The Batman (2022): Bookworm Take - Dark Knight Returns... to the Source Material?

Okay, so I finally saw The Batman (2022) and, as usual, I'm coming at it from a 'how does this compare to the comics?' angle. Overall, I really dug it. Reeves definitely tapped into that Year One/Long Halloween vibe, which I was all about. I mean, the whole detective angle, the focus on Gotham's corruption... that's Batman at his core, right? The Riddler was actually kinda creepy, and Paul Dano NAILS the whole 'unhinged puzzle master' thing, even if his look was less 'campy green suit' and more 'creepy online incel.' It WORKED, though. I appreciated the grounded take on the villains, too. Falcone and Penguin felt believable, like actual mob bosses operating in the shadows. And Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman? Perfect casting. Their chemistry was palpable, even with all the brooding. The soundtrack was killer, too - that Nirvana theme? Chills. My ONLY real gripe is maybe it was a tad too long? Like, the pacing sagged a bit in the middle, and I kept thinking 'okay, wrap it up Bat-dude!' But honestly? Compared to some of the more... bombastic Batman movies we've gotten, this one felt the most like actually reading a Batman comic. It wasn’t afraid to be bleak, to show how broken Gotham really is, and how much it messes with Bruce's head. Did anyone else notice that quick scene in Arkham at the end? Is that the Barry Keoghan Joker? If so, I'm very excited! But what do you all think? Did it nail the comic book feel, or was it too much emo-Batman?