Vengeance-Best Served Cold

As a DC fan, I must admit, when it comes to stories, DC movies tend to not stack up quite well. While there are exceptions like The Dark Knight Trilogy, the average DC movie does not do as well as the average Marvel Movie (Avengers Endgame).

Thankfully, The Batman could finally be the breakaway that I hoped for. So as an obvious disclaimer: There are numerous spoilers for The Batman and also other Batman films as well.

The Batman is a dark and gritty take on the Batman Universe. While Gotham is always shown as this dark and pretty corrupt city, this movie takes it to another level, focusing on Bruce’s parents and their dealing which changes the political world along with the criminal underworld. The true enemy of the city is one of old money, and corruption. Throughout the movie, mayors, police commissioners, candidates for election, everything and anyone with power, you see this character ulding of Gotham, truly showing how people are products of their environment.

The main villains of Carmine Falcon and The Riddler were very well done. The riddler (Paul Dano) was reinvented into a far more menacing opponent than one that cracks jokes, using various riddles and gruesome set-pieces to convey the deteriorating state of his mental capacity and his eventual happiness in the damage that he causes both physically and emotionally. Carmine Falcon (John Turturro) is a central character in the series, from being the one to ordering the hit to clean up the Waynes, to being the estranged father of Selina Kyle, Carmine Falcon carries a very well constructed aura of an untouchable, extremely upper class citizen, in which the GCPD simply turns a blind eye or even partake in his illegal activities. Cobblepot, everyone’s favorite Spheniscidae (or The Penguin), is a supporting antagonist, running a nightclub and trying his best to prevent Batman from delving too far into the city’s past.

A interesting change of pace was that this Batman movie takes place after Bruce has some experience in ̈The Batman” compared to ¨Batman Begins¨ where Bruce´s past is shown in more depth and the events culminating in being the Dark Knight. Batman at this moment is just stopping crime, but he hasn’t realized the role his parents had played in the city’s current state and those were deeply affected by it. Bruce builds a stronger relationship with Selina Kyle, but not one of true romance, and he stays true to his ideals of a better Gotham, letting her leave to Bludhaven and he stays back.

Yet the movie strikes a surprisingly good balance between the dark and grim undertones of Gotham City and the humor of it´s characters, such as when Penguin is forced to waddle with chains after an interrogation by Batman and Commissioner Gordon, or more notably, The Twins. The Twins are 2 bouncers who decide who comes in, and Batman always has to find a semi-comical way of evading past them.

I have saved the best for last, which is the soundtrack. The whole ¨Batman¨ theme playing as the main hero deduced riddles and did the ¨rock ´em sock ´em¨ on enemies was a great way to really show Batman as a different sort of hero. One in which compared to one-liners and an overall positive view on life for a Marvel movie, is a brutal and no second-chance DC-style take on crime.

From those who have consumed every bit of Batman media, to those who want to see a Twilight star, The Batman will surely not disappoint, but don’t buy an extra large drink, or you might miss more of the movie than you want.