The Batman - A Review
By: Mallory Johnson
The newest installment in the Batman franchise came out in theaters on March 4th, 2022, and I saw it recently. A quick disclaimer: I am a loyal Marvel fan and have only seen a few DC movies, so I did not know what to expect before seeing this movie. I was shocked watching the film, because it was dark! I do not mean because of the lighting - the movie was scary, and I felt like I had watched a horror movie after the long three-hour runtime ended. The movie stars Robert Pattinson (the Twilight franchise), Zoe Kravitz (Divergent, Big Little Lies), Jeffrey Wright (The Hunger Games, The French Dispatch), Paul Dano (12 Years a Slave, Little Miss Sunshine), and more. Before I go any further, SPOILER ALERT. Also, trigger warnings for: blood and gore, murder, genocide, gun violence, grief, stalking, voyeurism, manipulation, explosions, domestic violence, drug addiction, child abuse, strangulation, cheating, kidnapping, suicide, car crashes, flashing lights, animal cruelty (bats and rats), and sexual content.
Going into this movie, I knew very little about Batman and the lore. If you are like me and do not know much, you will be okay going into this movie as it is an origin story. I knew some of the basics, including what happened to Batman’s parents, the Batmobile, and knew who Catwoman and the Joker were. I LOVE that Robert Pattinson was cast as the Batman, because years ago he was a vampire in the Twilight movies and now it has come full circle! The Riddler villain was interesting, creative, and terrifying, and he reminded me of the Zodiac Killer with how cryptic he was. At times I found myself getting a little lost while watching the movie, because there is a lot that happens and a lot of characters to keep track of. But I found that it wrapped up well and I did not have questions after the movie. Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman fully stole the show - more wonderful casting! There were some beautiful shots and cinematography! The Nirvana music used in the film added a lot to the dark, almost apocalyptic vibes and I loved it. Two details that I loved was that in Batman’s “lair” he had bats, and in Catwoman’s apartment she had several cats. I loved how twisty the film was, I did not predict any of the twists. I do wish they used a more creative title for such a big movie.
Overall, I really enjoyed this movie, and it was interesting getting to know a superhero that is not from the Marvel Universe. I even found myself making connections to the Marvel villain Venom, incorrectly thinking that I was connecting the dots or making a prediction. I give this movie a 10/10, and I am excited to check out future Robert Pattinson Batman movies if they are making more!