The Batman (2022)
On Halloween, Don Mitchell Jr., the mayor of Gotham City is murdered by a man who calls himself…
The Riddler ❓❔
Speaking of the Riddler, the Riddler has a different appearance comparing to his traditional appearance in the comics. Here’s a comparison of him:
COMICS
2022 MOVIE
VS.
In the comics, the Riddler usually wields a cane with a question mark on top, & would often tell riddles. He even uses the cane as a weapon as well.
In this movie, the Riddler doesn’t wield a cane. He has a very different appearance though. But he’s inspired by the Zodiac Killer from Zodiac (2007).
Now back to the movie. We meet Bruce Wayne, who has operated for 2 years as the vigilante named…
Batman
Investigates alongside the Gotham City Police Department. At the crime scene, lieutenant James Gordon discovers a message that the Riddler left for Batman. Shortly after, the Riddler kills commissioner Pete Savage, & leaves another message for Batman.
Then, Batman & Gordon discover that the Riddler left a USB flash drive in Mitchell's car, containing images of Mitchell with a woman named Annika Koslov, at the Iceberg Lounge. The Iceberg Lounge is a nightclub that’s run by the Penguin, who is Carmine Falcone’s lieutenant. While the Penguin pleads ignorance, Batman notices that Selina Kyle (Annika’s roommate & close friend), works at the Iceberg Lounge as a waitress. Shortly after, Batman follows Selina home to question Annika. But Annika disappears, so he sends Selina back to the Iceberg Lounge, so that she can search for answers. Through Selina, Batman discovers that Pete Savage was on Carmine Falcone's payroll, as is district attorney Gil Colson. Selina shuts off communication, when Batman presses her about her relationship with Falcone.
Meanwhile, the Riddler abducts Gil Colson, straps a timed collar bomb to his neck, & sends him to interrupt Mitchell’s funeral. When Batman arrives, the Riddler calls him through Colson's phone, & threatens to detonate the bomb if he cannot answer 3 riddles. Batman helps Colson answer the 1st 2. But he refuses to answer the 3rd, (the name of the informant who gave the GCPD information that led to a historic drug bust, ending mobster Salvatore Maroni's operation) & dies from the explosion.
Batman & Gordon assume that the informant may be the Penguin, & they track him to a drug deal. Soon, they discover that Maroni’s operation was transferred to Falcone. But with many GCPD officers involved. Selina unintentionally exposes them, when she arrives to steal the money. But as the Penguin escapes, she discovers Annika’s corpse in a car trunk. Batman captures the Penguin. But learns that he is not the informant after all.
Batman & Gordon follow the Riddler's trail to the ruins of an orphanage that was funded by Bruce's murdered parents. They learn that the Riddler holds a grudge against the Wayne family. Then, Alfred Pennyworth (Bruce’s butler & caretaker) is hospitalized after opening a letter bomb that was addressed to Bruce.
Elsewhere, the Riddler leaks evidence that Thomas, who was running for mayor before he was murdered, hired Falcone to kill a journalist for threatening to reveal embarrassing details about Martha & her family's history of mental illnesses. Bruce, who grew up believing that his father was morally upstanding, confronts Alfred, who maintains that Thomas only asked Falcone to threaten the journalist into silence, & planned to turn himself & Falcone over to the police once he found out the journalist was murdered. But Alfred believes that Falcone had Thomas & Martha killed to prevent this.
Selina tells Batman that Falcone is her neglectful father, & plans to kill him, after learning that he strangled Annika, because Mitchell accidentally told her that Falcone was the informant. Batman & Gordon arrive at the Iceberg Lounge in the nick time to stop her. But the Riddler shoots & kills Falcone as he is being arrested by the authorities of Gotham City.
Sometime after, the Riddler is unmasked as…
Edward Nashton (Forensic Accountant)
& is imprisoned in the Arkham Asylum. He tells Batman that he idolizes, & took inspiration from him when targeting the corrupt. Searching his apartment, Batman learns that Nashton has stationed several car bombs around Gotham, & cultivated an online following that plans to assassinate mayor-elect named…
Bella Reál.
The bombs destroy the seawall around Gotham, & flood the city. A shelter is set up in an indoor arena, where Nashton's followers attempt to kill Bella Reál. But they are stopped by both Batman & Selina.
In the aftermath, Edward Nashton befriends another inmate. But according to a deleted scene, the inmate is revealed to be as…
THE JOKER! Here’s the deleted scene:
Selina Kyle deems Gotham beyond saving, & leaves. Batman aids recovery efforts, & vows to inspire hope in Gotham City.
THE END
I have to admit that this has to be the best Batman movie ever. It’s even darker than all of the other Batman movies, & it’s heavily inspired by other thriller movies. However, there’s a sequel to The Batman, along with a Penguin spin-off series. But they’re currently in development as of right now.
Speaking of an email for my website, I will reveal it in the next few movie reviews. I will also start to take requests on movie reviews, & receive feedback very soon.
OVERALL: 10/10
End of Review