There is an immediate sense of dread looming about in the opening minutes of The Batman. And after the first scene finally hits its mark is when the film tells you that this uneasy feeling is here to stay. This is not a superhero movie, at all. Director Matt Reeves’ take on the legendary comic book hero has more in common with David Fincher’s Se7en and Zodiac than the character’s previous big screen outings, really taking to heart Batman’s moniker as the “World’s Greatest Detective.”

Reeves’ new film is self-contained and not connected to the increasingly convoluted continuity of the DC Extended Universe, thankfully. Ezra Miller’s Flash won’t make a sudden appearance and save the day while uttering some light-hearted quip. Furthermore, it is not an origin story, but features our titular hero two years into his crusade of vengeance against the criminal element. It’s a Batman film that knows its place in pop culture, cleverly avoiding the trappings of telling the same story beats over and over again. Yes, it references the grim turning point in Bruce Wayne’s childhood – the murder of his parents – but not to the detriment of screen time. At this point, Reeves knows to trust the audience’s familiarity in the storied history of Batman in society’s collective minds.

Here, the Batman is thrust into the middle of a mysterious murder spree, where the targets are often high-profile members of Gotham’s elite. The Riddler (Paul Dano) is intent on leaving letters attached to his victims for Batman to find, with riddles and cyphers that reveal the hidden message, often leading to the next clue. And with each new victim, it becomes apparent that there is an even bigger, more elaborate, conspiracy that The Riddler wants to unravel in due time. It certainly explains why Gotham is such a messy, crime-ridden city, where a vigilante dressed as a bat pummeling criminals is just widely accepted by its citizens.

Having the Bat-signal lit in the night sky is a sign that Batman, played by Robert Pattinson, is out to hunt. Although he is much less for standing over building edges and gargoyles, Pattinson’s Batman is not without theatrics. He is a ghost, a haunting presence that quietly saunters in from the dark in every situation when needed. “They think I’m hiding in the shadows. But I am the shadows,” he mutters in a brooding voiceover. Indeed, this Batman is undeniably broodier than other portrayals, and Pattinson has perfected the signature grimace with such intensity that his inner melancholy is almost palpable.

On the other hand, his Bruce Wayne is a far cry from the billionaire playboy we’re used to (and it’s not without its purpose). He is a disillusioned recluse living up high in Wayne Tower, even dismissive of Alfred (Andy Serkis) most of the time, and not at all interested in keeping up appearances or playing up his role in continuing his parents’ legacy of philanthropy. It’s only when he is suited up as the Batman that he seems very comfortable, as if he is living his real self. This level of commitment from Pattinson is also the performance he’s been giving for years in his works with known auteurs, from the Safdie brothers’ Good Time to Robert Egger’s The Lighthouse. His vampiric scowl is even reminiscent of his Twilight years, I have to admit.

Of course, Pattinson is accompanied by other great performances as well. He finds a trustworthy partner in Lieutenant Gordon (Jeffrey Wright), who seems to be his only ally in a department full of corrupt cops. Wright plays a straight, no-nonsense Gordon, often going against his superior’s orders in letting Batman into sensitive crime scenes. Batman also runs into the gorgeous Selina Kyle/Catwoman (Zoe Kravitz), an enigmatic cat burglar with a mysterious connection to the whole case, but also fervent in pursuing her own sense of justice. Kravitz and Pattinson have a great natural chemistry together, whose pairing adds a level of sexiness to the entire film. Colin Farrell is unrecognizable with his heavy makeup but clearly having the time of his life as he transformed himself into the sleazy gangster Penguin. As the main big bad, Paul Dano is flat-out disturbing as the Riddler. He is no stranger in playing demented characters as seen in his works in There Will be Blood and Prisoners. Going from jolly to intense, one can really feel that he is a deeply deranged man.

Despite a running time of nearly three hours, Reeves and Peter Craig’s meaty script didn’t feel like a drag at all. Like a good noir, there could have been five different endings at the different points of the film, but it just keeps building every narrative up until it perfectly ties everything up in the end. The Batman takes a more methodical approach this time around, where deciphering clues and solving murders take up most of the screen time. The number of action scenes may be low, especially for today’s superhero standards, but it never feels boring. There’s still some punching involved, and when it does happen, it’s extremely memorable. Every punch and kick is worth its weight, with unhinged ruthlessness that’s never portrayed that well before.

Clearly, this film is the result of craftspeople at the top of their game. Cinematographer Greig Fraser, whose work in Denis Villanueve’s Dune earned him an Oscar nomination, invokes the same feeling of despair found in early detective noir films. His masterful use of shadows and colored lights conveys a melancholic tone on top of sense of foreboding sense of tension. By setting a tone and aesthetic early on and sticking to it all throughout, The Batman is the most beautiful Batman movie yet, more so than The Dark Knight (which revolutionized the genre itself at the time). Reeves successfully managed to create a crime art film, with a protagonist that just so happens to be wearing a bat costume.

Rating: ★★★★½