Used the wrong spoiler thread. Damn it, TCTTS

What. A. Movie.

I'm ready to call Pattinson my favorite Batman. This movie felt like a legit comic book/love letter to the character. The riddles had me rolling, especially thumb drive. I was legit surprised that Riddler didn't know Batman's identity. They played the Wayne story line well, using Batman Earth One as inspiration. As a Batman fan I don't think I could ask for more in a first installment.

Great acting and I'm glad it didn't focus on action. Some legit funny moments but overall a he perfect tone.

Barry Keoghan Joker teaming up with Riddler for a No Man's Land story as a sequel?!!! Matt Reeves has some balls. Can't ****ing wait.

Damn so did I. I blame TCTTS. Copying my thoughts from that one.

I loved the look. Loved the detective style, enjoyed the twist and turns. It was a LOT plot wise. But sometimes that worked to the movies advantage, found myself wrapped up in the crime boss stuff, forgetting the Riddler storyline, which I felt was intentional.

As long as it was, I was never bored, but there were things I wish we could have seen more, mainly RPatt as Wayne and his relationship with Alfred.

I think the writing was meh at times. Felt like often Jeffrey Wright was just there to state the obvious. "You tellin me the biggest drug bust in Gotham history was a fraud?" That kinda thing.

Pat and Kravitz crushed it, all the performances were great really. But man… that CAR CHASE. Him coming off the elevator in the dark. There was some sick moments. Would definitely watch more of this version for sure.

Score wise for me, this is probably in the low 90s, which puts it in between TDK and Batman Begins for me in Batman movies but that could improve. Where as the TDK really kind of lives and dies on Bale and Ledger I feel like this one has a supporting cast that stands up well on their own outside of Pattinson and Dano, and I found the crime boss stuff was done better here than in TDK.

Either way, they're very different movies, but both really good and I wouldn't argue with anyone who enjoys this one more.

I thought this movie was excellent. I'll start with some gripes though:

1) It definitely feels every bit of the 3 hours long. Its not action pact and fast paced, so I'm not sure how it will stand up on rewatch in that respect. I don't think that there is anything storyline or scene that I am like "they should have cut that out", its just so stuffed AND they let things breath a bit (which I appreciate -- its my mine gripe with Nolan's trilogy), but its looong.

2) I really disliked, borderline hated the Joker scene at the end (I guess they could have cut that scene and shaved 2 minutes off the run time). It just felt unnecessary franchise building to a story that was very self contained and great. Like...we all know they want to make more of these, do we really need to tease them at the end like that?

Thats really it on the negatives. Heres the good:

1) Cinematography. Greig Fraser has climbed the list of favorites for me in the last few years. He may win back to back Oscars (he is nominated for Dune). This movie was gorgeous. And I love how they used the volume (or something like it) that they use on the Mandolarian to great effect here. Those rooftop scenes or the finale fight in the rafters over the stadium looked so good and had such great lighting.

2) Cast. Everyone was perfectly cast, IMO. Pattinson and Kravitz in particular did so well. Pattinson communicated so much with his eyes under the mask. I don't think we've had a Batman be able to do that well before this, but perhaps its because he was literally Batman the whole time. Kravitz is THE catwoman for me moving forward. What a great arc she had and she made the most of it. Everyone else was very good as well.

3) Gotham. The production design, locations, atmosphere, story of the city. It was all just so good.

4) Score. IDK that I can say anything about it that hasn't been said. Its an impressive score for sure.

5) Matt Reeves. I don't think anyone WANTS to follow Nolan in anything, but he did it, striking a completely different, yet fully realized and instantly iconic portrait of Batman. From story to directing choices, he NAILED this.

I kind of agree with your second gripe. As cool as it will be to have Riddler and Joker team up in the sequel, it felt super out of place. Might have been a cool mid credits scene, but I also loved the "Gotham loves a comeback" quote.

I just thought of another thing that kind of annoyed me -- It sounds like I got annoyed a lot, but there weren't that many gripes so its easy to pick them out haha.

When he gets knocked out after the explosion at the funeral and then wakes up at the police department and NO ONE unmasked him in transit? Come on....even Gordon would take that mask off in that situation. It stretched credibility way too far haha.

That was very comic booky, which is why I was (mostly) alright with it

After having time to think about it, here are my gripes:

1) The ending felt super quick. Riddler's goons had just shown up and there were only 20 minutes left in the movie.

2) I watched too many trailers and tv spots

3) In a perfect world this would have come out last October

I know 2 and 3 weren't the movie's fault.

Yeah my friend and I were commenting on how disappointing it was that all of the coolest shots of the movie we had already seen in the trailers.

Anyone catch that the maid said "I've been trying to reach you", like the Riddler did a few times? I half expected that to be part of a twist, like it was him pulling a Ms. Doubtfire and spying on Bruce.

I didn't notice that but I was convinced that the Riddler would be the son of that murdered reporter.

Also thought there towards the end at Arkham he was trying to make the people watching on the cameras believe he and Batman were working together and the last 30 minutes was going to be Batman clearing his name somehow.

Never seen Batman move with less of a sense of urgency

They may have finally outdone The Dark Knight. That was so good.

I thought every single cast member was pitch perfect, but man, Paul Dano blew me away in that interrogation scene. That was every bit as good as the Joker interrogation scene in TDK.

Loved the score and sound design too. When the Batmobile revs up and the sound just slams you right in the chest...*chef's kiss*. Worth the IMAX ticket for just that.

So that was Joker at the end right? I have to say my one tiny nitpick would be that the voice didn't sound at all menacing and the laugh was kinda weak, but that may not even be the actor who plays the part, so we'll see.

This belongs right alongside movies like Seven, Zodiac, and TDK.

Hope this excels at the box office so we get another one.

Quote:

---

The riddles had me rolling, especially thumb drive. I was legit surprised that Riddler didn't know Batman's identity.

---

Pretty sure he did, and he purposely kept it secret. Unless I missed something?

I read it as him toying with him at the end.

I thought he was just lamenting he wasn't able to kill Bruce, and was convinced Batman would help him

"What is this, good cop bat**** cop?"

Just got home and will write up my thoughts in more detail here in a bit, but popping in to echo that the Riddler 100% didn't know Bruce was Batman. The cut to the security camera from Bruce's POV, Bruce's nervousness in being outed in that moment, the Riddler's sentence structure/way he said "Bruce Wayne," and then most tellingly, Bruce's subtly relieved facial expression when he realizes what the Riddler was actually saying, all point to Riddler not knowing. The whole point, in fact, was that as smart as the Riddler thought he was, he still didn't piece it together. Bruce had that on him in that moment.

TCTTS said:

---

Just got home and will write up my thoughts in more detail here in a bit, but popping in to echo that Riddler 100% didn't know Bruce was Batman. The cut to the security camera from Bruce's POV, Bruce's nervousness in being outed in that moment , the Riddler's sentence structure/way he said "Bruce Wayne," and then most tellingly, Bruce's relieved facial expression when he realized what Riddler was actually saying, all point to Riddler not knowing. The whole point, in fact, was that as smart as the Riddler thought he was, he still didn't piece it together. Bruce had that on him in that moment.

---

I agree. Riddler thought he was working together with Batman to kill Bruce Wayne.

Just got home from seeing it.

- The casting was perfect, Zoe Kravitz >>>

- I liked the S7VEN feel it had to it, and I agree with previous posters that Greig Fraser did an incredible job.

Matt Reeves plays him some Arkham games.

Literally the last Arkham game had Riddler holed up in an orphanage and had green riddles painted on the doors with taped messages playing on the walls inside. Pretty funny.

What a movie. The first two hours were just about perfect.