With the return of Batman on the big screen, we also welcome the first, truly emo Batman. Not only was this Batman different from the previous films, but this introduced the audience to a darker, moodier version of Batman, seen in the overall aesthetic, music included, and the shadowy, smokey eye makeup Batman wears. The casting directors knew what they were doing when they cast Robert Pattinson and Zoe Kravitz as the leads.
Director Matt Reeves revealed that Robert Pattinson created a Batman playlist including The Cure, Joy Division, Cocteau Twins, Beach House, and more. I think it’s safe to say that I’m not the only one who wants to see the rest of the playlist. Not only did Nirvana and Radiohead add to the moody vibes, but the score added another aspect to the action. It made some action scenes more intense, the successful recipe for the making of an action-packed superhero movie.
There was a lot of debate about whether The Batman was better or worse than The Dark Knight, but after seeing this movie, I can say that both movies are great in their own ways. In my opinion, these films can’t compare to one another because both Reeves and Nolan were focusing on different variations of Batman.
A cool part of going to see this movie was how my theater was asked some trivia questions about the movie. I was someone who answered correctly, and they proceeded to give me a goodie bag prize which had a Funko Pop of one of the characters, a Batman comic and mini graphic novel, and finally a sticker for a local comic book shop. Honestly, getting free stuff was a highlight to the whole experience because who doesn’t love free stuff?
Overall, I would highly suggest you go see this movie if you haven’t already. While the runtime of The Batman borders almost three hours, the pacing of the movie kept the plot moving and didn’t make it drag along. Although the beginning was a little boring for some, it was the perfect length for storytelling and introducing this version of Bruce Wayne. This movie also made my love for Robert Pattinson and Zoe Kravitz combined grow so much. Their portrayals of Bruce Wayne/Batman and Selina Kyle/Catwoman embraced the chemistry both actors brought to these characters. A line said by Zoe Kravitz has me agreeing with her, the Bat and the Cat does indeed have a nice ring to it.