GOTHAM CITY (James Somerton of Nova Scotia, Canada)

Picture
Directed By: David Fincher
Written By: Andrew Kevin Walker
Produced By: James Vanderbilt
Cinematography By: Harris Savides 
Edited By: Kirk Baxter   

Cast:
Daniel Craig as Detective James Gordon
Amy Ryan as Barbara Gordon 
Armie Hammer as Bruce Wayne 
Olivia Wilde as Andrea Beaumont 
Marisa Tomei as Dr. Harleen Quinzel
John Hawkes as Professor Jonathan Crane
Casey Affleck as "The Riddler" / Edward Nashton

Tagline: "Night Has Fallen"

Synopsis: Young women are disappearing in Gotham City. Detective James Gordon has been following the case; six girls vanished in the span of two weeks. No bodies have been found. Gordon makes his presence well known in the media, never letting up on the situation, even as reporters drift to more exciting, current news. One day when Gordon arrives at his desk there is a letter waiting for him. Inside is a riddle that the author says will lead to one of the girls. If he solves it fast enough, he'll find her alive. 

Billionaire Bruce Wayne has just returned home from spending several years at Oxford. In toe is his beautiful fiancé, Andrea. The Wayne fortune is being signed over to it's rightful heir now, after spending the last twenty years in a conservatorship. Many people gossip that Andrea is only with Bruce for the money, but in truth she is the only person he has been able to speak with about the that tragic event two decades ago. The first couple of Gotham seems blissfuly ignorant to the problems ravaging their city, but Bruce is paying far closer attention than anyone knows.

The bodies have been found too late. "The Riddler", as the press is calling him, has been sending riddles to James Gordon every two days. Public opinion of Gordon is faltering as the masses see him as incompetent; unable to save the girls in time. Their opinions are being swayed by two television psychotherapists, Professor Jonathan Crane and Dr. Harleen Quinzel, who have verbal free-for-alls with each other each night on the evening news. Their antics disgust Gordon, who see's them as simply giving the killer what he wants; attention. But with the discovery of yet another body, it becomes clear that "The Riddler" has only begun. Stapled to the face of the victim is a note simply reading "princess". It baffles investigators until it's meaning becomes terrifyingly clear.

The fiancé of the Prince of Gotham, Bruce Wayne, has been missing for the last twenty-four hours. The public has shifted to her side and holds vigils outside Bruce Wayne's loft, praying for her safe return. Gordon is on the case around the clock, driving a wedge between himself and his wife, Barbara. She feels terribly sorry for the young girls but her own young girl, her baby girl, is living without a father. The stress from home is throwing Gordon off his game, and the constant cajoling from Bruce Wayne isn't helping any.

"The Riddler" is getting more brazen, and sloppy. Videos of the dead girls are showing up at local television stations. On the twentieth anniversary of Wayne's parents murder, a video of Andrea is released, still alive. He watched the people he loved die right in front of him once, and he will not let it happen again. If the police can't stop this mad man, then he will. He'll use his brains, wealth, and even his own nightmares to save Andrea… If he can find her in time.

Press Section: Early on in "Gotham City" I got the impression that I wasn't really watching a Batman movie. Bruce Wayne didn't show up until about forty minutes in, and his iconic costume was nowhere in sight. This movie, instead, focuses on Detective James Gordon, portrayed with a subtle intensity by Daniel Craig. He's been on the job in Gotham for just over a year and has seen his share of horrors but nothing compares to the one he's faced with now. Young women are showing up slaughtered and there does't seem to be any clue as to who is doing it. Craig is magnificent as he fights his way through the case, losing support from everyone until Bruce Wayne shows up in Gotham and his fiancé goes missing.

The young Bruce Wayne is portrayed by Armie Hammer as a distant, but likeable, figure who would rather be left alone than stand in the spotlight. He brings a lot of depth to the character, who has famously been the least interesting character in everything he's ever appeared in. He watches from the sidelines as the city he grew up in turns into a breeding ground for criminals, and pays close attention to "The Riddler" case. Olivia Wilde plays his fiancé, the cultured Andrea Beaumont. She is caring and attentive to Bruce, even when the public thinks she's a gold digger. But she truly shines once she has been kidnapped by the demented "Riddler". Unlike his other victims, she fights back. She uses her training in psychology to get information from her captor, and use it against him. It's the only thing keeping her alive.

Casey Affleck plays Edward Nashton, or "The Riddler", as a quiet, introvert. He's never been noticed by people, despite his brilliant mind. Now he revels in the media attention he's getting. He's not so fond of the "Riddler" nickname the news programs have given him, but it's better than obscurity. He tapes his victims while he forces them to tell him their most intimate secrets, a tactic that's reversed on him by Andrea. There are a lot of people trying to dissect his personality on television, including two psychologists that he finds particularly fun to watch. 

Near the end of the second act, the film finally becomes a two man show, with Wayne and Gordon both trying to get to Andrea before it's too late. It all leads up to a thrilling conclusion in which "The Riddler" is faced by a masked Bruce Wayne, who has been tearing up the criminal underworld of Gotham trying to find clues about him. This "Caped Crusader" has stolen the spotlight from Edward and he's got to pay for that. In the end, "The Riddler" is captured, but it's not a happy ending. Andrea has been so emotionally scarred by him that she goes into hiding, even from Bruce. Detective Gordon has finally got his man, but he's lost his wife in the process. The heartbreaking performance by Amy Ryan, as the neglected wife, is a softer side of a very harsh film. Although she isn't on screen as much as her co-stars, her performance lingers. The film ends on an iconic note as grainy security camera footage, showing the masked Bruce Wayne is shown on the news. His tattered shape giving rise to the nickname "The Bat Man".

"Gotham City" is a dark, intense, and sometimes brutal film that shines more as a psychological thriller than your typical superhero movie. David Fincher creates a Gotham run rampant with drug dealers, prostitutes, and the crooked cops and politicians that profit from them. Detective Gordon is the only honest cop in the city and it nearly gets him killed. The writing is very smart, always giving you new information but never feeling convoluted. Here we have an engaging film that scoops the audience up, takes them for a ride, and leaves them with their heads spinning. It's exciting, and thought provoking (with it's focus on the power of the media being particularly interesting), and leaves us wanting more. It's a great ride.

Awards Consideration
Best Picture 
Best Director - David Fincher
Best Adapted Screenplay - Andrew Kevin Walker
Best Actor - Daniel Craig
Best Supporting Actor - Casey Affleck
Best Supporting Actress - Amy Ryan