The Batman

⭐ 7.5/10

(Originally written by Tim)

When I left this movie I kind of thought it was straight up bad. The more I think about it, the more I think that the storyline and plot was bad but everything else was amazing. So I am torn on the score.

Visually I think this is everything you could want from a batman movie. Incredible fight scenes, moody environments, a real perfect vibe for movies like this. There are some really artsy shots of him doing cool things, and they nailed the feel. There is an incredible car chase in here that was probably the standout moment for me.

In terms of the man himself, I can't say I loved this iteration. He is full time detective mode, almost never out of costume, which is cool. Pattinson is more emo then brooding, and I found I could never connect to him. He shows basically no emotion except anger, and I don't need a Batman movie to make me laugh but the self seriousness gets tiring after 3 hours. A one-note performance in my eyes, and while I'm glad they skipped all the origins and hopped around from crime scene to crime scene like a comic book, I could have used some more moments to understand what is driving this psycho.

The MVP here is without a doubt Kravitz's catwoman. She provides the expression and emotion I needed to feel connected to what was going on, and I found her more empathetic than anyone else on screen. The couple's chemistry is great, and I was pleased to see she gets a ton of screen time.

The plot is a whole noir detective thing, and while they nail the beats it is all so convoluted and unrewarding. They are constantly trying to chase the high of Ledger's Joker, and the Riddler is basically the same character, unhinged and unexplainably deranged. Batman gets basically every riddle on the first try, so is he a good villain? And the final unravelling of the mystery is super anti-climactic. I was on edge waiting for a redeeming finale and it didn't really do anything for me.

That is probably the bad taste I still have in my mouth - this movie made me feel absolutely nothing. Some awe at how cool things looked, but no real connection to anyone or the story. So while I would retract the statement that this is a bad movie, I think its great elements don't make it a satisfying movie.