Review: ‘The Batman’ stuns with a novel perspective on an old tale

The creak of a leather boot, the fear of what’s in the shadows, and a slight clink of metal breaking apart the deadly silence are all ever so present in “The Batman,” leaving an eerie feeling and anxiousness that will last throughout the entire film.

“The Batman,” directed by Matt Reeves, stars Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne, commonly known as Batman. Zoë Kravitz takes on the role of Selena Kyle, otherwise known as Catwoman. 

This take on the story of Batman is unique. Most people have heard the tales of the bat and the cat, but this one dives further than any other. This film doesn’t focus much on the history of Bruce Wayne or how he came to be, but it screams what his life is like now as he works to find vengeance in the city of Gotham while still finding his own identity behind the mask.

Throughout the film, we watch Batman take on one of Gotham’s most deranged villains while uncovering a thick layer of corruption in the city he’s vowed to protect. As the truth is uncovered, we find the source of the corruption to be individuals he’s only heard of as well as active characters in his own life, dating back to before he became Batman. As Bruce Wayne seeks to uncover his own truth, he has a whole city depending on him to discover theirs as well as a million little mysteries scattered along the streets of Gotham.

Going into the film, I had heard great things but I wasn’t sold. I couldn’t get over the fact that Robert Pattinson, the actor who played Edward Cullen, was making this shift from the pale, awkward vampire in “Twilight” to a fear-inducing spectacle of a man like Batman. 

I’ll be honest, I entered the theatre with quite a bit of bias and when I saw him in the beginning, I smirked and thought, “There’s no way it can be all that with him being the main character.” Boy, was I wrong. 

For all three hours the film played, I didn’t leave my seat once, and the only time I looked away was when I was looking around to see if everyone in the theatre was just as amazed as I was. Every minute, the storyline brings a new twist, and just when you think you’ve figured it out, the riddle thickens. 

I especially love how realistically these characters are portrayed. Batman is, at the end of everything, still a man, and the villains are just as real in everyday life. The villains in the film are similar to the comics in terms of personality but not visually, as they’re not walking around dressed in vivid colors and talking in silly mannerisms. They are acting as real, sick people but also, people with reasons behind their sickness.

Overall, I would give this film a 4.8 out of 5. The movie is not perfect but it is really close. I would highly recommend anyone to go see it; I almost want to pay to go watch it again.

If you go, take the time to appreciate the realism. Listen for the breathing, listen to the creaks in the leather and the thud of the footsteps, pay attention to the ringing, to the smudging of makeup, and don’t look away.