The Batman

      The "Dark Knight" gets even darker in this new version of the Batman legend. Director and co-writer Matt Reeves (along with Peter Craig) take a very different approach to the mythology by focusing more on Batman as "The World's Greatest Detective" rather than the "super hero" of past films. Of course Batman was never really a "Super Hero" having no super powers but just his skills and great "toys".

       Robert Pattinson stars as a brooding and very dark Batman. With the emphasis more on The Batman, we see very little of his alter ego, Bruce Wayne. Co-starring Jeffrey Wright as Inspector James Gordon, the only honorable cop in Gotham and Zoe Kravitz as a very sexy Selina Kyle aka Catwoman, the film's central plot concerns solving the brutal murders of many of Gotham City's power brokers. The crimes are being committed by a sinister version of "The Riddler" (no green suit here), who leaves clues for The Batman at each murder scene. The Riddler's identity is not revealed until late in the film so I won't reveal the well known actor who plays the part. Andy Serkis plays Alfred, Bruce Wayne's loyal butler. The other villains central to the plot are Carmine Falcone, the Gotham crime boss, played by John Turturro and "The Penguin" played by an unrecognizable Colin Farrell (who is clearly having a blast under all that makeup).

​     Mr. Reeves envisions a very dark version of Gotham City where it is almost always night and raining. The film moves along at a slow, deliberate pace with only a few action sequences spaced wide apart during the three hour run time. This is a very different version of Batman then we have seen in earlier films and it take a bit getting used to. Mr. Pattinson is perfect as a very human crime fighter, sullen and fraught with emotional scars. He actually takes quite a beating trying to stop The Riddler. 

   

     Those familiar with the HBO show "True Detective" and the Fox show "Gotham" will probably enjoy this film very much. It reminded me very much of the pace and writing of "true Detective" and the look and feel of "Gotham". Mr. Reeves also found inspiration from Batman comics, in particular the graphic novel, "Batman: The Long Halloween".