gritty, compelling performance, and Michael Giacchino’s riveting score, The Batman proves a reboot is exactly what this franchise needed.
DC films seem to be facing a highly anticipated incline with James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad smashing the box office and earning rapid praise, especially in the wake of the film’s 2016 predecessor and failure.
The Batman delivers a passionate, carefully constructed, take on the perpetually reiterated tragic tale of Bruce Wayne and the hero that culminates from his tainted past.
Taking place in the midst of an election in Gotham City, a vengeful, cunning, brutal villain known as The Riddler (Paul Dano) threatens to upend the corruption undertaking Gotham in a series of cruel riddles and deaths all connecting to one another.
Now 2 years into Batman’s vigilante antics, he and Lieutenant Jim Gordan (Jeffrey Wright) work side by side to piece together The Riddler’s twisted puzzle to “unmask the truth” of Gotham’s deep-rooted flaws.
The film’s standouts are most definitely the performances as Robert Pattinson commands audiences to put his Twilight days behind him. His cold, ruthless persona delights traditional Batman fans while compassion shines through in rare moments, making the caped crusader more relatable.
The chemistry between Pattinson and Catwoman Co-star Zoë Kravitz could be utilized in more scenes but their screentime shared together showcases their reflective personalities and individual outlooks on justice.
The Riddler isn’t the only signature Batman villain to grace the screen with his eerie presence. Colin Farrell’s Penguin and John Turturro’s Carmine Falcone keep audiences hooked with their vicious mobster escapades throughout the film.
The action in the film is mind-bending, aided by the cinematography and editing that never misses a beat much like Batman’s beautifully-choreographed attacks. certain shots will leave Batman fans almost unable to contain their glee.
At the center of it, all, of course, is the titular Batman and his struggle to allow his vulnerability to be his strength. Many scenes correlate to this core message in subtle reflections, using cinematography, the astounding score, and a needed lack of dialogue to allow audiences to see behind the mask.
The Batman currently sits at a certified fresh 85% on Rotten Tomatoes. Slightly lower than DC’s last film The Suicide Squad but still has DC fans hungry for more.
DC has tons of other titles planned for this year including The Flash, Black Adam, and Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom. These feature the same characters from the Justice League era of DC that most fans would rather disregard.
If The Batman is any sign of what’s to come (and is already expecting a sequel confirmed by director Matt Reeves) Marvel should take note of their competitors no longer reducing them to their mistakes, but daunted by the potential of a wildly successful future.