Movie review: The Batman

The Batman has finally been released, and we now know what Robert Pattinson is like playing the Caped Crusader. The former Twilight actor is the 7th live-action film actor to don the cowl and cape as Batman.

In a post-Nolan trilogy world, it's really hard for anyone to top The Dark Knight. The Dark Knight is the epitome of comic book movies, and it's still regarded as one of the best films of all time.

The Dark Knight was the most realistic superhero film of its time, and Heath Ledger's performance as Joker is legendary.

The Batman tries its best to mimic some of the best elements of The Dark Knight trilogy, but it still doesn't feel as epic or exciting as Nolan's efforts.

Rather than being an action crime epic, The Batman is more like a detective film. Batman is working with Jim Gordon to find the identity of The Riddler who has gone on a killing spree.

Batman has to find out why The Riddler is killing all of Gotham's elite. Much like The Joker, The Riddler in this movie wants to expose policemen and people of power on how corrupt they really are.

Selina Kyle is also on the hunt for a killer as her friend has been missing. Catwoman and Batman eventually cross paths as they're both finding out who the bigger plot is all about.

What I like most about The Batman is that the film doesn't feel like an origin story.

I'm glad director Matt Reeves decided not to show the Waynes getting killed for the millionth time, but they do play a role on why Riddler targets Bruce Wayne in the film.

Paul Dano isn't as scary as Heath Ledger's Joker, but he plays the role of Riddler really well.

You don't get to see his face for very long, but his methods of taunting Batman and the police force are very unique and frightening.

Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman is the MVP of the film, as she lights up the film whenever she's on-screen. She also has a lot of chemistry with Pattinson's Batman, and I hope she lingers on for a potential sequel.

As for Pattinson, he's ok as both Batman and Bruce Wayne.

What I like most about the film is that Pattinson is inside the Batman suit for the majority of the film. He's able to be brooding and moody, although he isn't as physically imposing as Ben Affleck's Batman though.

Unlike Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, I'm happy to report that The Batman has a ton of action.

Batman gets to beat up a lot of bad guys, and the Batmobile scene chasing The Penguin is epic like the trailers already showed.

However, the film's biggest weakness is probably its three-hour runtime. The movie drags on for far too long, and sometimes it's hard to hear the dialogue from the characters when the music is playing too loudly in the background.

I also think the film could have been more suspenseful if we did not know who was on a killing spree. The Riddler should have been kept a secret to make the reveal more exciting.

Other than a few flaws, The Batman is a fine movie.

It might not be as epic or memorable as The Dark Knight, but it's a commendable effort for a first try. I'm hoping a sequel will be more action-packed and exciting as a second movie is teased...

Verdict: 3.5/5 stars

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