‘The Batman’ mostly lives up to the hype

The problem with introducing a new version of a character like Batman is that the creatives reworking the character have to come up with a way to make the concept fresh and compelling without turning off long-time fans. The way writer/director Matt Reeves and the rest of the filmmakers have chosen to do this is by focusing on one element of Batman that’s been there from the start, yet largely ignored by previous cinematic interpretations: the Dark Knight as a skilled detective.

The result is an excellent film that, for the most part, justified the hype surrounding it.

“The Batman” follows Bruce Wayne/Batman (Robert Pattinson) as he tries to unravel the mystery surrounding the murders of a series of important Gotham City officials. With the help of Lt. James Gordon (Jeffery Wright), cat burglar Selena Kyle aka Catwoman (Zoe Kravitz) and his butler, Alfred (Andy Serkis), Batman must discover the identity of The Riddler (Paul Dano) and put an end to his murderous plot.

Doing so causes Batman to delve deeply into Gotham City’s criminal underbelly, forcing him to deal with the likes of crime boss Carmine Falcone (John Turturro) and The Penguin (Colin Farrell). Batman also must come to grips with truths about his dearly-loved family and the city he’s committed himself to protect.

This is a movie that accomplishes several goals at once. First, it’s an engrossing neo-noir detective story. We follow the clues along with Batman and Gordon, feel the tension that builds as Riddler’s plot nears completion and thrill as the puzzle finally comes together. It’s a bit like “Se7en,” if “Se7en” was set in the DC Comics universe.

At the same time, we’re watching a man become unmoored from his foundation as he learns that the truth about his family is different than he believed. What do revelations like that do to a man? Does this change Bruce for the better or the worse as a person? Watching Bruce deal with those questions is fascinating.

Thirdly, it gives us the best version of James Gordon we’ve ever gotten in a movie. Wright’s take on the character isn’t just a good man struggling to battle a seemingly overpowering wave of corruption, he’s also a skilled crime fighter on the same level as Batman, albeit using a different skill set. Watching these two characters together is a real highlight of this movie.

Batman always brings out the A-list stars and this movie is no exception. Everyone’s brought their a-game and there aren’t really any weak links. Pattinson is appropriately lugubrious and brooding. Kravitz handles both slinky and sexy and ice cold and determined with aplomb. Perhaps the most effective performance is Dano who hits the perfect mark between comically insane and chillingly terrifying.

In the director’s chair for “The Batman” is Matt Reeves, who focuses on atmosphere, lighting, color palette and acting, instead of tricks like slow-motion or comic book splash page visual flash, to tell his story. He gives us several very long dialogue scenes that not only provide us with needed information but also really fill us in on who these characters are and how they view the world. Reeves creates an excellent balance between action and character work without letting the pacing get too lumpy or inconsistent.

There’s really only one flaw with “The Batman” that I could see. It’s too long. Put down the pitchforks and torches and let me explain. At a certain point, it feels like all the personal conflicts and the interesting character stuff is wrapped up.

If the film moved onto its denouement at this point, it would practically be perfect. Instead, it goes on for another forty minutes or so just so the movie can cram in the kind of massively destructive, special effects-driven finale that Hollywood blockbusters seem required by law to have these days. It’s not the worst thing ever, but it also feels a bit anticlimactic.

That flaw doesn’t ruin “The Batman,” though. This movie is thrilling, tense and engrossing. It proves that Batman still has plenty to offer, even after dozens of reinterpretations. It’s not perfect, but when “The Batman” is at its best, it absolutely soars.

4 out of 5 Indy Fedoras

MPAA Rating: PG-13