The Batman

This film was a really pleasant surprise. I went in a bit apprehensive, because I'd read the BBC's review, which said stuff like "This is a film in which humour is strictly forbidden" and "There's so little colour that it might as well be in black and white." But this was actually really enjoyable. This was perfect for a Batman story, in my opinion, mood wise. And there were jokes, they just weren't as in your face as in the Marvel films. I really, really enjoyed this. It struck a great balance between gritty Batman-ness, and the more hopeful tone in superhero stories that I prefer. 

The stuff I loved:

He was literally a beacon of hope at the end there. First, the scene where he's guiding people with a flare, through the water. The view from above looked great. Like a splash panel in a comic book. Then, when he's helping the people being evacuated. So, so nice.

I love how he was seen! As in, walking among people. Not just hiding in the shadows to scare people. I actually changed my mind from thinking "aw, I like it when he's a bit of an urban legend" at the start. But it didn't take long before I really loved this version. Loved how he just kinda slowly walked in to places. The bit where he walked into a crime scene could have looked goofy, but I think it worked because of the slowness, somehow.

He got to actually be a detective.

I loved the word play and the riddles. The multiple versions of what "You are el rata elada" could mean was great. Penguin shouting that it sounds more like a bat was also great. Maybe kind of obvious to some, but I still didn't see it coming. I also didn't get the URL-bit right away. It was also funny how the Norwegian subtitlers were struggling a bit with the translations here. Thumb drive for example doesn't translate directly. 

Robert Pattinson looked great as Batman. And the acting, the way he "held himself" as Batman was great. 

The Batman voice was great as well. Not over the top growly like Batman Begins, but just low pitched enough to not sound obviously like his real voice. I'm a fan of DCEU Batman's modulator, but that wouldn't work for this Batman I think, who was working more with the police etc, and 

The slow "Bruuuce... Waaaayne" bit at Arkham was great. So tense! I thought it was actually revealing that he knew that Bruce was the Batman, but apparently not? Read other people's comments on reddit, and they say it was a misdirect. Because he says something like "Bruce Wayne was the one we didn't get". 

The realistic use of the grappling gun. I always thought it's dumb how in the animated series, comics etc, he kinda just shoots it, and it always manages to grab on to something. That makes more sense for spider-man, who has webbing that sticks to things. A grappling hook needs to hook around something.

Loved Andy Serkis as Alfred. I was actually worried they were going to kill him for a bit there.

It was very nice that this wasn't an origin story! Like in Superman & Lois, this felt a lot fresher. Just jumping right into it. I've always thought that you need to get the comic booky-y stuff out of the way early, so that you don't think too much about it. Like the suit. If you spend too much time with Bruce Wayne being a "real human" and not a comic book character, it makes it harder to believe that he wants to dress up like a bat. Here he just has the suit, you see it early, and so that's just the way things are.

Stuff I liked:

Apparently he's afraid of heights? Kinda cool. Was wondering about the lack of "acrobatics". 

The Batmobile looked great. 

The narration worked to show how he thinks. This is so often missing in movies. The characters thoughts I mean. Narration can easily be cheesy or used as a crutch, but I think it worked here. 

Liked how they made this Batman feel like he was still getting the hang of things with all the little details and imperfections.

The visuals were cool. Somehow, the technology looked a bit retro, while still high tech. Gotham looked great. There was a sort of blurriness to things, or a narrow focus a lot of the time. Looked very interesting.

The eyeliner! Looked great on him actually. On other versions of Batman in the past, this has kinda just disappeared when he takes the cowl off.

Also liked that he wasn't full on "clearing rooms" in fights. Also the realism of him actually passing out at one point.

While I love Batman and Superman interacting, I kind of feel like Batman works best in stories where the rest of the Justice League doesn't exist. Then they don't have to make him unrealistically smart to compensate for his lack of powers.

The stuff I was a bit unsure about:

Bruce has no "playboy persona". It's not that I'm such a huge fan of this. I didn't mind it not being included. But I always thought this helps with nobody questioning that Bruce might be Batman. 

I really liked an explanation from Bruce in a fanfic I read once, where he explains why the playboy persona is a big help in not having people see him as a guy that might be Batman. Because otherwise he'd be a prime suspect, as a guy with both money and motive.

I'm not a fan of the superhero causing the issues themselves. It wasn't actively Bruce's fault what was happening, but it was he that lost control of the "renewal" money fund. So indirectly he has caused a lot of the problems in Gotham himself. But, I'm glad he has now learned that he needs to make a change both as Bruce Wayne, and as Batman.

I also didn't quite understand the villain's motivation fully. The bit where he talks about how Bruce was way more privileged as an orphan than he was was great. But why did he go to all that effort to murder people? 

Stuff I found a bit goofy:

"I am vengeance".

The super convenient "ramp" during the car chase.

Don't let the crazy villains in Arkham talk to each other!

Why would the actual news show a video that gruesome (the rat cage), even if they say it has disturbing scenes.

Other random thoughts:

The soundtrack (the four main repeating notes) sounded so much like the start of "the imperial march" from Star wars.

Wayne Manor looked ridiculous! So over the top gothic. Like a vampire or the Addams family should live there.