The Batman - Cat's Meow

The Batman

2022, English

Director - Matt Reeves

Stars - Robert Pattinson, Zoe Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro, Andy Serkis, Paul Dano

Mohan's Measure ⭐⭐

The first thing I noticed in watching the umpteenth reboot of the Batman was  just how dark the theater was throughout the movie. I had trouble finding the box of popcorn, leave alone the controls for the seat.

Of course, the history of this character reveals how dark he was first intended to be. Indeed, his eccentricities are just as much as his infamous enemies. But, there has always been something awe-striking in it all, a feeling that to eke out justice like a vigilante requires a certain acceptance to live outside the system, detached from the comfort of ordinary life.

Mr. Pattinson, however, offers an Avatar who is more morose, drowning in self pity, and at times, regretful for his fate. This Batman gets hurt, swears, lacks a sense of humor, and has serious anger management issues. There are deep seated insecurities at work here, lessening the hero worship we would normally have. For this Batman is less about justice, and more about revenge.

Sadly, that revenge distracts the story away from the main villain, a psychopath who seems to be more about justice than the Caped Crusader.  Indeed, we never get to see him until the very end, in an anticlimactic sequence in which he virtually allows himself to be captured.

The only person who manages to bring a human side to Batman is the Catwoman. Ms. Kravitz offers better acting and style to her character than Mr. Pattinson. However, much like heroines in Tollywood, there is little scope to offer more than eye candy and a love that must be sacrificed. Oddly, Batman doesn't see her as a criminal, and indeed is tempted to run away with her.  But, it matters not, as the utter lack of on screen chemistry between them makes the whole romance angle feel trite.

The rest of the characters are offered little more room than the same predictable dialogue, resulting in a Batman who just can't make it off the ground.