*This review contains spoilers for “The Batman.”
Spring Break is the perfect time to catch up on the movies I had no time to watch. The movie I was most excited to watch was Matt Reeves’ “The Batman,” which hit theaters on March 4th. It was gritty and action-packed, exactly what one would expect from a DC superhero movie. I truly enjoyed this movie, but there were definitely moments that had me rolling my eyes. The film is a solid 8/10 for the impressive performances of stars Robert Pattinson and Zoë Kravitz as well as its incredible score and gripping storyline. With that being said, I have yet to see a Batman movie that didn’t make me want to throw popcorn at Bruce Wayne.
Despite the movie using the same formula as its predecessors, it had a key difference that may have come across as a throwaway line to some but is actually very important to the story of Batman. In one scene, Selina Kyle, played by the fantastic Kravitz, says to Batman, “All anyone cares about in this place are these white privileged assholes: the mayor, the commissioner, the DA, now Thomas and Bruce Wayne.” This line not only shines a light on the real-world consequences of power and corruption but also exposes the reality of Hollywood.
Zoë Kravitz recently spoke up about how she was told she was too “urban” to audition for “The Dark Knight Rises.” Kravitz was only auditioning for a small role in the 2012 film. Fast forward 10 years later, and she has landed a lead role as one of the most iconic comic book characters of all time. I don’t intend to applaud Hollywood for its progressivism; this was a long time coming and frankly, diversity on the big screen is nowhere near where it should be. I will say that representation matters, not only in casting women of color but allowing them to explore the depth of their characters and what it means to be a WOC. I appreciated Selina’s storyline including discussions of her race and the systemic institutions she was fighting against.
Now that I’ve gone through what the movie did right, it’s only fair that I point out what had me practically screaming in annoyance. Bruce Wayne. To be fair, I can’t fault the movie entirely for this one, as I did say this happens in every Batman movie I’ve seen. Still, there were certain aspects of this Bruce that I could not get over. Bruce Wayne is a classic example of the rich white guy, ignorant of reality and painfully obtuse. Bruce spends half of the movie accusing Selina of being a prostitute as if he has some sort of moral high ground to stand on. There is so much to be said about a character like Bruce Wayne, separating him from his superhero persona. Batman is a great superhero and has intriguing dilemmas that kept me on the edge of my seat. Bruce Wayne, on the other hand, is an insufferable prick. Except when he’s not. That’s the part that makes it hurt the most. Pattinson brought so much pain and anger to his portrayal of Bruce Wayne that I rooted for him in the moments he wasn’t saying something infuriating. I got emotional when he locked eyes with the boy who had just lost his father. I felt his anguish when The Riddler revealed his family’s secrets. But my goodness, I was so tired of His Royal Broodiness after the first 10 minutes, and that is saying something considering the runtime of this movie.
“The Batman” is one of my personal favorite Batman movies. I quickly became obsessed with Batman’s intro score and the spin on Ave Maria. The score was stunning and the cinematography was exceptional. Yes, it has flaws, but it deserves all the hype it is getting. I highly recommend this film.