One of the things that have made Batman’s adventures on the silver screen so interesting has been how various director’s have indelibly left their artistic signature on the caped crusader – from Burton’s goth fairy-tale, to Schumacher’s neon-lit campfest and Nolan’s gunmetal gray practicality. These films would certainly pull various bits of inspiration from the comics and animated series but they were largely a product of the director’s vision first and foremost. However, writer/director Matt Reeves, along with writing partner Peter Craig, have pulled off what true Bat-fans have been waiting for: a synthesis of the comics, tv shows and video games to produce something that feels like the truest distillation of Batman and his world; if I were to describe Reeves’ The Batman, I would describe it as the most faithful Batman film ever created. It’s a gothic film noir, with elements of horror and the right amount of thrills and tension. 

Over the three hours that breezes by, the plot unfurls at a pleasing pace as a rookie Batman (Robert Pattinson) and Lt. Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) pursue a hyper-intelligent serial killer known as The Riddler (Paul Dano, terrifying and uncomfortably resonant), who is targeting Gotham City’s elite. The labyrinth that Batman is forced to navigate leads him to the blackest secrets of Gotham City, forcing him to confront his family’s complicated legacy.

There were so many different aspects about The Batman, I was buzzing about on the way out of the theatre: the grungy art design of Gotham City that is truly absorbing, balancing believability and comic booky grit, Robert Pattinson’s intimidating Batman and introverted Bruce Wayne, the film’s bold willingness to make civil corruption the heart of its story and Michael Giachino’s rich, melodious score. 

Matt Reeves’ adds so many touches to make this Dark Knight a cut above the rest (yes, Pattinson’s version of the character easily ranks as my favourite on the big screen). A couple of elements that stand out especially, are the sound design; the wet thud of the Batman’s boots as he slowly enters a rain-slicked scene, intelligently and deliberately assessing a scene. And the recurring image of Pattinson’s raccoon eyes and matted hair, suggesting a man swallowed by his obsessions with nary a word said.

Of course, The Batman, for all its dazzling individual elements, is surprisingly held together by Selina Kyle aka Catwoman (Zoe Kravitz). She’s truly the glue that holds everything together, embodying Selina Kyle’s tough and slippery nature and adding a charismatic element of femme fatale danger to the proceedings. Catwoman and Batman are certainly the heart of the story, with their partnership driving much of the plot and intrigue.

Much has been made of how dark this Batman film is, how gritty and grounded it is. While that’s true to an extent, I believe audiences will be surprised at how poignant it ultimately proves to be. It’s the second Batman reboot in ten years, sure, but Matt Reeves proves there’s endless gold to mine when it comes to this icon.

4.5 out of 5 Stars