David S. Goyer, who co-wrote Batman Begins and is credited with a story credit for The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises, recently shared his thoughts on Matt Reeves' The Batman.
Speaking with IGN, Goyer praised the director of the film. "I think Matt Reeves is a very good filmmaker," Goyer said. He also mentioned that while initially unsure of what to expect from Robert Pattinson's portrayal of the Caped Crusader, he was impressed by the actor's performance. "I had no idea what I would think of Pattinson, but I liked him. And I was like, 'I buy it.' He's a different take on it. But I buy it." Additionally, Goyer applauded the "amazing" chemistry between Pattinson's Bruce Wayne and Zoë Kravitz's Selina Kyle / Catwoman.
Goyer also discussed the movie's atmosphere and the throwback detective story influences. "I liked how noir it was, and I liked that they went in the detective angle, and I liked what they did with Riddler."
The Batman is rife with homages and references to classic cinema of decades past. Hearkening back to the paranoia thrillers of the 1970s, this film explores the cat-and-mouse conflict between the World's Greatest Detective and the serial killer the Riddler, played by Paul Dano.
Reeves previously mentioned the impact that Batman comics writer Jeph Loeb had on his development as a creative in the film industry. Loeb was Reeves' screenwriting professor at the University of Southern California. The four-time Eisner Award-winner Loeb also wrote Batman: The Long Halloween and Batman: Dark Victory, which heavily influenced the narrative and style of Reeves' DC filmmaking debut and the "detective angle" cited by Goyer.
The Dark Knight, directed by Christopher Nolan, remains the highest-rated live-action Batman film by critics. Nominated for a total of eight Academy Awards–including two wins–the 2008 film continues to be referenced as a benchmark for the standards of other comic book movies. It finished its theatrical run with over $1 billion globally at the box office. To date, Reeves' The Batman is ranked in third place based on critics' reviews out of the 11 total live-action Batman features. Accumulating $770 million at the worldwide box office in an era still impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Robert Pattinson-led film is one of the most financially and critically successful productions of 2022.
The Batman is now available on digital and 4K Ultra HD, and is also streaming on HBO Max.
Source: IGN
