The Batman (Matt Reeves, March 4, 2022) Movie • Page 138

I respect owning up to it

 

they can’t all be home runs

 

Court of Owls bb

 

The music was definitely great. So proud of Michael Giacchino since his work on LOST.

 

I didn’t catch this, either because his scenes were too far apart for my brain, or I couldn’t tell due to his face getting bashed in, but apparently the guy from the funeral that Bruce overhears talking is the guy at the end who says he is vengeance.

 

Yes, it's meant to make that scene more poignant; to drive home the realization to Batman that his presence is inspiring people in the wrong way.

 

That also reminds me - I love seeing Peter Saarsgard pop up in stuff. Always a delight.

 

I mean, he doesn’t need to know him from somewhere to realize that. Saying “I’m vengeance” does it just fine.

 

I mean, no, but it's kind of a little for him and a little for the audience... I don't even know why I care.

 

When you take into context the nature of the conversation they held at the funeral, I don’t really understand how this is your takeaway.

 

I thought the “I’m vengeance” line from the guy was poignant enough to show Batman needs to be more than that and I had no idea who that guy was or that it was the same guy. It felt like he was supposed to be someone, but my first thought was “Is this going to be Joker or some other villain”? It adds more to that scene knowing it is the guy from the funeral, but I think it had a lot of impact either way.

 

I don't blame someone for forgetting about that guy in the course of the movie, but for me I remembered and was like "Oh shit, it's that dude." And then he said "I'm vengeance" and Batman got all stinkeye and I was like, "You done fucked it up, Bruce. Good job, hero."

 

It would not change the point being made if it had been a random person.

i mean the conversation makes sense that he ends up following the Riddler. But if it had been just a random riddler follower who said they were vengeance the same exact point would have been made to Batman. This way it does add a little that he had run into him, but it changes nothing about what that moment means within the film that it was that guy.


Proof: I did not realize it was the same guy and did not lose anything substantial about that moment. I had seen no one mention it until today. I don’t think it’s a major detail.

 

It's not a major detail. It's just nice for those of us who noticed it.

 

That I agree with.

 

Cool.

 

Two thumbs up

 

I missed it. What was it?

 

the corrupt reporter's last name was Elliot and in the Riddler's video exposing what happened with him and Thomas Wayne at one point the word HUSH flashed on the screen, like implying that it was covered/"hushed" up, but the word choice had to be intentional

 

I liked this, but didn’t love it like I hoped I would. Have been trying to put my finger on why I felt that way… and I think my main gripe is around how the film handles the character of Bats himself. Or more precisely, doesn’t.

I get that this is Year 2 Batman and he’s still learning his trade, and it’s all intentionally lower key and street-level, but...
1. Besides the fact that he’s good in a fight, I felt that you could have substituted the Batman character in this film for any other do-gooder - a straight cop, an investigative reporter, etc. - and the movie would be 90% the same. He kinda comes across as ‘just’ a guy in a Halloween suit, who can fight; I didn’t really see how he was attempting to make himself grandiose or ‘more than a man’ in the eyes of his enemies or someone who could achieve the epic & impossible. The Nolan Batman did this so well - using fear, misdirection, tech, psychology, etc. - to create that almost supernatural presence.
2. Related to that, I don’t feel we ever truly get in Bats’ head, how his character's reacting to things, what’s driving him, what his approach to being the Batman is, etc. Besides his voiceovers at the start and end, we are a bit passive as viewers; we see what he does and the steps he follows, but it’s just kind of A to B to C without too much exploration of his character. There are some great subtler moments (his interactions with Selina and the mayor’s kid), but I just never felt I got into who he really is, like I did with Bale’s Batman.

Again, I know it’s early-days Batman, but I felt like I was watching a crime mystery where the lead happens to be a guy in a batsuit who can fight, rather than him being this “more than a man” soon-to-be legend figure.

I’m not even sure that accurately describes what I felt the problem was - I am just trying to put my finger on why it didn’t fully land for me, and this is about as good as I can come up with; it’s just a personal take, I imagine others liked it precisely for the reason it didn’t quite work for me. I just felt that the script doesn't delve into the actual character of Batman & his workings - I would love to have seen more screentime dedicated to that, and less to the actual A to B to C beats of the storyline. With that change, I felt I’d have loved it, as everything else - tone, cast (R Patz is great with what he’s given), music, Gotham, color palette, atmosphere, even the way it’s shot, etc. - is just about exactly how I’d want a Batman movie to be. It just, ironically, didn’t land the portrayal of Batman himself for me.

 

If it doesn’t work for you nothing I say can change that. But I disagree with your two main complaints.

1. There is literally a montage and narration showing us that “fear is a tool”. And it shows us exactly how he does that. People think he is in the shadows. That’s definitely “more than a man” type presence and vibe for him. And I would argue this Batman has that way more than Bale did in Batman Begins. Bale becomes more than that throughout the trilogy, but what you describe Pattinson as fits Bale more in Batman Begins than it fits Pats.

2. I would argue that we learn way more about Batman here from his reactions, both verbal and nonverbal, than you give this credit for. Moments where he chooses to actually talk as Batman and the moments where he only gives a look tell a lot. There is so much going on with his face and eyes in particular that speak far more effectively and moving than words can do. I said a ways back I was drawn to his eyes a lot, there was a lot going on with them. The riddler scene is palpable with how awkward and distraught he is when he thinks riddler knows that he is Bruce Wayne.

 

That opening montage was so damn effective and brilliant at demonstrating the fear that Batman inspires in the criminals of the city. When that guy in the mask runs out of the convenience store and then looks down the street shrouded in darkness, as Pattinson narrates how the Bat Signal is a warning as much as a call, my god the chills. Just incredible stuff.

 

The only complaint I had about the film was that the spot it hit in the second act --- where there was tons and tons of exposition and mobster he-said she-said about the Waynes, various mobsters' involvement, etc -- did not really do anything for me. Adding complexity to his parents' story was an interesting wrinkle but it didn't really have the emotional resonance it was going for. That part was the only thing in the 3 hours that dragged for me.

Otherwise, just incredible. Nothing will top the creation that was Ledger's Joker for me, but as a Batman movie, this was pitch-perfect. It simultaneously felt grounded and comic-booky with Batman playing detective.

The use of lighting (that fight scene lit entirely by gunfire, my god) and the sound design was so fuckin good. Hearing the Batmobile rumble like it was coming straight of Hell was one of my favorite movie theater experiences in years.