The Batman (2022): An Amazing Noir Exploring the Path from Vengeance to Hope

“The Batman” is a film that captures so much about what I love about some of Batman’s comic stories and is an amazing first film to kick off Matt Reeves’s series of films about the character. This Batman is flawed, we have a compelling mystery and Gotham is alive as a city full of rich and compelling characters made all the more real by Michael Giacchino’s score. This is one of my favorite films and easily one of the best Batman films I have seen. Without getting into SPOILERS, I highly recommend this film.

The film was directed by Matt Reeves who co-wrote the film with Peter Craig.

Bruce Wayne / Batman (Robert Pattinson) is 2 years into his time as Batman when a mysterious serial killer calling himself the Riddler (Paul Dano) is targeting the powerful and corrupt of Gotham as Batman must discover the reasons why and stop him.

SPOILERS ahead

The Pros:

The Premise – The Riddler’s killings begin on Halloween, making allusions to The Long Halloween a comic it is clearly inspired from and with his ciphers gives a good mystery for Batman and Jim Gordon to solve while also highlighting just how corrupt Gotham is, illustrating the stakes.

The Soundtrack – Michael Giacchino’s Gothic score does so much to capture the tone and mystery of the film. It inhabits the loneliness of Batman and the characters of Gotham and also elevates the action scenes too as it keeps the tension alive through the film.

The Action – The action is great in this. Whether it is Batman against Penguin and Falcone’s goons or the final fight with Riddler’s men at the end of the film. The action is raw and captures how dangerous Batman is while also showing how well he uses trickery for fighting multiple enemies.

Gotham – This is the best original Gotham since “Batman: The Animated Series” and Tim Burton’s 1940’s aesthetic meets Gothic of his 2 films. This is the more modern update but that old Gothic aesthetic is still integrated into the city giving it an old feel.

The Characters – The characters in this are interesting, even the Riddler’s powerful victims are given moments of humanity before they are killed, which is more than can be said for the corrupt in “Batman Begins.” This show works and gives powerful character moments to everyone.

Carmine Falcone – John Turturro plays the best live-action Carmine Falcone. In this he owns the city as he used the Wayne Renewal Fund to take out his competition and get the Mayor, DA and Police Chief in his pocket. He is the power of Gotham until his killing of his daughter’s roommate is revealed when Selina Kyle tries to kill him and the Riddler later does after Penguin lambasts him for being the rat within their organization. Turtorro plays him so threatening but with a charm as he tells Bruce he silenced the reporter who was going to reveal Martha’s Arkham legacy to the press. He isn’t in a lot of scenes, but all the ones he is in carry weight.

Alfred Pennyworth – Where Carmine Falcone reveals the dark side of the Wayne legacy, Andy Serkis’s Alfred is there to show the good as he says that the plan was for Thomas to reveal the truth about Falcone and that is what got him killed. It provides a contrast. Also when the Riddler targets Bruce Wayne for the “Sins of his father” and the Renewal fund corruption it is Alfred who is hit by the bomb and almost dies. After that moment Bruce finally stops isolating himself and tells Alfred how he sees him as family. It is a touching moment.

Jim Gordon – Jeffrey Wright’s Jim Gordon is wonderful as the cynical but good cop who is Batman’s partner as we see him letting Batman into crime scenes and is the one on the GCPD who fully has his back. We don’t learn much about his personal life but he and Catwoman save Batman from Riddler’s men when Batman is overwhelmed at one point, showing the found family of allies Batman is forming.

Oswald Cobblepot / The Penguin – Colin Farrell’s Penguin is great as Falcone’s second-in-command who we see is set to take power after Riddler kills Falcone and destroys the seawall, flooding Gotham. He is smart and doesn’t cave to Batman until his drug bust is busted as wen we meet him in the Iceberg Lounge he is always in control. I’m curious what we’ll learn and see happen next in his story as he showed he would work with Batman if it served his interests.

Selina Kyle / Catwoman – Zoë Kravitz’s Catwoman does the rogue revenge story (avenging her roommate who might have been more) turned following Batman’s path pretty well. She reminds Batman just how much he isn’t in touch with the people as his wealth and privilege blinds him, and he listens. She also listens to him in turn as when she has the chance to murder Falcone in revenge, she lets Batman take him in. She later leaves the city after asking Batman to join her but knows Batman can’t leave Gotham. I loved their partnership and how they both grew over the course of the film.

Edward Nashton / Riddler – Paul Dano’s Riddler is a lot like the “Telltale” Riddler who targets the corrupt in twisted games. The difference is that one is only that while this Riddler was an orphan left behind who was a nobody but was inspired by Batman to his path of vengeance to take out the corrupt who destroyed his life and left Gotham to rot and reveal their corruption to the world. It is compelling and strengthened by the fact that when Batman rejects him he goes from loving to hating Batman as the classic Riddler trope of having to be the smartest comes out as his final plan nearly succeeds as he destroys the seawall, flooding Gotham and his men nearly kill the new Mayor. Batman saving the people though breaks him as he sees a city rebuilding, at least until Joker offers to be his friend to help him with his “comeback.”

Bruce Wayne / Batman – Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne entirely exists as Batman until the end when he sees what his vengeance quest inspired in others like Catwoman and the Riddler and his men. He is so broken he can’t see beyond his own pain until others share their stories. This transforms him as he goes from someone the people he saves even fears to helping to free the victims of the Riddler’s flooding of Gotham as he comes out into the light. It is powerfully done and I can’t wait to see where Reeves takes Batman’s story from here.

Vengeance to Hope and Healing – The theme of the film is showing just how toxic vengeance is and how it doesn’t solve the problems as all it does is leave victims behind. This is the truth Batman learns as we see him begin to heal and become a symbol of hope as he promises to work to help Gotham rebuild.

The Cons:

The Pacing – This is a nearly 3 hour film that doesn’t feel like it except for in a few parts. The Penguin car chase drags as does Batman’s escape from the GCPD. These were moments that could have been shorter and the film would be better for it.

The Joker Ending Tease – This could have been worse but I wasn’t the biggest fan either. I get Joker existing in this universe at this point in time but introducing him now will leave every film after this asking why he’s not being used, if he isn’t used. He’s too large of a character and in turn draws away from the story. I’m glad Reeves cut the scene with him and Batman as this little scene at the end still brought those same problems, just to a smaller degree.

I highly recommend checking this film out. “The Batman” earns and makes full use of how long it is to make Gotham a rich and compelling world where even minor characters have great moments. I can’t wait to see where Reeves takes the film from here as there are so many possibilities. This is a film that works as a standalone film too and captures the Noir and mystery feel that makes so many Batman stories great.

Final Score: 9.8 / 10 A favorite film and one of the best Batman films.