The Batman Spoiler-Free Movie Review #TheBatman

I attended a free Virtual Screening in exchange for my honest opinion.

THE BATMAN is an action film from Warner Bros. Pictures. The all-star cast includes Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Collin Ferrell, John Turturro, Andy Serkis, Jeffrey Wright, Peter Sarsgaard, and Paul Dano. The movie is rated PG-13, and parents should take heed of that due to the dark nature of the film. With the movie length at 176 minutes, get your popcorn and drinks early, you won’t want to miss a moment of the action from beginning to end.

The Batman feels like a retelling of The Batman origin story, while true to the franchise, it’s a fresh take on the saga. The BThe Batman feels like a retelling of The Batman origin story, while true to the franchise, it’s a fresh take on the saga. The Batman is a vigilante, meting justice and vengeance on the streets of Gotham City. It’s an election year, the city’s crime has become a problem, especially at night. The Batman lurks in the shadows to fight crime with a vengeance, and he assists Lt. James Gordon when the Bat Signal is shining in the night sky.  

A mayoral candidate, Mitchell, has been murdered on Halloween, and the Riddler has left a cryptic message behind, complete with a cypher and a note labeled “To The Batman.” Batman is astute and follows the clues after being kicked out of the crime scene by the commissioner. These clues lead to a lounge run by a mobster known as The Penguin.

At the club, Batman realizes the server is wearing boots from a photo related to the crime, and he follows her to the scene of the crime where she has retrieved her friend’s passport. They go to her now-ransacked apartment and discover Annika is missing. Cats abound, Selina has a thing for stray cats… Batman and Selena are at odds, but they have a mutual reason to find her missing roommate. While Selina is never called the Catwoman, she has a prowess and dark clothing which allows her to slink through the night.

The reclusive Bruce Wayne goes over the intel he has acquired from the crime scenes with high tech equipment. He has a haunted soul who is obsessive about the work and it takes a lot out of him, to the point that Alfred reminds him his duty to Wayne Enterprises or he won’t have the money to continue his vigilante work. Alfred not only is his butler and de facto father-figure, his background enables him to help with the cyphers and other intel.

The commissioner is the next victim of the Riddler, and it’s clear the murderer wants Batman involved in his cryptic messages and notes left “To The Batman.” As more details come out, it’s clear the big mob bust previously investigated by the police didn’t really end the operation, and there was a “rat” who turned evidence–the Riddler wants the truth to come out, one victim at a time.

The Batman convinces Selina to wear special contact lenses which allows him to see and record what she’s seeing at the secret club within the club. It’s there when more things are revealed and it appears the corruption is deep into the DA’s office as well as the police department, and that the drug ring for drops is huge.

Bruce attends the funeral of Mitchell, feeling empathy toward the son and having shared a similar experience in his youth, though Bruce lost both parents. Unexpectedly, the DA crashes into the funeral… literally.

It becomes a race against time, trying to figure out who the Riddler is to prevent more deaths. As The Batman and Selina work together just as much as they are at odds—she’s more of a rogue, doesn’t care about good or evil, just getting revenge where he’s more into solving and preventing crime. Both have secrets to protect.

We learn more about Wayne Enterprises and how everything links back to Bruce’s father’s donation of Wayne Manor as an orphanage combined with a venture called Renewal which became free pickings, monetarily, upon his death. The stakes are raised as Bruce is now on the Riddler’s hit list.

The pieces of the puzzle start to come together and Bruce must come to grips with the truth behind the family business as the shocking truth of his parents’ murderer is revealed. But, his job as The Batman isn’t done in preventing wrath of the Riddler, even after his capture and admittance into a mental hospital. The Riddler thinks he has bested The Batman, but he hasn’t… there’s still work to be done and lives to be saved.

Robert Pattinson makes The Batman his own and does it so well as both the avenger Batman and the tortured soul Bruce Wayne. Zoë Kravitz’s portrayal of the mysterious Catwoman is perfection.  

The Batman is a dark hero and the movie is enhanced with a dismal and gloomy setting and ominous overtones. Dramatic and edgy music adds to the gothic vibes. The movie is full of twists and turns, a ferocious Batmobile gets the adrenaline running, and there are unexpected reveals at every moment. The intense energy is non-stop entertainment from beginning to end. And you’ll definitely want to pay attention to the final moments… and stay through the credits. THE BATMAN is a film you’ll want to see more than once—it’s that good.

The Batman will be released in theaters this Friday, March 4, 2022.

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