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“They look for me in the shadows,” (inside my mind), “But I am the shadows.” That was my moment. Batman said the same. I was blown away. The pause was intriguing and added a certain depth to the scene.

“When that light hits the sky, it’s not just a call. It’s a warning. For them.” Again the punctuation was magical.

From the beginning to the end, I was hooked on my seat. Majestic visuals. Impactful dialogue writing and delivery. I could feel the emotions in the eyes of all characters. The gaze the Batman and the boy share at the funeral depicts pain, sympathy and makes them feel a connection at the instant. The poise and smile of the riddler at the cafe. “I’m vengeance,” says a man from Riddler’s army in the climax scene. That gape of reflection in his eyes. These moments have my heart and so does the magnificent camera work. The expressions of pain and suffering of the riddler could be felt in his voice. I think the mental brutality of the riddler resembles that of the scarecrow (played by Cillian Murphy) in Batman Begins. The riddles, although gruesome, had me on the edge of my seat. Director Matt Reeves subtly and boldly decodes colours of human experiences.

The Penguin car chase scene feels surreal. It takes you inside the comics. The inverted shot where Batman walks towards the Penguin and its lighting treatment feels cinematic yet realistic. The long shot of interaction between Zoe Kravitz and Robert Pattinson in their respective roles identifies with an emotion beyond fondness. The fighting sequence amidst gun firing, where you see glimpses of Pattinson battling it out in the discharge of bullets. The positioning of glass separating the Riddler and Batman illustrating two sides of a coin was intelligently picturised. An extravagant cinematic experience!

I am in awe of the climax where they smoothly transition from destruction to rescue within minutes. The top shot with the red hue is a visual treat. The more I say, the more the chances of missing out on one detail or the other.

Some of my friends and colleagues watched it on the first day, first show while some watched it later. I got mixed reviews of the film. So, I didn’t know what to expect. As I said earlier, I am in awe of the flick. However, while some talked endlessly about it being a technical masterpiece, some spoke about the navarasa characteristic of the feature. Here’s sharing the diverse opinions on the film.

“I had never seen this happen before. They were so confident in this film… they were releasing the score before anyone had a chance to see the film. First heavy rhythmic piano keys… that put me in a brooding state. Images of heavy rain and fog begin to consume my imagination. Then strings come in and there is a sweetness to the melody with a touch of melancholy.  The feeling is heavy, but the strings begin to build and that feeling slowly becomes a sense of optimism and hope.

This is a detective story that digs deep into the struggle of discovering something unknown… that has dire consequences if the mystery is not solved. Gears are turning. Clues must be pieced together. This is the state of mind I am brought to.

What I can tell you after seeing this film is… it delivers… in nearly every way. And this is just the first film. Where are we going with this new version of “Batman?” Where it is…I am all in. DC has found its footing, by diving deep into the darkness. This movie is fearless. It doesn’t reach to touch the sky but instead it dives deep into the shadows, into the darkest parts of humanity and it takes audiences down with it. We will follow our hero and trust him to guide us out of the dark. We are on a journey… his journey… and I cannot wait to see where it ends.”

– Mukul Pawar

“Again, DC has created an amazing movie. ‘Robert Patterson’ played the ‘Batman’ character. ‘Zoe Kravitz’ played the ‘catwoman’. The Direction and Cinematography work is awesome. The angle and POV was just great. This is the first time in a movie where ‘Batman’ says ‘I am Vengeance’. The famous line is from ‘Nothing to Fear’ from Batman animated series episodes. All the characters played their characters pretty well. Zoe Kravitz who played ‘Catwoman’ could have worked a little better, but is OK, I think.

Bruce Wayne has just been Batman for 2 years, so the technology he was using is still under development. That was a great point considering Robert Pattinon played the character very well, portraying that he is still grieving for his parents, and he has ‘Vengeance’ in him. He has darkness inside him, and he is finding a way to come over it. The ‘Batmobile’ shown in the movie was still under construction. The attention to details is very thoughtful. The actions and stunts are performed, shot and directed very well. Overall, the movie was awesome, and we didn’t lose interest or feel bored.”

– Shubham Gurjar

“The movie was really really slow. Robert Pattinson has done a great job, cinematography is good, some of the shots are exceptional. But somehow watching Robert play the role of Batman was not getting registered by my brain as his acting image has always been that of action, romance and adventure for me. Someone like Daniel Craig would have best suited for the role is what I feel. Robert has performed the role well but somehow I was unable to take him as ‘The Batman’.”

– Antara Nirgudkar

“For me this fictional iconic series of Batman and possibly the best superhero movie with believable villains is really a fine artwork of Robert Pattinson. Batman is definitely eye-catching for many. In the Batman, it captures Batman’s personal conflicts and themes better, Bruce has more scene time, Bruce is a deep character and portrayed better, he actually does some detective work and it overall feels more loyal. I must add here how one can do all with just the eyes alone without speaking much but still all emotions could be felt. I must also applaud the cinematic scenes as they added another level to the intense and dark piece of artwork.”

– Sagar Srivastava

“The movie is just ahead of its time when it comes to a slow paced action thriller. The story of a protagonist takes us deep within his thoughts and reasons of why he’s fighting crimes in Gotham city. The movie is well balanced of slow paced suspense and thriller. Robbert Pattinson played an amazing role, this batman feels more ruthless and filled with vengeance. The villain, Riddler has been portrayed as the Zodiac Killer terrorising and killing innocent people in the city. Even though the movie feels a bit long, it will take you on a crime crusader’s journey. The film is just a masterpiece and worth your time.”

– Divya Pansare

“My overall impression of the movie is that it’s a near masterpiece and a fine addition to the superhero genre of films. With many superhero movies coming out these days and many people feeling burned out on them, this movie is a breath of fresh air with its full creative control and vision of the filmmaker Matt Reeves, and its risks it takes on what people perceive as a superhero or Batman film. The film also takes many inspirations from classic 1970s Neo noir driven films, many film watchers and critics can also admire the work put into the movie to make it stand out as not only a great ¨superhero¨ movie, but a great ¨film¨ in general. I believe if you are a Batman fan, you will absolutely enjoy this movie and get a lot out of it. Even if you are more of a film fan rather than a superhero or comic book fan, I still will recommend it for its strong performances, solid story, and beautiful visuals.”

– Aniket Lotake



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