The umpteenth Batman film adaptation: the fans will flock again, but is the film worth it? The short answer is yes

What is he still fighting for? Fighting evil is impossible in Gotham City. The crime rate is only increasing. Corruption seems ineradicable. Bruce Wayne, aka Batman, sees no more bright spots.

Batman, again.

The Batman is the umpteenth film adaptation of the DC Comics comics around the hero in bat suit. Dozens of Batman films and series have since been made, of which they have succeeded (the quirky superhero films of Tim Burton, the impressive trilogy of Christopher Nolan, animated film The Lego Batman Movie) until utter failure (Batman & Robin† Batman v Superman†

The Batman is a brand new reboot, but it’s hard to separate the film from its predecessors. The most recent Batman films, featuring a lethargic, full-length Ben Affleck in the black suit, are so fresh in my mind that the bat logo has barely caught any dust. You wonder what the makers of The Batman inspired to pull it off the shelf again, although the reason is obvious. Anything with a superhero makes money.

So the fans will flock again, but is the film worth it? The short answer is yes. Director and screenwriter Matt Reeves (Cloverfield† War for the Planet of the Apes) made a deadly serious, stylish drama anchored in realism that still manages to carve its own path between the surplus of superhero films.

Reeves’ vision is closest to that of Nolan, who stripped the superhero film of its innocent image around 2005, without the self-mockery of later Marvel films. The Batman is dark and hardly cartoonish. In doing so, Reeves exploits the specifics of the character well. Batman (Robert Pattinson) is one of the few superheroes without superpowers, relying on gadgets like the Batmobile, a lot of money and his own fists. He is a lonely, elite hero, with butler Alfred (Andy Serkis) as the only sounding board.

Reeves emphasizes Batman’s humanity. Heroic deeds are less important, although the action scenes are of course not missing, culminating in a beautiful car chase. In addition, the film spends a lot of time on detective work. Grim detective films from the 1970s, such as Francis Ford Coppola’s, served as inspiration The Conversationbut also modern versions like David Finchers zodiac†

Batman’s opponent is The Riddler (Paul Dano), who sets out on a grim quest through various political assassinations. Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz) also makes an appearance, as do The Penguin (an unrecognizable Colin Farrell) and mob boss Falcone (John Turturro).

The actors are decent, Pattinson leading the way, although he doesn’t get much chance to color his Batman. This is mainly due to the limitations of the suit. It is only when the helmet goes off that it becomes clear where Pattinson places the emphasis. He is then a vulnerable, young-looking hero, struggling with the legacy of his family.

The Batman is low key but penetrating, without heavy symbolism or gaudy digital effects. Not everything is convincing: the film has rigid dialogues, is too long and therefore ultimately a bit monotonous.

The question that remains is whether a new Batman movie was necessary. Maybe not: The Batman cannot surpass its best predecessors. But if superhero movies can be appreciated as variations on a theme, Reeves has added a fine execution.