The latest chapter in the Batman saga lands in cinemas this weekend, with Robert Pattinson for the first time taking on the mantle of the crusading, caped avenger cleaning crime from the streets of Gotham City.
We’ve already seen Batman on the big screen about 20 times before, ranging from the high camp of Adam West and George Clooney’s interpretations to the grit and bleakness of Christian Bale and Ben Affleck’s takes on the character.
This time around, director Matt Reeves has promised something completely different from all that has gone before, promising a Dark Knight inspired by seemingly unconnected muses as film noir, 1990s Batman comics and the life — and death — of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain.
It's a distinctive approach that the film’s star realised as soon as he laid eyes on his lines.
“I remember the first time I read the script, it just read so differently,” Pattinson tells The National. “Bruce is really struggling, and he’s not a comfortable person to be around, even when he’s not Batman. He doesn’t have much control over his personality, the delineation between when he’s Batman and when he’s Bruce. In all the other movies, he has complete control of the delineation of when he's Bruce in public, when he's Bruce in private, and when he's Batman. He can just change at will.
"Whereas in this film, he's basically Batman the whole time. In a way, he's just let Bruce disappear.”
Of course, however much this version of Batman may have let his alter ego disappear, the struggle between the contrasting personalities of billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne and his crime-fighting alter ego are central to the Batman myth, and Pattinson confirms this is a thread we’ll see developed within the movie.
“As much as he tries to bury his past and bury the baggage of being Bruce Wayne, there are still all these unanswered [questions] he can't help but be drawn to,” the actor says. “There's something so odd about his character. It's not ‘Oh, you are a genius and that's why you can figure these things out.’ There's something deeper. He hasn’t completely defined what Batman is. He’s a bit out of control — he's not a normal person.”
Another point at which we’ll see The Batman diverge from previous screen treatments is in the director’s decision to do away with the traditional origins story. Usually when we meet a new Batman, we’re treated to the tale of how Bruce’s parents were murdered, the shot of Martha Wayne’s string of pearls tumbling to the floor, and her vengeful son leaving Gotham to train as an avenging angel before returning to wreak havoc on the evil doers of his hometown.
This time around, however, we meet Batman when he’s already in his second year of cleaning Gotham’s streets. It’s a decision Pattinson approves of.
“I like the fact that you don't see the origin story,” he says. “Even in the graphic novels there's always this period of, ‘Oh, I went away and trained, and I've mastered myself.’ In this film, it's less logic-based. There's something about putting on that suit that allows him to access heightened feelings because there's an abandonment of self as soon as he puts it on. And the more he puts it on, the more abandonment comes with it. It's as if you totally shut down all of your other emotions, then you can heighten your immediate senses, I guess.”
It's certainly a sharp contrast to the linear development we’ve seen in previous incarnations of the Dark Knight, and such sharp contrast can be found off-screen, too, in the shape of none other than Pattinson himself.
Although the actor first rose to prominence as Edward Cullen, the heartthrob vampire in the blockbuster Twilight franchise, he’s largely eschewed the limelight of big budget fare since, reinventing himself as a darling of the festival circuit. His appearance in a bombastic superhero yarn could hardly be further removed from his recent roles in celebrated, but understated indies such as The Lighthouse and Waiting for the Barbarians.
Pattinson assures us he won’t be sending his showreel to Marvel any time soon, however. Quite simply, he says the mighty Batman was the one superhero he was ready to make an exception for.
“It didn't really fit into the kind of stuff I was doing [when I was cast]. But for some reason, with Batman, it’s literally the only comic character I'd ever do. He's by far the coolest one,” he says.
“I remember the first time I saw [the Batmobile], I was just supposed to see if I could fit in it with the cowl on, and I didn't really realise that you could actually just drive it off,” he recalls with a laugh. “We were on some testing track, and it was the only time I actually did this because as soon as I did, they realised I couldn't be trusted with it. I immediately drove off and just kept driving around for 20 minutes. I was never allowed to drive it freely again. It was very, very exciting.”
Unfortunately, most of us won’t ever get 20 minutes alone with the Batmobile, but we can at least see it on screen again this weekend, and on this front we concur with the film’s star — it’s very, very exciting.
The Batman is out in cinemas across the UAE from March 3
See photos from the London premiere of 'The Batman':
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
About Proto21
Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The specs: 2018 Honda City
Price, base: From Dh57,000
Engine: 1.5L, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 118hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 146Nm @ 4,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.8L / 100km
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League quarter-final, second leg (first-leg score)
Porto (0) v Liverpool (2), Wednesday, 11pm UAE
Match is on BeIN Sports
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
Healthy tips to remember
Here, Dr Mohamed El Abiary, paediatric consultant at Al Zahra Hospital Dubai, shares some advice for parents whose children are fasting during the holy month of Ramadan:
Gradual fasting and golden points - For children under the age of 10, follow a step-by-step approach to fasting and don't push them beyond their limits. Start with a few hours fasting a day and increase it to a half fast and full fast when the child is ready. Every individual's ability varies as per the age and personal readiness. You could introduce a points system that awards the child and offers them encouragement when they make progress with the amount of hours they fast
Why fast? - Explain to your child why they are fasting. By shedding light on the importance of abstaining from food and drink, children may feel more encouraged to give it there all during the observance period. It is also a good opportunity to teach children about controlling urges, doing good for others and instilling healthy food habits
Sleep and suhoor - A child needs adequate sleep every night - at least eight hours. Make sure to set a routine early bedtime so he/she has sufficient time to wake up for suhoor, which is an essential meal at the beginning of the day
Good diet - Nutritious food is crucial to ensuring a healthy Ramadan for children. They must refrain from eating too much junk food as well as canned goods and snacks and drinks high in sugar. Foods that are rich in nutrients, vitamins and proteins, like fruits, fresh meats and vegetables, make for a good balanced diet
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
if you go
Six pitfalls to avoid when trading company stocks
Following fashion
Investing is cyclical, buying last year's winners often means holding this year's losers.
Losing your balance
You end up with too much exposure to an individual company or sector that has taken your fancy.
Being over active
If you chop and change your portfolio too often, dealing charges will eat up your gains.
Running your losers
Investors hate admitting mistakes and hold onto bad stocks hoping they will come good.
Selling in a panic
If you sell up when the market drops, you have locked yourself out of the recovery.
Timing the market
Even the best investor in the world cannot consistently call market movements.
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
RESULTS
Bantamweight title:
Vinicius de Oliveira (BRA) bt Xavier Alaoui (MAR)
(KO round 2)
Catchweight 68kg:
Sean Soriano (USA) bt Noad Lahat (ISR)
(TKO round 1)
Middleweight:
Denis Tiuliulin (RUS) bt Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)
(TKO round 1)
Lightweight:
Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR) bt Joachim Tollefsen (DEN)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 68kg:
Austin Arnett (USA) bt Daniel Vega (MEX)
(TKO round 3)
Lightweight:
Carrington Banks (USA) bt Marcio Andrade (BRA)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 58kg:
Corinne Laframboise (CAN) bt Malin Hermansson (SWE)
(Submission round 2)
Bantamweight:
Jalal Al Daaja (CAN) bt Juares Dea (CMR)
(Split decision)
Middleweight:
Mohamad Osseili (LEB) bt Ivan Slynko (UKR)
(TKO round 1)
Featherweight:
Tarun Grigoryan (ARM) bt Islam Makhamadjanov (UZB)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 54kg:
Mariagiovanna Vai (ITA) bt Daniella Shutov (ISR)
(Submission round 1)
Middleweight:
Joan Arastey (ESP) bt Omran Chaaban (LEB)
(Unanimous decision)
Welterweight:
Bruno Carvalho (POR) bt Souhil Tahiri (ALG)
(TKO)
Need to know
The flights: Flydubai flies from Dubai to Kilimanjaro airport via Dar es Salaam from Dh1,619 return including taxes. The trip takes 8 hours.
The trek: Make sure that whatever tour company you select to climb Kilimanjaro, that it is a reputable one. The way to climb successfully would be with experienced guides and porters, from a company committed to quality, safety and an ethical approach to the mountain and its staff. Sonia Nazareth booked a VIP package through Safari Africa. The tour works out to $4,775 (Dh17,538) per person, based on a 4-person booking scheme, for 9 nights on the mountain (including one night before and after the trek at Arusha). The price includes all meals, a head guide, an assistant guide for every 2 trekkers, porters to carry the luggage, a cook and kitchen staff, a dining and mess tent, a sleeping tent set up for 2 persons, a chemical toilet and park entrance fees. The tiny ration of heated water provided for our bath in our makeshift private bathroom stall was the greatest luxury. A standard package, also based on a 4-person booking, works out to $3,050 (Dh11,202) per person.
When to go: You can climb Kili at any time of year, but the best months to ascend are January-February and September-October. Also good are July and August, if you’re tolerant of the colder weather that winter brings.
Do not underestimate the importance of kit. Even if you’re travelling at a relatively pleasant time, be geared up for the cold and the rain.
Meghan%20podcast
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Result
2.15pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,950m; Winner: Majestic Thunder, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).
2.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,800m; Winner: Tailor’s Row, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
3.15pm: Handicap Dh85,000 1,600m; Winner: Native Appeal, Adam McLean, Doug Watson.
3.45pm: Handicap Dh115,000 1,950m; Winner: Conclusion, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
4.15pm: Handicap Dh100,000 1,400m; Winner: Pilgrim’s Treasure, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
4.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,400m; Winner: Sanad Libya, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
5.15pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,000m; Winner: Midlander, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
STAY%2C%20DAUGHTER
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