No spoilers.
When speaking about the role, director Matt Reeves made it known that his billionaire crime-fighter will focus on the consequences of Bruce Wayne's parents' tragic death rather than the tragedy itself. With Robert Pattinson playing The Dark Knight, one might expect an emo blood-sucking bat and although there was no bloodshed, there are hints of Twilight's Edward Cullen as Reeves' Bruce Wayne is the goriest depiction of the bat that we have seen on the big screen to date. Throughout the film, he is cold-blooded and pale in reflection.
With big shoes to fill after Christopher Nolan's incredible cinematic IMAX experience with The Dark Knight Trilogy, The Batman has taken a darker turn. Destruction of cities appears to be Reeves' forte, as proven by the sequel to Planet of the Apes and the 2008 blockbuster film Cloverfield.
The Batman, like Todd Phillips' 2019 The Joker, stands on its own. Everything appears to be going wrong in the city, as the film is set in a rain-drenched Gotham, which makes the viewer question their eyesight as you must squint in parts of the film to understand what is really going on.
The city is a direct representation of Mr Wayne's mental state, as he is miserable and isolated from beginning to end.
Gotham is a character on its own and the characters are truly a product of their environment, as they are strangled by corruption amongst the people who run the city. Zoë Kravitz, who acts as Selina Kyle/Catwoman in a beautifully layered performance, arguably steals the show with her sleek vulnerable action movements that take the portrayal of a cat quite literally.
Colin Farrell's performance as the penguin is a work of art, as he is unrecognisable beneath the accent and make-up. Speaking of make-up, leaving Mr Wayne's eye shadow on after the Batman mask is removed serves as a reminder of its gritty realism and plays a significant role in highlighting Mr Wayne's awareness and efforts to become The Batman. For the first time on the big screen, Batman's self-narration reveals his vulnerability and the grip he has on his consciousness. Robust and devoid of nipples, the Bat-suit is flawless and, like the film's soundtrack, beautifully orchestrated.
With a three-hour running time, do not make the mistake of watching The Batman late at night, but do go and watch it - it is an excellent psychological crime thriller. Superheroes and supervillains without magical abilities appear to be where DC excels the most in comparison to their rivals at Marvel. One must be curious how Joaquin Phoenix's self-destructive Joker will fare against Pattinson's self-loathing Batman.
The Batman is available to watch in cinemas nationwide.
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