No spoilers

I’ll get right to the point. “The Batman” is hands-down the best film about the character that has been made so far. Yes, as a die-hard fan of the Christopher Nolan films, it is difficult for me to write this. But director Matt Reeves knocked it out of the park, the city, and the entire state when he made this movie.

It has been about 15 minutes since I left the theater where I saw “The Batman,” and my heart is still racing. I already want to see the movie again, despite its three-hour runtime. After a slew of mediocre superhero films coming out of the DC universe, this was a much-needed retelling of the character’s mythos.

When I first heard they were casting Robert Pattinson of “Twilight” fame, I was slightly doubtful. I’d never seen any of his movies. But I remembered I had the same level of skepticism about Ben Affleck donning the cape and cowl ,and that turned out fine. But believe me when I say Pattinson does not disappoint.

As a younger Bruce Wayne, Pattinson absolutely nails the character. For some, he might seem too brooding and rage-filled. Even before the film was released, some referred to him as “emo Batman.” But for those who know the character, the actor masterfully portrayed a young vigilante who has yet to come into his own. Pattinson hits all the right notes – showing the character’s intensity, anger, and the sense that he has not quite figured out who he is yet. His interactions with Catwoman, played beautifully by Zoë Kravitz, even betray a certain naivete about the world he inhabits.

John Turturro turns in a wonderful performance as mob boss Carmine Falcone. He strikes the right balance between an arrogant, benevolent, and menacing leader, without falling into the usual cliché of this type of character. Colin Farrell offers a surprisingly different portrayal of the Penguin, who is typically a short, chubby type with a Napoleon complex. In this film, he’s a large henchman type who has not yet come to power.

Last, but not least, we have Paul Dano as the Riddler. Ever since Jim Carrey’s cartoonish version of the villain, I have wanted to see a grittier live-action portrayal. Dano did not disappoint. I can’t say much without giving too much away, but I believe Dano’s rendition of the Riddler is one of the best of Batman’s rogue gallery. It rivals that of Heath Ledger’s Joker. I might get some flack for that last statement, but that’s okay.

The plot was, in a word, ideal. The feel of the movie was a drastic departure from what we have become used to in previous films. “The Batman” has a more cerebral feel, one that focuses far more on Bruce Wayne’s skills as the Dark Detective than the Dark Knight. This iteration of the character relies more on his intellect than physical might.

Don’t get me wrong – there are plenty of action and fight scenes. But unlike its predecessors, this film takes the time to detail how Batman become the world’s greatest detective. Indeed, the storyline itself is more of a mystery/thriller than anything else. As the plot thickens, Batman peels layer after layer off the onion until he finally figures everything out.

But since we are seeing a younger Batman, this particular version actually makes mistakes – pretty big ones. In fact, you might find yourself thinking “an older Bruce Wayne would not have gotten that wrong.” Even further, this Batman is not quite as polished as his more seasoned self in his approach to combat and stealth. He has the raw power and the rage, but little of the finesse we have seen in the regular versions of Batman. The film’s attention to details like this makes all the difference.

There is more to this movie, but I would have to give spoilers. I may do another review with spoilers included, but for now, suffice it to say that “The Batman” gets almost everything right. It has an excellent storyline that will have you guessing until the very end. The action and fight scenes were top-notch. The combat felt more natural with the absence of an excess of CGI. Gotham City was beautiful in its dilapidated, run-down glory. This is the type of Batman movie that fans like myself can appreciate. If you haven’t seen it already, you might want to rectify that expediently.