By Eric Vallen
Easily a top two iteration of Batman, ever. From a development standpoint, Robert Pattinson’s character is fantastic. In terms of looks, of course, Robert’s isn’t as menacing as Christian Bale’s. However, Robert’s Batman has a certain quietness to him, a menacing quietness. This Batman has a dead-eyed stare, that truly instills a certain fear, in both other characters and viewers. Increasing the intimidation factor, Pattinson’s face structure with the mask on advances the menacing look, as he has a very angled face. In spite of this, Batman does have a much more slender build, not relying on power so much as other iterations. Similar to other iterations of Batman, The Batman centers around the struggles Batman encounters concerning how he operates. For the majority of the film, Batman views himself as an agent of justice but operates as one of vengeance. Throughout the film, he slowly realizes that vengeance won’t cut it, he has to become something more. He cannot fight crime to avenge those he loved, but to protect all. Unlike other Batman’s, with The Batman, no origin story takes place. Viewers are thrown straight into the action, into a torn-apart Gotham. Crime bosses hold control over the city, with the vast majority of government officials acting as puppets on the string. All Batman has is Alfred, A police lieutenant, and his willpower against the full-fledged force of Gotham’s crime scene. The Batman offers an amazingly intricate beginning story arc, especially considering the number of times Batman has been rebooted. Matt Reeves, the director, has managed to create an almost entirely new look on a story that’s already been spun. In addition to his magical writing skills, he made this movie undeniably beautiful. From a cinematography standpoint, The Batman is a masterpiece. From the limited use of CGI to genuinely creative shots, to absolutely pitch-perfect lighting, this movie is amazing. The sound design has absolutely zero flaws, and with IMAX surround sound, it feels as if you’re really there. Almost every aspect of The Batman is perfect. This movie is absolutely astonishing in every way and is absolutely deserving of the love it’s getting. If the following movies are of just as high quality, we might have a new #1 on our hands.