Matt Reeves’ new film, The Batman, has fans and critics enthralled in its dark murder mystery. On top of a compelling plot, The Batman shows Batman’s hand-to-hand combat skills like no film has before. One major complaint of Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy was the quick-cut editing style used in almost every fight scene.
This caused confusion for fans, as well as limiting the audiences’ ability to see the moves that Batman was capable of. This is not a problem in The Batman, however, as fans are treated to long takes with very clear and impressive choreography. From Joker Gang goons to Falcone’s top guards, Batman and Catwoman show off tons of impressive skills during The Batman’s nearly three-hour runtime.
Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Batman (2022)
6 Batman Vs. Catwoman – Bat Meets Cat
As one of the first fights in The Batman, it’s not the best fight in the film. It’s not necessarily a bad fight as it’s choreographed well, but it’s just far too short. The fight occurs when Batman drops in on Catwoman attempting to steal back her friend’s passport from the recently murdered mayor’s office.
Batman assumes Catwoman must be the murderer and gets into a fistfight with her. The two are shown to be near equals in combat through a quick series of impressive movements, but it isn’t long at all before Batman gets the upper hand.
5 Iceberg Lounge – Round 1
The second fight in The Batman is one of its most exciting. It begins with Batman taking on the bouncers of the Iceberg Lounge and proceeding to walk right in the front door, not caring about who sees him. He is able to fend off all of the Penguin’s guards with ease, taking a metal pipe from one of them to finish off the thugs.
This fight also establishes Batman’s expert ability with his grappling hook wrist launchers, as well as the strength of his bulletproof armor, bodying multiple handgun and shotgun blasts during the combat.
4 Joker Gang Initiation – Fear Is A Tool
In the opening of The Batman, Batman narrates how he can instill fear into criminals around Gotham just by the threat of his appearance. He could be hiding in any shadow around the city. However, this particular Halloween night, he is following a Joker gang. They’re set on initiating a new member by having him attack an innocent civilian.
Batman emerges from the shadows and is met with laughter by the gang. This doesn’t last long, though, as he brutally beats the gang member who asks “Who are you supposed to be?” and replies, “I’m vengeance.” He proceeds to take on all the other members at once, knocking them out or scaring them away.
3 Batman Vs. Penguin – Batmobile Debut
One of the most exciting scenes in The Batman comes when Batman must chase down an escaping Penguin in his newly built Batmobile. While not technically a fight, Batman’s chase in his newly completed vehicle feels as well-choreographed as any of the hand-to-hand sequences in the movie.
Batman drifts, swerves, and shortcuts his way through the Gotham streets until the Penguin slams on the brakes to create a massive pile-up of semi-trucks. He thinks he has won, but Batman uses one of the trucks as a ramp, ramming into the Penguin and violently flipping his car over.
2 Iceberg Lounge – Round 2
When Batman returns to the Iceberg Lounge to stop Catwoman from killing her father, Carmine Falcone, viewers are given one of the most visually unique fights in The Batman. Just as Catwoman is about to pull the trigger and kill her father, Batman cuts the power to the entire building. He then grapples up through the elevator shaft to reach the secret offices of Falcone.
This leads to an epic hallway fight where Batman advances down the hall taking out numerous armed guards, the only source of light coming from the muzzle flashes of their weapons. Catwoman also bookends this scene nicely as she’s able to take down a few guards on her own. Batman is able to stop Catwoman from pulling the trigger on Falcone and arrests him with Jim Gordon.
1 Gotham Square Garden – The Big Show
The final fight of The Batman is the best and most epic. In the climax of The Batman, Batman must stop the Riddler’s followers from assassinating the newly elected mayor of Gotham. Although questionable to the safety of the huddled masses below, Batman explodes the roof of Gotham Square Garden in glorious fashion, plummeting down to take on the armed men.
In this fight, Batman skewers people with his grappling hooks, jumps out of the smoke, hits several opponents with the butt of their own gun, and injects himself with some kind of adrenaline to finish off the last opponent. What really makes this the best fight, however, is fans witnessing Batman and Catwoman fight together. When she sees that he is struggling, she leaps into action to lend him a helping hand. The duo engages in some quick partner combat, complete with high kicks, body rolls, and jaw-shattering punches.
About The Author
