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the Batman review


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The Batman

Warmer Brothers

PG-13.            175 min

It's gotten to the point that I don't review every superhero movie that comes along anymore. Not that I don't like good ones but the bad ones are just so boring and stupid it's a chore to sit through them. Among the good ones the Batman series from DC Comics, my favorite comics, has been arguably the best of all. There has always been an intriguing dark quality about Gotham City, there's a massive stable of interesting super villains and Batman,  unlike many others, is actually a human being and even with his high-tech crime-fighting gear is still vulnerable to the slings and arrows that flesh is err to.

Also let's face it the acting chops art quite as necessary as in many films since at least half, probably more, of screen time is spent in the suit. I caught this one yesterday evening at the Cinemark Bistro in North Canton, which is a very cool concept for a theater, and one of the staff asked me which actor was my favorite Batman. I thought about it and I like Michael Keaton but the best movie was with Christian Bale so there's that. This one Stars Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader. I'm personally not a fan of his mainly because I hated the TWILIGHT series so badly but I can't blame him for that. I do, however, I think he's a very good actor after seeing LIGHTHOUSE, an unsettling two actor film starring him and Willem Dafoe. I don't think Patterson has the charisma to make it as a leading man and let's face it he looks creepy no matter what role he plays. Still, in a way, his brooding introverted BATMAN prone to spurts of violence, was an interesting take on the character. Also the look of Gotham City had a very cool and dark retro look even though the film was set in modern-day. Unfortunately, the things I didn't like about the film outweighed its good points in my opinion. First and foremost, it's almost 3 hours long with maybe enough story to hold interest for 2 hours. Also, back in the 80s a character called Carmen Falcone was introduced as a mob boss (one of two who ran Gotham City via some crooked politicians and cops) and some of our favorite villains were reduced to mugs working for him; in this instance the Penguin. By the way, I was shocked to find Colin Farrell under the makeup. I also hated the shift in the legend now making Bruce Wayne's parents, Thomas and Martha Wayne a crooked politician and a crazy woman. They actually reinvented her character making her maiden name Arkham instead of Kane. The Arkham Asylum and family, who were sick and twisted oligarchs, who founded the snake pit style institution dating back many generations, was actually introduced to the Batman saga in the 70s and 80s. Another  twist  is  a bisexual  Catwoman Zoe Kravitz)  who wants Batman to  run away  with  her  and kill hedge  fund managers. C’mon.

 I did, however, really like the take on the Riddler played by Paul Dano as a full-blown lunatic who sets people up with deadly puzzles similar to the one tweet remember from the film SAW.  

 

So at the end of the day when the snooze Fest finally culminates in a speech by the new mayor that would make Pauly Shore cringe with embarrassment, what might have been trimmed down to a two hour detective thriller between the Batman and The Riddler ended up as a bloated and boring woke mess.

D+

WSS

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