The Batman

Originally envisioned as part of the DC Extended Universe with Ben Affleck not only reprising his version of Batman, but also him cowriting and directing, The Batman was changed to be a separate entity from the rest of the DCEU due to problems in Affleck's personal life. Matt Reeves took over directing and cowriting duties, alongside Peter Craig, while Robert Pattinson inherited the cape and cowl alongside new actors playing Gordon and Alfred. Taking cues from Year One and The Long Halloween and inspired by Hitchcock films and thrillers like SE7EN, this first entry in a new trilogy sees Pattinson's Batman, in only his second year, solve murders perpetrated by the Riddler. To catch him means solving the criminal's riddles, puzzles, and other games that exposes Gotham's corruption throughout its history. Along the way Bruce Wayne has to learn how to be more involved and use his influence to inspire people, recruits Selina Kyle to expose corrupt politicians and cops, and learns the connection between his parents and mob boss Carmine Falcone. While I would have loved to see Affleck in his own standalone film as the Caped Crusader, this reboot's fresh start feels needed due to the writing often making Ben's take hard to connect with. Pattinson, thanks to Reeves's and Craig's writing and direction, gives us a Bruce Wayne who starts out detached while relying more on the fear aspect to his superhero persona and perfectly develops into someone who becomes more open and realizing that hope is just as effective as fear. While he isn't afraid to beat criminals to a pulp, he's smart enough to not kill them knowing they'll be afraid when they see the Bat Symbol. The rest of the cast also deliver and give some of the most unique characterizations compared to previous versions of them. Jeffrey Wright's Gordon is rather laid back and at times comical due to how he talks with Batman, Andy Serkis plays an Alfred that keeps secrets from Bruce, the Selina played by Zoe Kravits perfectly balances vulnerability and badass, Paul Dano portrays one of the most disturbing Riddlers ever brought to the screen, and Colin Farrell is unrecognizable and brilliant as Penguin. As a director Reeves is perfect due to the dedication he gives towards Batman's detective skills as much as the heroics. His action and fight scenes are well shot and choreographed, while the Bat Suit is tough but shows some good wear and tear. The writing is incredible and manages to give us a fresh and unique take on the franchise despite how many times the character has appeared onscreen. Despite how serious the story takes itself, there are still some genuine funny moments that lighten up the movie and feel perfectly placed. One good note is how Bruce is still learning to be Batman, between learning to spread hope for the people of Gotham and not just fear towards criminals and some of his gadgets not always working when he needs them. Compared this to most other live action interpretations, this entry masterfully captures the detective angle that Batman is best known for in the comics. One would think that a movie telling a murder mystery at nearly three hours would feel long, but thanks to editors William Hoy and Tyler Nelson the film felt brisk and well paced. If a superhero film was ever shot by Roger Deakins it would be a powerful competition against Greig Fraser's exquisite cinematography that captures Gotham's desolate bleakness in such a way that is so beautiful. For every new version of Batman, there's always new music to go along with it and for this, and hopefully the rest of the trilogy, we have Michael Giacchino. A lot of the music, whether Giacchino's score or the songs chosen, perfectly fit this movie and often elevates the story. Giacchino's main score for Batman, in particular, has a horror vibe to it that when he appears often makes him seem like a horror villain in the vain of Michael Myers or Jason Vorhees. One issue with it however is how overplayed it gets and while great, isn't as memorable as Danny Elfman's or the Dark Knight Trilogy's. Between the story, cast, direction, and so many things, The Batman is more than just a superhero film, it's a phenomenon. Over all: 100%

2022 top list so far:

1. The Batman

2. Dog

3. Scream 2022