The Batman

The dark knight is back on the road to provide security and justice on the streets of Gotham. Behind the mask of Batman is of course Bruce Wayne, this time portrayed by Robert Pattinson. For two years Wayne has been trying to put a stop to crime and corruption as a masked avenger, supported only by his loyal butler Alfred (Andy Serkis) and the intrepid Lieutenant James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright). But all his efforts seem to have little effect, because violence and crime seem to determine everyday life in Gotham. When a mysterious killer turns up targeting high-ranking political and police personnel, it is revealed to Batman that there is a tight web of corruption and betrayal on the side of the Alleged Right - and that the mysterious Riddler will not stop killing until Everyone Involved has received their just punishment....

Another new Batman? Does it have to be? After seeing "The Batman", I must say quite clearly: absolutely! Because this Batman is very different from the ones we've seen on the big screen so far. The film by Matt Reeves deliberately goes completely different ways than the "Dark Knight" trilogy by Christopher Nolan or the films of Zack Snyder with Ben Affleck in the role of the Dark Knight. It's not so much a superhero movie as a classic detective story, a film noir with very little fantasy elements. It is a very dark film that grabs for almost three hours, fascinates and offers really exciting entertainment.

If you also expect some lightness and humor, you are out of place here. Robert Pattinson portrays the famous comic book hero as a disillusioned, life-scarred avenger who seems to have lost faith in the good in people and especially faith in himself. With the Riddler, he gets to deal with an adversary who reveals with tremendous cruelty how corrupt and corrupting the very people the citizens of Gotham are supposed to trust. To put a stop to him, Batman must penetrate the dangerous underworld of Gotham, where men like Carmine Falcone (great: John Turturro) or Oswald Cobblepot, better known as the Penguin (unrecognizable: Colin Farrell) pull the strings.

Submerged in fascinating images, an atmosphere reminiscent of David Fincher's "Sieben" and accompanied by a great soundtrack penned by Michael Giacchino, Matt Reeves has created a small masterpiece here. He takes familiar comic book characters out of the usual superhero environment and seems to reinvent them in this way. The Riddler becomes here one of the most fearsome killers in recent film history, the Penguin a multi-layered, menacing mobster and Catwoman an extremely interesting character, about which one would like to learn even more.

To not give away too much about the film, I do not want to go deeper into detail here. Because the less you know about what Matt Reeves and his team have created here, the more intense your viewing experience will be. Only one thing should be emphasized very clearly once again. This is not colorful popcorn entertainment, not fun fantasy action like the recent "Spider-Man: No way Home". This is an extremely dark film - visually as well as emotionally - carried by a great ensemble and masterfully crafted. A truly fantastic work that deserves a "Absolutely Worth Seeing" in every respect!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp