The Batman - Robert Pattinson

[Kurth]

Just finished watching on HBO. Loved it! This is the second film starring Pattison this week. The other was Tenet (which I’ve seen 3 times now, completely love, but still do not really understand). Between his role in that one and now his turn as Batman, Pattison is quickly becoming someone I’ll actively seek out in movies.

Also, Jeffrey Wright deserves a shoutout for his Commissioner (not yet, I know) Gordon. I love that guy. So good in Westworld, and great in Batman, too.

[Isgrimnur]

Also, Jeffrey Wright deserves a shoutout for his Commissioner (not yet, I know) Gordon. I love that guy. So good in Westworld, and great in Batman, too.

And What If...? and 007 and...

[JCC]

Checked this out tonight. It's good - at times very good. Pattinson does a really good job. It is also VERY VERY LONG - to a fault. Not going to supplant the Bale movies, but definitely worth a watch.

[msteelers]

I… did not like this movie. The acting was great, but the story was terrible and the pacing was glacial.

I fell asleep DURING THE BATMOBILE CHASE.

I didn’t think that was possible.

[hepcat]

You should have seen it in 4dx…

[El Guapo]

Checked this out tonight. It's good - at times very good. Pattinson does a really good job. It is also VERY VERY LONG - to a fault. Not going to supplant the Bale movies, but definitely worth a watch.

Yeah, I agree. I liked it quite a bit - cast was tremendous and all did a great job. Story kept me engaged, though it did (understandably) swerve into superhero movie silliness at times. One of the better Batman movies - probably top 3 I think.

But man, that length. I feel like no movie really needs to be three hours long.

[Blackhawk]

If they could just take this, The Dark Knight (the second film, not the whole trilogy), and Batman '89 and mash them together, they'd have the perfect Batman movie.

[Max Peck]

This movie raises an important question: What's the deal with superheroes and capes? Batman's cape served no purpose whatsoever, and at one point he ends up being helplessly dragged by the cape by a lowly minion. So why does he bother with it?

Also, Zoë Kravitz is the best Catwoman since Julie Newmar.

[disarm]

This movie raises an important question: What's the deal with superheroes and capes? Batman's cape served no purpose whatsoever, and at one point he ends up being helplessly dragged by the cape by a lowly minion. So why does he bother with it?

Also, Zoë Kravitz is the best Catwoman since Julie Newmar.

The Incredibles covered this...

[Daehawk]

Zoe is always a doll. She stood out to me in Fury Road.

[Blackhawk]

This movie raises an important question: What's the deal with superheroes and capes? Batman's cape served no purpose whatsoever

Batman's cape is a gadget. It's packed with goodies, and he uses it to glide. At least in the comics - they went with a slightly different approach in the film. But yes, capes are stupid.

[Daehawk]

Batglider. Id also suspect its bullet proof.

[hitbyambulance]

even at three hours, this felt a bit rushed at times. should have been a two-parter. ...or a mini-series.

[stimpy]

even at three hours, this felt a bit rushed at times. should have been a two-parter. ...or a mini-series.

I was so concerned about bloat when I went to see it, but walked out feeling it didnt seem like 3 hours and that there was very little filler at all.

[sgoldj]

[EvilHomer3k]

Watched it on HBO this weekend. It was long. It had a lot of slower scenes without much action. My kids all got bored and went to play video games. My wife and I liked it a lot. The only thing that really bothers me is the complete invincibility to 100s of bullets but then a shotgun isn't invincible. If you want to make the suit invincible and not react to physics of bullets fine, just be consistent with it. Actually don't do that. This isn't Superman. Bullets should always have an effect on Batman. Pattinson was fine but I'm still not a big fan. I can't pinpoint why but he never felt menacing or intimidating. His speaking parts were good and well done it's more the physical parts. Maybe it was the stunts or the darkness but the fight scenes didn't quite do it for me. While not a movie theater we watched it on a projector with a 120" screen so I don't think much was lost. Overall it was good. Long, but good.

[Daehawk]

[Sudy]

This the most beautifully shot Batman film I've seen. The lighting is amazing. Gotham comes alive like in no other rendition. I loved the highway sequence because it felt more real than in a lot of other action films--it was packed with traffic and there wasn't a lot they could do. The score is great.

Three hours, however, is too much. I say that as someone who loves long movies and is excited to see runtimes nearing 2.5 hours. But this felt way too bloated for the first entry in a new comic series. I didn't feel as bored as I did exhausted.

Spoiler:

But... I think I just need a break from Batman. I'm not saying I won't line up for an exciting new take on the character and his world, but this isn't it. It's fine. I think it's good. But it just doesn't affect me how it once might have. I'm still living in the world of The Dark Knight's shadow. I'm tired of new Jim Gordons and new Alfreds, even if I love their actors and they try to do something new.

I don't think the writing or acting is bad; it's just not fresh. I like Pattinson, but there's very little Bruce Wayne in this and he seems to play both Wayne and Batman as a bit of an empty vessel. Which might be fine, because we all know who the character is at this point. But I feel like there's a failure to get the audience invested in this specific portrayal. I did like the hints at the character's privilege and authoritarian nature, but it doesn't explore it deeply.

Writing The Riddler as a sort of domestic terrorist is timely, but Dano's portrayal seemed all over the place and not necessarily in a calculated way. The cat and mouse game may have been appropriate to the character and to Batman's detective origins, but the plot itself felt stitched together from better shows and films. Farrell's makeup and prosthetics are outstanding, but I'm not sure he has enough to do behind Turturro's Falcone (other than launch his spinoff). The latter of which does a really good job, but if we're going to revisit the same villains/supporting characters every fifteen years I'm going to lose my mind.

I'm grateful they dodged another origin story, but it was only slight. I'm still not excited about having a young Batman. I know they're diverging from Nolan in a lot of ways, but it's still close enough to draw a comparison.