The Batman film review: 'Fiendishly clever and entertaining with an absorbing story and fascinating characters'

Hucknall based writer and film enthusiast Nick Archer reviews another blockbuster, this week he gives his verdict on The Batman.

'There's no such thing as the perfect Batman movi - '

Okay, in all honestly, that's still not true. However, The Batman does get pretty close, in fact, closer than most.

Whether you're a fan of the down-to-earth grandeur of Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy, the gritty, brutal hyperrealism of the Dawn of Justice iteration or Tim Burton's distinctive own brand of gothic that is basically a genre of its own, you'll find something here. If you prefer the colourful campness of the Clooney or Kilmer outings, then not so much.

The Batman is the latest in a long line of revamps, with the most recent batch seeing DC actually trust their directors to do a good job with the beloved source material, rather than weigh in chasing Marvel's locomotive success and dollar signs alone. After Joker, The Suicide Squad and Justice League Snyder Cut , the DC films are finally worth watching, and The Batman is another jewel in that dark crown.

This version affirms the dual themes of vengeance and legacy, joining Bats in Year 2 of his crime-fighting campaign against the criminal element of Gotham City. Still finding his way as he wades through brutal fistfights with thugs and lowlifes, Batman is called upon by Lieutenant Gordon to investigate the bloody murder of Gotham's mayor by Zodiac-style killer, The Riddler. Also present are series classics like an amazing Zoe Kravtiz's Selina Kyle/Catwoman, and Colin Farrell's unforgettably slippery crime lord, Penguin.

The film is in good hands. Matt Reeves, who cut his teeth directing Cloverfield under the watchful eye of JJ Abrams, then later bringing us the stunning Planet of the Apes reboots, has clearly taken on the dark knight as his passion project. It's everything you'd want to see in a proper batman film; it's dark and atmospheric, the world a tasteful yet bitter blend of fine gothic architecture and modern urban decay; Gotham's populous are those innocents just trying to get by in a city rotting away in social necrosis, just hoping to survive encounters with those who would steal, cheat and even kill for their own desires.

The Batman, when he is introduced, is done deftly, patiently and beautifully, hammering in the weapon of fear that the caped-one uses as his tool of choice (other than his fists), and the filmmakers make us wait until well into the second act before we're permitted to have access to this incredible new batmobile in a bone-shaking chase sequence.

Now, many critics had even more to say about Robert Pattinson donning the famous bat-eared cowl than they did about Ben Affleck (R-Bat and Batflect, respectively), but Pattinson shows his acting chops and ability to undertake action choreography without a problem. The star of Twilight has also had roles in indie films such as Good Time and The Lighthouse, and he balances the dual roles of Batman and Bruce Wayne beautifully. Whereas in many previous films, they often seemed like two entirely different characters, Pattinson manages to maintain a synergy between the two so that you feel like you are watching the same person throughout. In my opinion, not even Christian Bale quite managed this.

Jeffery Wright's Lt. James Gordon adds honour and class to the investigation, with an air of desperation to do the right thing in the face of caution and corruption, whilst Andy Serkis as world-weary butler Alfred Pennyworth gives us a glimpse into the sheer weight of the Wayne family legacy. Paul Dano's Riddler keeps the audience on the edge of their seat, at once terrified and captivated by the mysterious and unrelentingly creepy murderer.

At its core, The Batman is a detective story, harking back to the popular Dark Horse comics. It is both a hardboiled police thriller and a serial killer flick in the vein of Se7en, but also makes sure that it is a full-on superhero movie with action sequences, amazing stunts, and inspiring scenes of heroism. Bruce's journey here is one of self-discovery; struggling to heal the wounds of his childhood, to reap vengeance and retribution on the world that robbed him of it, whilst confronting the worst villains Gotham has to offer and finding a path to some form of salvation.

The violence is heavy but not too extreme (realistic, but not as insane and OTT as James Gunn's Suicide Squad), but is the addition of drugs ('Drops') into the story that tip it well into a 15-rating.

This is the Batman flick you've been waiting for; gritty and brutal, fiendishly clever and entertaining with an absorbing story and fascinating characters. But, I'll say it again, it's really just the new batmobile we're actually watching it for.

The Batman is still being screened at The Arc Cinema in Hucknall over the next few days. For details of timings, see [L] https://hucknall.nub.news/n/what39s-on-films-and-timings-at-the-arc-cinema-in-hucknall-for-the-next-seven-days-1646405197 [.L] here.