Cut Robert Pattinson some slack

I don’t get the appeal of Batman. I don’t like the uniform or character or the stories. The movies are fine, but I don’t understand the hype.

That puts me in the minority. Most people are obsessed with the character, which is why news about the Batman franchise draws so much interest.

The majority of moviegoers were less than impressed to learn that Robert Pattinson would play their favourite vigilante in the upcoming Matt Reeves Batman movie. The notion of the former Twilight star stepping into the shoes of DC’s darkest hero did not appeal to them.

Pattison fans argued that the actor had become a skilled performer over the years, one whose talents had been showcased in projects like The Lost City of Z and Cosmopolis.

But the world at large refused to see past the sparkling vampire Pattinson played so many years ago, which is why the fanbase keeps jumping at every opportunity to either attack or dismiss the actor’s upcoming Batman portrayal.

Now they have chosen to obsess over the comments Pattinson made recently that he refused to work out for the role of Batman. Considering the bulk Ben Affleck gained for his portrayal of the character, it is easy to see why Pattinson’s comments would throw some people off.

But I also think fans are blowing things out of proportion. Keep in mind that this movie is roughly two years away and we are yet to see Pattinson in action.

If we must attack Pattinson’s portrayal, let us do so after the film debuts. Ben Affleck’s physical attributes made sense. His Batman was a superhero, a figure that inhabited a world populated by gods and monsters.

Matt Reeves is telling a detective story set in Bruce Wayne’s second year as a vigilante. Pattinson’s Batman is young. He is not necessarily untested but he is far from the jaded and battered Batman Affleck delivered.

From what we have seen, none of us can accuse Pattinson of being out of shape. Batman the detective does not require a buff physique. Batman the detective spends his days chasing clowns and penguins.

To think that some people are writing Pattinson’s movie off simply because he refuses to work out is ridiculous. The actor’s comments regarding his unwillingness to exercise came from an interview he did with GQ.

In the same interview, he explained that he was injecting his efforts into refining his portrayal. He wants to find a new take on the character, one that will ultimately reinvent Batman.

If you ask me, Pattinson’s success is going to hinge not on the number of muscles you can count on his torso, but the nuances he will deliver in his performance. All this noise will die out once we get that first trailer.

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