This doesn’t invalidate or insult the other approaches, there is absolute validity and purpose in selecting a core feature to build around, to create either a purely gothic existentialist or purely grounded realistic Batman, for example. The bat-signal stares down at Gotham like some giant demonic eye in "The Batman" Source: Warner Bros. While in the previous eras those approaches were powerful on their own, Reeves knew that they can be strongest when combined in the proper way to let them reinforce each others. Matt Reeves takes each of those core approaches, those best-of-the-best aspects of Batman and how to present him in live action, and merged them into something reflecting all of those strengths. In each case, the core feature - grounded realism, gothic atmosphere, or comic faithfulness and mythic presentation - is an important, powerful representation of Batman. Snyder’s Batman is the most “comic book faithful” with visual grandeur and a tale of Batman as monster, creature, and violent urban legend. Nolan’s Batman is probably best defined by the preference for being grounded in illusionary realism. Burton’s Batman is filtered through nightmarish gothic atmosphere and symbolism. Then I’ll talk about Schumacher’s films and the 1966 movie after, since they aren’t as significant in terms of what I’m about to discuss but still deserve mention.Įach filmmaker presented Batman from a specific overall perspective, founded on key concepts and approaches from the source material that define their eras with the character. These are the three relevant to my initial point about the inspiration and construction of The Batman. Previous Batman movies ( which I ranked here, from best to worst) fall into three main eras to discuss first - the Burton era, the Nolan era, and the Snyder era. The result is an idealized representation of the potential. His Planet of the Apes movies demonstrate this nicely, sci-fi action storytelling with intense character drama so relatable and believable it makes you feel (not think) you’re seeing a realistic what-if scenario portrayed with great verisimilitude. Reeves sees the essence of stories and characters, and mastered the delicate dance required to work the best ideas and most fantastical ideas into a believable narrative that you convince yourself is entirely grounded and immersive. What makes The Batman such a magnificent return for the franchise boils down to the very thing that made me certain years ago that Matt Reeves was the best person to take over the Batman franchise some day. That’s terrific company to sit among, and The Batman deserves every bit of the comparison - as well as its obvious influences from 1970s neo-noir cinema including Chinatown, Mean Streets, and Taxi Driver. A good comparison would be, again, the mystery investigations from Seven and Zodiac combined with a dash of Gone Baby Gone and a bit of LA Confidential. As one layer peels back, all manner of unexpected things fall from underneath to reveal deeper layers than expected. Which is one of the best things about Reeves’ The Batman - it’s a detective thriller from start to finish, full of mysteries upon mini-mysteries. And for the record, the trailers have mostly taken their footage from the first 20 minutes or so, plus a small number of scenes elsewhere in the film, so there’s a great deal still kept hidden - it is a detective mystery, after all. The first trailer we got for The Batman really does an excellent job conveying the tone and atmosphere of the film. Robert Pattinson turns the world of Gotham on its head in "The Batman" Source: Warner Bros. But The Batman has the mastery and impact of Snyder’s fight scenes combined with the practical effects and real-world aura of Nolan’s big chases or battle-scale sequences, and a lot more of them in different shapes and sizes. ![]() The last remark isn’t a knock on previous iterations, since obviously many of them had exciting action scenes. Now add many more characters from the comics, plus costumes and characters that are comics-accurate even while grounded, a perpetually overcast sprawling cityscape carved up by dark alleys and rainy streets, and exceptionally choreographed and staged action sequences in greater number than any prior Batman movie. There’s far more nuance, but that’s a one-sentence way to think of the setup and feel. ![]() ![]() Take the movie Seven, put the killer from Zodiac in it, and have Batman from The Dark Knight (and Bruce Wayne from The Dark Knight Rises) show up. I can describe The Batman in a way that’s oversimplifying but correct, and which you’ll immediately be able to wrap your head around.
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