There’s such hunger for new superhero content that C and D-list heroes and villains are getting their own solo movies. Other established figures, such as Batman, go through repeated reboots to compensate for the shifting times. Superhero movies are the biggest pop culture phenomena and it’s fascinating to see how new additions to the genre blaze trails for the future of movies and television.
DC’s slate of superhero movies don’t have the same track record as Marvel’s, but they’ve finally found their footing and are allowing promising filmmakers to take risks and tell uncompromised stories. Many talented filmmakers have brought Batman’s story to life. However, Matt Reeves’ newest iteration, The Batman, has set a new precedent for the Caped Crusader. Celebration for The Batman is still in full swing and it’s well deserved due to the movie’s many ambitious decisions.
Warning: This list contains spoilers for The Batman.
10 Its Presentation Of A Shattered Protagonist
Audiences have been drawn to Batman for so long because his vigilante persona is a grim, and sometimes disturbing, representation of a hero. Bruce Wayne is full of darkness, but previous films have used Bruce to bring out the character’s lighter nature and the frivolous life that he leads as a billionaire playboy.
The Batman presents a stunted and fragile version of Bruce Wayne, which feels more like the mask that he wears in public while the brooding Batman is his true self. While Batman is still a hero, he feels exhausted and like Gotham could swallow him at any minute.
9 It’s A Legitimately Frightening Superhero Movie
There are a handful of R-Rated superhero movies that push the boundaries when it comes to excessive violence and mature subject matter, but none of these endeavors are scary. The Batman is only PG-13, but its presentation of the Riddler is truly disturbing.
Paul Dano gives an elevated performance as the villain and there are frequent occasions where Robert Pattinson’s Batman feels chilled to his core. The Batman’s decision to present the Riddler as a psychotic serial killer who hides behind ciphers and puzzles is one of the scariest things that’s ever been done in a DC movie.
8 The Batman Crafts A Legitimate Detective Story Mystery
Esteemed DC characters like Batman have been around for so long that there are many elements that audiences respond to in these figures. A crucial tenet to Batman’s character is that he’s a brilliant detective, which further emphasizes his expertise as a human without magical powers.
It can be difficult to effectively blend a hard-boiled detective narrative with a superhero story, but Matt Reeves’ The Batman makes such a balancing act feel effortless. There’s a gripping noir mystery that propels The Batman forward, which is certainly lacking in other DC cinematic affairs.
7 The Stunning Cinematography
The visual style of a superhero movie is essential to its success, especially when there’s an increasingly homogenized style that’s taken over most of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There are some truly gorgeous DC movies, such as Aquaman, The Suicide Squad, and Harley Quinn, but The Batman’s cinematography creates such a visually distinct world.
Grieg Fraser is an Oscar-nominated cinematographer who makes Gotham City feel brand new but also steeped in heavy dread. The Batman’s visual language makes sure that it never drags in its nearly three-hour runtime.
6 A Heightened World That Still Feels Grounded
One of the hardest elements to pull off in a superhero movie is to find the right balance between gritty realism and hyperbolized comic logic. There are such dark and nihilistic characters in Batman’s rogues’ gallery. Although, it can be difficult to take people seriously when they’re are dressed up as animals or operate under names like the Riddler and the Penguin.
The Batman is deeply respectful towards its source material, but it taps into the grief and pathos of characters like Batman and the Riddler through real-world hardships. Slight alterations, like changing the Riddler’s name from Edward Nigma to Edward Nashton, also make such a difference.
5 The Toxic Influence Of Vigilantism
A complicated principle that Batman grapples with is his approach to vigilante crimefighting, which can be a slippery slope to its own unscrupulous behavior. This is why Batman’s resolution to not take lives is such an important element of his character, as it separates him from the rest of the masked vigilantes.
The Batman presents its villain, the Riddler, as a nightmarish parallel to Batman. It definitely means something when Edward Nashton tells Bruce Wayne that they’re not so different. It forces Batman to accept the fact that he’s perhaps inspired just as much evil as he’s helped erase.
4 A Police Department That Seems Competent
It can be a bit of a running joke in Batman’s world that he’s far superior to the standard cops that fill out the Gotham City Police Department. Admittedly, Batman stoops to aggressive tactics that officers of the law can’t resort to, but Gotham’s police don’t feel like skilled individuals as much as they’re treated like Batman’s obstacles.
The Batman utilizes the Gotham City Police Department and makes sure that Batman isn’t the only intelligent crimefighter in the city. Even the disillusioned citizens and the random Dropheads feel real and fleshed out.
3 A Compelling Love Interest That Stands On Her Own
Batman is frequently paired together with Catwoman, either as allies or temperamental adversaries who are at odds with each other. There are some strong female protagonists in DC movies, like in Harley Quinn and The Suicide Squad, but there’s still a frustrating compulsion for female love interests to be reductive characters.
The Dark Knight Rises is content with treating Catwoman like an accessory to Batman. Reeves’ The Batman gives Catwoman her own story arc, motivations, and advantages over Batman. She’s not only his equal, but she’s able to escape from Gotham’s grim world, unlike Batman.
2 A Villain Who’s Both Comic-Friendly And Pulled From Real Life
Batman stories can be so difficult to adapt because the characters can be pushed to realistic and dark places while having the makings of heightened caricatures. The Riddler is largely portrayed as a silly and exaggerated personality, which can be effective in its own way.
However, The Batman looks at real-life serial killers and terrorists for inspiration, like the Zodiac Killer. The grand scope that The Batman’s Riddler operates feels akin to his comic counterpart, especially with some of his blacker forms of comedy. Conversely, The Batman’s Riddler is genuinely terrifying and transcends prior DC cinematic villains.
1 Its Use Of Music And Batman’s Main Theme
Music is an essential component in the cinematic experience and some of the most passionate and inspirational musical themes are the ones that accompany cherished superheroes. Batman is in good company when it comes to past movie scores and acclaimed composers like Danny Elfman and Hans Zimmer have given their interpretations of the Dark Knight’s sound profile.
The Batman’s score is by Michael Giacchino, who’s grown into a major name in the film industry. Giacchino’s score feels unlike any previous Batman score, with a recurring theme that sounds akin to a funeral march. The Batman’s music swells in such impressive ways and truly amplifies the experience.
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