By: Jesse Rosenfeld
Batman fans everywhere have either been enticed or skeptical since it was announced that Robert Pattinson would portray the caped hero. He has some big shoes to fill, following in the footsteps of Oscar winners like Michael Keaton and Christian Bale, but there’s no doubt after watching the trailer that he’s really showing off his acting chops yet again.
Set against the dark and ominous backdrop of Gotham City, we’re reintroduced to some familiar heroes and villains, along with the legendary Batmobile and reimagined costumes. Zoë Kravitz is enticing as Selina Kyle and Catwoman, who tells Batman, “If we don’t stand up, no one will.” Pattinson is compelling as the brooding Bruce Wayne and deep-voiced Batman. Paul Dano brings a new level of hair-raising creepiness to The Riddler. After whispering, “You came. I’ve been trying to reach you,” on a video message, Edward Nashton’s victim is shown with a suffocated, and duct-taped face with No More Lies written in blood-red ink. Andy Serkis revives the lovable but sassy Alfred Pennyworth, a fan favorite of the series. The Bat and the Cat are the main stars of this trailer, though, and it will be absorbing and captivating to see their mix of fighting and romantic contention this time around.
Enthusiasts of the DC franchise will be happy to see that the film stays true to its rich color pallets, action-packed adventures, explosive combat, and witty banter. We’ve all seen the story told many times by now, but it looks like the revamped casting and writing will bring new light to The Dark Knight. There’s no shortage of superhero movies as of late, but the solid cinematography and all-star cast and crew make this a hard one to pass.
While initial trailers of the film have given an exciting intro to the characters and glimpses of the action, the third trailer provides a bit more of a through-line in this story. Batman must exert himself to defeat the supervillains of Gotham and protect his city while keeping his philanthropic identity a secret and compartmentalizing himself enough to do so.
For the majority of us, Batman has been around since before our birth. More actors have played the Defender of Gotham than any other superhero. Director and writer Matt Reeves has taken on a broad task with this film, but if this stellar trailer is any indication of the luster of the movie, it will instantly be another classic telling of the World’s Greatest Detective’s adventures. Learn more about the film from TheBatman.com.
