A new dawn for the darkest knight.

Despite being one of the most beloved comic book heroes going, there’s absolutely no way Batman’s popularity would’ve survived this long had he not had the innate ability to adapt. Like any long-established fictional character, the key to the Caped Crusader’s longevity has been his ongoing capacity to pivot with the times.

Since the 1966 Batman, Bruce Wayne has had eight live-action solo films, and while they’ve not all been a completely different take, the character has certainly gone through his fair share of phases. Whether it’s Tim Burton’s gothic chic, Joel Schumacher’s camp silliness, or the elevated drama of the Christopher Nolan years, Batman’s many interpretations have been nothing if not fascinating.

Through all the Dark Knight’s many big screen guises, the one approach yet to be taken is one that’s been associated with the character from the very beginning. Since his first Detective Comics appearance back in 1939, the portrayal of Batman as a sleuthing, noir-like gumshoe has always been there, however, no film has ever truly shown the character in this light.

Until now, that is.

When a sadistic serial killer identifying himself as the Riddler (Paul Dano) begins picking off key politicians one by one, Batman (Robert Pattinson) must venture into Gotham City’s dark underworld to bring him to justice. Following a trail of cryptic clues, evidence leads the enigmatic hero closer and closer to home, as the scale of the perpetrator’s plans slowly become clear, and the depths of the city’s corruption are painfully exposed.

As fantastic as The Batman’s moody marketing campaign has been, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the film’s noir credentials were being over-sold, yet it doesn’t take long into things to see that this is very much the real deal. Grimy, grungy, rain-drenched, and reeking of corruption, the movie sinks itself into some classic film noir iconography, while director Matt Reeves backs up the style to ensure that this is more than mere window-dressing.

Without a doubt, this is the most Batman-focused big screen outing we’ve ever had, and while there are plenty of villains, allies, and antagonists on display, at no point do any of them overshadow our hero. The result thoroughly reinforces The Batman’s noir credentials, pinning the entire narrative to its brooding protagonist, and setting things up as one man against a dirty system destined to consume him.

Unafraid to get its hands dirty, this is a grubby, gritty character piece that sets itself apart from previous Batman incarnations by plunging deep into its hero’s fracturing mental health and making him as lost, alone, and as out of his depth as we’ve ever seen him. Without a doubt, this is not the suave playboy Bruce Wayne or the polished crime fighting Batman we’ve become accustomed to. This is something else entirely.

This is a young man barely keeping his head above water, as the waves of both his inner demons and the spiralling city around him threaten to drag him down permanently, and the result feels like the perfect Batman for our times. Aesthetically, The Batman pops with a brutally bleak visual style that transports you wholesale into Bruce’s clouded mind, allowing you to really feel both his and Gotham’s moral corrosion.

With Bruce Wayne going through one hell of an emo phase, relentlessly grim imagery, and moody dialogue laid on thick throughout, The Batman does often feel a tad too dour for its own good, however, this desolate tone is never allowed to overwhelm the film. Let’s be honest, Batman has always been one of the glummer heroes out there, and Matt Reeves fully embraces this, yet thankfully stops just short of self-parody.

Within this tonal approach, the film’s reverence to David Fincher is absolutely unavoidable. With a dash of Mindhunter here, a healthy dose of Zodiac there, and lashings of Se7en just about everywhere, there’s no escaping the hold Fincher has over The Batman, and while the similarities are pretty on-the-nose at times, it all fits so perfectly it really doesn’t matter.

If you’ve always yearned for the day Batman gets to showcase his detective chops on the big screen, this is very much the film for you, as The Batman offers the kind of hardboiled investigating we’ve only ever seen in the comics. To this end, the movie’s plot is a thoroughly engaging one, and utilises its twisting, turning mysteries to pull you in and keep you hooked.

Putting these narrative elements ahead of the kind of mega budget action you usually associate with your average superhero outing, The Batman sets itself apart as something truly unique within a genre too conservative for its own good at times. That’s not to say that the film doesn’t have its fair share of set pieces or comic book cliché, however, it never overtly relies on them.

Lingering in its approach and clocking in at the best part of three hours, there’s absolutely no doubt that The Batman could’ve benefitted from a trim here or there, and with a third act that loses some of the film’s earlier momentum, there are certainly one or two chinks in the film’s bat-armour, however, absolutely none of this undermines The Batman’s many achievements.

Playing a huge part in The Batman’s success, the film’s cast are, without exception, impeccable. While some certainly have more screen time than others, it’s impossible to pick a fault with anyone from the movie’s ensemble, and led by a gloriously gloomy Robert Pattinson, we’re offered perhaps one of the most well-rounded and fully formed big screen Gothams to date.

While we don’t see an awful lot of his Bruce Wayne, and definitely not in the mould we’ve become accustomed to, Pattinson absolutely nails his Batman, and the result is the kind of wholly satisfying character study we so rarely see from any Dark Knight interpretation. With impeccable eye work and a calmly menacing demeanour behind the mask and eyeshadow, Pattinson may well be new to the cowl, yet he feels absolutely born for it, and if there were any lingering doubts as to his ability to pull this role off, they can finally be put to bed.

Around him, Pattinson is surrounded by one of the finest comic book ensembles going. With special shout outs to Andy Serkis and Jeffery Wright, who put in superb performances with their unique takes on Batman/Bruce Wayne’s confidants Alfred Pennyworth and James Gordon respectively, the film’s collection of antagonists and villains are some of the finest big screen interpretations to date.

Between Paul Dano’s intensely creepy Riddler, Colin Farrell’s riotously unhinged (not to mention unrecognisable) Penguin, and Zoë Kravitz’s beguiling Catwoman, it’s genuinely impossible to pick a favourite. With every actor giving their own distinctive spin on each character, we’re offered something thoroughly different from anything we’ve seen before, while Matt Reeves ensures he never strays too far from the core fundamentals of each iconic foe.

Spurred on by an absolute worldie of a score from Michael Giacchino, Reeves does both Batman and his supporting cast justice, crafting a dark, doom-laden tale that at once feels both familiar and utterly unique. Holding clear reverence for these characters while never feeling beholden to the past, Reeves has conjoured the same magic he did with his Planet of the Apes films, and if this series unfolds in the same manner, we are in for a treat that – whisper it – may eventually give the Christopher Nolan trilogy a run for its money.

Grungy, grim, and gripping, The Batman throws its iconic hero cowl-first into the kind of hardboiled noir we’ve been waiting decades for. Embracing Batman’s detective elements like we’ve never seen before, Matt Reeves crafts a thrilling crime tale thick with Fincher-like atmosphere and loaded with beautifully calibrated tension. Bolstered by stellar performances from Robert Pattinson and his supporting cast, The Batman negates its narrative and tonal shortfalls to offer a solid superhero tale that falls just short of knocking The Dark Knight off its lofty Gotham perch.