The Batman finally hit theatres late last week. We had a chance to see the movie and we can confidently say that this is one of the best movies that WB has ever made for the DC universe. The movie is everything it promised to be and more. It is filled with incredible story arcs, relatable characters, impeccable action choreography, and the most realistic criminal story I have come across in recent times. Matt Reeves outdid himself with this feature. The whole of it is a work of art but the first half of The Batman is the best cinema ever made. Let me iterate what I mean by that in fascinating detail.
*SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THE BATMAN*
The movie starts not with Batman but with our villain. We find ourselves watching a family play on Halloween through The Riddler’s eyes while he stalks his next victim. This is a great tool for expectation subversion as it makes people wonder just what the hell is happening? I even questioned if the child ninja we were watching had anything to do with Ras Al Ghul or the League of assassins. But then it is quickly clarified that this is Mitchell, the current mayor of Gotham, and his family. The man is seen playing with his child shortly before he is murdered by The Riddler. This scene is where you begin to understand what this movie is going to be about. The realization dawns and the title card flashes.
The Batman Is The Best Cinema Ever Made
Riddler’s onscreen presence becomes quite daunting in the first few seconds of his appearance. The costume is just as scary as the man himself. But what makes the scene truly shine is the sound design combined with the camera work. We are introduced to the sound of Riddler’s shallow breaths as he kills and wraps his victim. The duct tape stretch and tear sound are enough to put the fear of God into anyone. Moreover, we get to see the murder before the investigation so we have context about what is happening and can focus more on Batman’s official debut and not on the body wrapped in duct tape.
The narration that follows is quite extraordinary. This is where The Batman‘s writing shines. In the opening cinematic we are introduced to all the major players of Gotham. While Robert Pattinson tells us what is about what has happened to his city we get brief glimpses of all the people we would meet throughout the movie. It is a beautiful way for us to get to know the chessboard. But this is where things get more intense. The Batman has a lot of moving pieces, the mob, the police, the politics, the lawyers and the businessmen are all a part of the conspiracy.
And yet, the movie never gets confusing or overwhelming. Even the appearance of The Penguin and Catwoman is a scene that has been put together fantastically. Something is always going on in a scene. Nothing is ever what it seems, and for the most part, you can hear the gears inside Batman’s head churning continuously. The audience reaches the same conclusion almost at the same time as the protagonist and this is something that is very hard to pull off.
The Verdict
The aim of any story/ writer is to make the audience relate to the protagonist. While watching The Batman we start thinking like a detective, trying to figure out just what is going on. In my opinion, this is a major achievement by the production team of the film. Add to this the brilliant sound design of the movie and you get a bombastic first half. This, alone, makes The Batman the best cinema ever made. We hope that they can carry this momentum into the sequel.
Robert Pattinson did a brilliant job as the caped crusader and we quite enjoyed this version of Oswald Cobblepot. Carmine Falcone was a dominating presence on screen and the Riddler’s plan had everyone shaking in their boots. Let us know what you think about the movie down in the comments below and keep watching this space for everything Marvel, DC, and Hollywood. Excelsior!!!
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