When it comes to a character as well-known as Batman, it’s difficult to do something truly unique from what has come before. So we took it lightly when Matt Reeves and Robert Pattinson promised that The Batman would be new and distinct, since, at the end of the day, this is still Batman. However, we are delighted to be proven completely wrong in this case.
We’re witnessing a side of Batman that has never been completely explored on screen before by bypassing the origin tale and focusing on the “World’s Greatest Detective” component. Reeves has given the character a thrilling spin by incorporating significant film noir overtones and a vividly drawn Gotham world. Bruce Wayne is enraged, wistful, curiously romantic, and extremely emotional in his portrayal.
After “two years of nights” as Batman, Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson) patrols the streets of Gotham and strikes fear into the hearts of criminals. However, it isn’t having the desired effect, and things are, if anything, becoming worse. Robert Pattinson spends the most of his DC debut as the vigilante, rather than Bruce Wayne. His Bruce is preoccupied with his alter-ego, oblivious to how his emotions drive what he does and how this manifests itself in his merciless takedowns of any criminal that crosses his path.
Spending so much time in the Batsuit adds to Pattinson’s difficulty, as he needs to rely heavily on his body language. This rises to the occasion with a commanding performance, and you never question that he is a Batman who the bad guys will truly dread. Every Bruce Wayne we’ve encountered is a mash-up of the ones before him. With every Batman reboot, the stakes are raised to new heights. But Pattinson has the audacity to portray Wayne with such recklessness, with a desire to love despite the fact that he will very certainly never be able to do so.
Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne was well-served by his odd and tormented demeanour. Although some may argue that he spends the entire film on a one lengthy note of sorrow and misery, this is the kind of Batman that Reeves envisioned. Batman as a vigilante has had a very wretched life despite being a billionaire. He had a horrible past where he witnessed the death of his parents and this was the start to his misery.
Adding to that, this movie is definitely not the usual superhero movie that many are used to and it could be the reason why some were disappointed with it. In Reeves’ “The Batman”, there are no good guys and no bad guys which made the show even darker as it addressed moral struggles. Despite Batman’s ongoing investigation in solving the Riddler’s riddles, the grounding point of focus for the movie was on Bruce Wayne’s or Batman’s internal conflict, his woundedness, his confusion and his desire to do good.
All in all Pattinson’s acting really brought justice to Reeves’ version of Batman and gave us more insights of Bruce Wayne’s internal struggles and dilemma. This element added a more personal touch to the movie as it allowed viewers to get to know Batman on a deeper level and the values his alter-ego has. Nonetheless, we hope to see its sequel and how Pattinson’s Batman unfolds.
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