THE BATMAN To Debut April 18 On HBO Max
The Batman is the latest installment in the, well, Batman franchise. It is unlike any of its predecessor more in the way we see Bruce Wayne than the actual Batman incarnate. After watching Robert Pattinson’s version of the broody orphan I am not sure I want to see any other representation.
Synopsis: When a killer targets Gotham City’s elite with a series of sadistic machinations, a trail of cryptic clues sends the World’s Greatest Detective on an investigation into the underworld, where he encounters such characters as Selina Kyle, The Penguin, Carmine Falcone and The Riddler. As the evidence begins to lead closer to home and the scale of the perpetrator’s plans becomes clear, The Batman must forge new relationships, unmask the culprit, and bring justice to the abuse of power and corruption that has long plagued Gotham City.
We all know the story and the character so well that going into another one seemed almost unnecessary. I am not a fan of the Keaton, Clooney, Kilmer, offerings at all. I have tried many times to go back and rewatch them and I just can’t. The Dark Knight trilogy on the other hand is my go-to when I need a batty fix. What Nolan did with the series is still untouchable. To say this one was better would be wrong. It is different and I can totally appreciate both for different reasons.
The DC world is far darker than the MCU – Marvel – and that is fine. That darkness was embraced full force in this one. I never had a desire to live in Gotham and this one solidified it. Does the sun ever shine?? That dark heavy tone permeated the story, the characters, and the core of this film. Pattinson used that to his ability and gave us a Bruce that was goth, gaunt, and grieving. There was no business man about town eligible bachelor here. There was a broken man trying to find value in a society that had none. He met brutality with brutality
The Riddler. Man oh man. What a great character that was. Again, gone is the cartoony, brightly dressed, miscreant. Actor Paul Dano gives us a role that is on par with Ledger’s Joker but in a quiet, organic, stuff of nightmares way. this guy could be living in your neighborhood and hiding bodies in the attic. Dano is a powerful performer and if you have dismissed his work in the past you should go and revisit his catalogue. The guy has major skills.
Zoë Kravitz is nicely cast as Selina Kyle / Catwoman. Her balance of both characters was well acted. Like Bruce and Bat there are similarities that need to be there to ground the two of Kyle and Cat. Kravitz made you gravitate to both for different reasons. In fact the entire cast just worked. Kudos to the casting department for sure.
The Warner Bros. Pictures global blockbuster, from writer/director Matt Reeves, THE BATMAN, starring Robert Pattinson in the dual role of Gotham City’s vigilante detective and his alter ego, reclusive billionaire Bruce Wayne, will be available to stream on HBO Max on MONDAY, APRIL 18. Dylan Clark (the “Planet of the Apes” films) and Reeves produced the film. THE BATMAN will also air on HBO on Saturday, April 23 at 8:00PM ET.
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