Is it me, or do we get a new person behind the cowl every 5-6 years? I’m not mad though. Robert Pattinson took on the role in the latest installment titled The Batman, written and directed by Matt Reeves. You might know him for Dawn of The Planet of the Apes, War of The Planet of the Apes and Cloverfield. His take on the caped crusader is more grounded than that of Christopher Nolan.

An unhinged terrorist called The Riddler is picking off prominent figures in Gotham and Batman must stop him. However, he is only in his second year of crime fighting. There are kinks that need to be worked out, as evident in the film. Batman dished out some serious punishment, possibly disfiguring people in the process. You can hear the impact of every blow as he served vengeance to street thugs. He can take an ass whooping too!

I never seen a human body take so much damage in one movie. The tone is so dark and foreboding, they might as well go bat shit crazy and make it rated R. Felt like the lovechild of SaW, The Bone Collector, and Law & Order. The pacing is rhythmic and compulsive. It felt respite whenever someone monologued. Catwoman had an interesting character arc but felt a little subdued. I would like to see more of her history explored in a limited series.

Reeves went for realism; yet some aspects were unbelievable. It matters not how athletic you are, human kneecaps were not made for the impact I witnessed. The city of Gotham is a character all on its own. Think of a blend between London, Chicago, and New York. Michael Giacchino scored this masterpiece like his life depended on it. The story is multifaceted and one that will dazzle you. Can’t wait to see what comes next. The Batman gets a 9 out of 10!