edward cullen is the batman (2022) *INCLUDES SPOILERS*

I can already tell this is going to be a long blog. If you aren’t aware, the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy is one of the best things I have ever experienced! So, when I heard about a new Batman, I was definitely a little bit scared. However, this fear turned into curiosity and I had to watch the movie. Here are my thoughts, broken into sections so it’s easier to understand (hopefully):

Emo Batman actually ended up being really cool, and not just bc of his eye makeup

I’ll be honest, I was a bit skeptical of the actors prior to watching the movie. Specifically, Robert Pattinson. I love this man, but I did not want batman to be an edgy Twilight-esque teen that comes to mind when you think of Edward Cullen. However, Pattinson did not disappoint. He captured that internal conflict and layers of pain perfectly. I think that Christian Bale’s batman was more extraverted and charming even when he was hurt, while Pattinson was more reclusive. In the trilogy, there were periods of time when Bruce did not make many public appearances, but when he did, he was somewhat of a playboy. Pattinson’s Bruce was darker, less lighthearted/eccentric. He reminded me more of the Michael Keaton batman: very trauma-centered. His pain was constant throughout the whole movie, even when he’s in public as Bruce Wayne

But Catwoman is cooler??!

Zoe Kravitz was absolutely stunning in my opinion. She embodied the sneakiness and cleverness of Catwoman very well. It was also nice to see a POC woman as Catwoman, rather than the white woman that is she is often portrayed as. Also, her existence did not revolve around Batman- she had a separate mission to get vengeance for her friend (maybe lover?) Annika who had been killed by Falcone for learning that he’s the one who controls operations in Gotham City.

Her moral ambiguity was shown when she attempted to kill Falcone (her own father) as well as the Penguin to get vengeance. She also added ~spice~ in the form of tension between her and Bruce (I can’t just IGNORE their moments okay). There are clearly several layers to her character, and she was a wonderful part of the movie.

The Ridder is a pretty messed up guy

Now, to elaborate on Paul Dano!! His character was pretty good (although nothing touches Heath Ledger’s joker).  The Riddler checked the boxes of many elements of the antagonist. The way in which his murders led to each other reminds me of the Joker. Also, his recordings of his victims were similar to what the Joker did with his victims- both villains want Batman to play their game, which he inevitably does.

Something that caught my attention was the scene of The Riddler live streaming from an ambiguous social media platform- a platform made just for his followers (sounds a bit familiar, no?). Through this platform, he found a group of civilians with the same mindset as him. He essentially used these followers to join his plan at the end of the movie- the final move that was intended to wipe out Gotham like the un-renewable hopeless city he thought it was. Social media’s role in group polarity was represented here, which was an interesting addition that corresponded to our times. It’s something that the trilogy did not have.

Not only was his character written well, but it was also portrayed perfectly. His exterior is unassuming as you’d expect a villain who has felt “invisible” all his life to be. The scene when he confronts Batman face to face for the first time while in jail really stuck with me. He had that same joker intent; he insisted that he and Batman are the same because they want what’s best for the earth. He says that Batman has been helping him in his quest by playing along with the riddles, and in a way, he has been. However, this clearly wasn’t Batman’s intention and he must break the truth to Riddler, who takes this horribly. His little manic episode was incredibly emotional and terrifying to watch, meaning Paul Dano did an excellent job!

Let’s talk about corruption (aka when you thought the movie was over but then there’s another plot twist & you remember the movie is 3 hours long)

I appreciated the further portrayal of political corruption. It was even deeper than any of the previous movies. In the election that is occurring, there is a candidate whose campaign is to halt this corruption. Of course, these promises were the same ones given by past politicians, even Harvey Dent in The Dark Knight who ended up becoming a villain himself (two-face). These empty promises are the reason the citizens of Gotham have lost faith in institutions, and rightfully so. It’s the reason that The Riddler exists- he had always been promised “renewal” from Gotham City but has received only neglect in return. I guess this cycle is what the new candidate hopes to break- it’s shown at the end of the movie when she puts herself in a dangerous situation for the good of the citizens.

In this movie, a large aspect of the movie was hidden secrets-actions that very successful people have committed to getting to where they are now. Actions that they cover up with their fortunes and plan to take with them to the grave. This time, the Waynes family history was challenged. The Waynes were known to be extremely philanthropic and one of the “good” rich families as they did a lot of Gotham including Thomas Wayne’s railway and the orphanage. However, his character is questioned when a certain truth about his past is revealed.

The end of my  blog

Ok as long as this blog was, there is so much more I could say about this movie. So if you also have an obsession with Batman, you know who to talk to!