Ladies and gentlemen, I have a confession to make; I, Tony “Tone” Loconsole, am a huge fan of all things Batman. Okay, okay, you probably knew that already about me if you’ve read this column or followed me on social media.
Last week, my friend Joel Kraushaar and I saw “The Batman” at The Palms 10 movie theater here in Muscatine. Let me tell you, that is a phenomenal film from start to finish. I recommend seeing it on the XL screen to have a truly immersive experience.
Let me back up to where my Bat-Fandom began. I was six-years-old when the 1989 “Batman” movie came out. Michael Keaton (with whom I share the same birthday, Sept. 5) played the role of Batman (Bruce Wayne) with the great Jack Nicholson portraying The Joker. I didn’t realize back then that I would be a lifelong Bat-Fan.
To date, I’ve seen all Batman movies and the majority of the 1960’s TV episodes featuring the late, great Adam West as the caped crusader. Yes, I have read my fair share of comics and graphic novels connected to the Bat too.
The 2022 film is directed by Matt Reeves, who most recently successfully brought back “The Planet of Apes” and really has a strong ability to tell a story on the big screen. Was I apprehensive at the news that actor Robert Pattison would be playing Batman? Sure. I also understand that his job as an actor is to do just that. You’ll be pleased to know that Robert exceeded all my expectations and left me wanting to see more (safe to say we will see a sequel film in the next two years).
It also felt good seeing a blockbuster movie on the big screen with people. I know I’ve spoken to missing that feeling of normalcy, and that’s exactly what we experienced while watching “The Batman.”
While 2008’s “The Dark Knight” will still remain my all-time favorite Batman film, I’m happy to report the 2022 film is now in second place, at least for this fan. With everything going on in our world, it’s nice to be able to escape for a bit (granted, this newest film is nearly three hours long, so plan accordingly). While my intent with this weekly column isn’t to ignore things impacting our lives on a local, regional, national, and even global level, I just know that we’re already inundated with news and information 24/7. This 500-word outlet allows me to share things going on in my life, and sometimes that includes showing how big of a fan I am of things like Batman.
So, finish reading this and go see “The Batman” ASAP! Probably leave the younger kids at home, as this is a somewhat heavy film. For instance, my oldest son will turn 10 in a few weeks, and I wouldn’t take him to see this. To the Batmobile (or my Toyota Sienna van, which I sometimes drive like it is one)!
