In my opinion, Matt Reeves The Batman is an example of a comic book film that is quite
different to the traditional one we usually get, and it's also quite a fantastic one too.
It took a risk in giving us a slow burn detective
thriller more over a standard superhero blockbuster, and while there are elements of those types
of film still present, this project definitely stands apart from the traditional type of
filmmaking we usually get. I like when filmmakers can take their characters in directions that
are for one, appropriate, and two, unique, not
being the same kind of approach that we are used to seeing. If films like this are good
it calls for a sense of longevity from an individual perspective but it also signals
for different comic book films to come after.
We saw that with Joker back in 2019 and hopefully we will be getting more of it come the future.
In this video essay, I'm going to be discussing the reasons why I think we need
more comic book movies like The Batman, and why I think they can be just as successful
alongside that of the more traditional blockbusters we
get in this genre. But before I get it, if you want to keep up to date on any of my future
content surrounding The Batman, then don't forget to support this video by giving it
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in the description below. But without further a do, lets dive into my video essay on why
I think we need more comic book movies like The Batman.
So The Batman is a rare feat amongst the constant slate of comic book releases that quite regularly
don't take too much risks. Yes The Batman does have brief moments with the more
fantastical things we usually see and has a scene or two hinting at whats to come. But
a good 99% of this film doesn't waste it's scenes setting up sequels, giving the audience
quite one-dimensional characters, nor does it look
like it had the budget of a Netflix movie, even though intitially it was only going to
be made for $100 million dollars. Now of course, the pandemic created issues during the production
that led the budget to rise much closer to $200 million dollars, but the end result of
this film, is one with some of the best cinematography and storytelling in the genre
over recent years. And to make it clear, I love all types of comic book film. I like
when a more conventional universe film can prove it is
well made and take all of the integral production and storytelling elements more seriously.
But then I do also find myself alligning more with the comic book film that situates outside
of the norm and one that really strives to give us something we haven't seen in this
genre before. I essentially like all of it when it's done well. The Batman being a quite
different one that aims to capture more of a detective
noir than it is the next line of product that big studios want to sell, is yet another example
in the last few years from DC that has recieved overwhelming praise and success,
showing that audiences want new interpretations of beloved characters. It's the type of film
that's going to inspire filmmaking in the comic
book genre and raise the bar for those that come after. To highlight, I believe that 4
out of 5 of the last DC films, have been quite different from each other and been successful
to differing degrees. Joker was a huge success
at the box office, but it also gave us an oscar winning portrayal that has been celebrated
as one of the best of the genre over the last few
years. Zack Snyder's Justice League was a director's chance to show a majority of his
intial vision and it payed off in being one of the most successful streaming endeavours
of last year, when were talking about global viewership.
A film that I also really liked. And then while The Suicide Squad didn't do great at
the box office, for those who did see it, a
a lot of them really enjoyed James Gunn's take on the characters and especially his
r-rated approach to a comic book teamup film. And Now The Batman, being a film that is tracking
to make around $800-$900 million dollars worldwide,
one that has very strong critical and audience reviews, is the next in line to continue this
trend of distinct comic book films.
Every film I've just mentioned is completely different from each other. There's not one
direction that all these films seem to be heading in. They all tell their own stories
within the foundations of different genres and the filmmaking
all stands out uniquely. And while DC fans seem to be having a civil war over what direction
DC films should be going in, my question to them is, why not all of it. DC have proved
over the last 2 years that from a quality and for the most part a monetary standpoint,
that they can make quite unique comic book films
that rank among the best of the genre. They are giving us varying flavours of what comic
book movies can be and they aren't just relying on building a universe vision in which
everything has to be interconnected and feel very similar. I argue this approach kind of
lessens the impact an individual film can accomplish when it comes to longevity for
that piece of art. And don't get me wrong, some of the
films I've mentioned contain some of these universe building aspects, but they aren't
as obvious as the usual universe building comic book
film. In my opinion, The Batman is the next movie in line that has really shown that the
genre can be successful in all different ways. And while at certain times it can be a shame
that audiences don't appreciate these kinds of approaches as much in comparison to the
next film we get in a lot of cinematic universes, it's still telling that a film like The Batman,
being a hard-boiled noir detective movie, is on course to make just south of a billion.
The universe movies are of course successful, people like them and that's great for the
genre, but then the different types of films that
are doing well, should be signal for much more. These types of endeavours call for other
unique films to be made and ultimately, it will help
keep the comic book genre fresh as we move into the future. In the midst of a lot of
similar looking movies, it's good to have successful and different ones existing too.
And while I talk about the uniqueness of The Batman, there aren't much superheros that
get the attention than Batman does, a character whose tragic backstory has been done many
times, even so that new films and filmmakers are
now suggested to move past the death of the waynes because we’ve seen it done so much
and well before. The audience’s familiarity with the
caped crusader means that the attention is now placed much more heavily on what a filmmaker
does with him. And this is a huge advantage when it comes to making a different kind of
comic book film. Over the many iterations, Batman has become more and more the sort of
character, who can be mirrored by the unique sensibilities of the filmmaker bringing him
to screen. And not much comic books characters
or films in a particular franchise which have gone on beyond a decade can hold a candle
to the differing takes weve seen on the Dark Knight
throughtout the years. It's not just the direction of the character but it's also the way each
filmmaker has made a different kind of Batman film. I've spoke plenty about the older
adaptations on the channel before and what makes them unique, but now with Matt Reeves
version, we got the latest auteur, transforming Batman into a character that has a long way
to go when becoming a hero, all in the structure
of a detective serial killer film. It’s an interesting take that resembles more of
old-school noirs, Hitchcockian thrillers and that of
Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver then it does with heros we see in comic book films today.
Like I said before though, it's not fully in line with these kinds of artsy examples,
because it does have a fair amount of comic book-esque
scenes and ideals too. But it does totally lean more into the noir element and Batman
as a character, Gotham as a world, and DC's current
approach to bringing something new in a stuffed landscape. Right from the opening moments
of the film where Paul Dano's Riddler spies on and brutally kills Gotham’s mayor, eventually
leaving a personal note for Batman, we know exactly what Matt Reeves is trying to do.
And that is a Batman through a noir lens, who has a chance to live up to his comics
title as the World’s Greatest Detective.
Taking The Batman in the detective noir direction includes rundown aspects you'd expect. A main
character and world with endless rain, moody voice-overs and multiple re-playings of
Nirvana's Something in the Way. And if Reeves didn't seemlessly bring this altogether it
could have turned out as a film that becomes almost self-parody. But he's a dedicated and
consistent filmmaker, known for playing a part in also re-establishing the Apes franchise
quite successfully too, and the experience he's gained really aided him when it came
to leaving his distinct mark on a Batman film.
This isn’t a case of when a director of a Marvel or DC universe flick compares the
approach of their film to the work of iconic autuers of
the past and instead we mostly get more of the sensibilities we are used to seeing. Whether
that be in genre, tone, or re-used story traits in those superhero projects. And that's not
a dig at them because like I was suggesting before, they do occassionly pull of crowd
pleasing films like No Way Home, which fans of that property really like. But doing that
all the time does subject the genre to over-repetition
and it's quite clear that when it comes to Marvel, apart from No Way Home and it's obvious
nostalgic elements, this universe hasn't really continued the momentum that it had
pre-endgame. The filmmaking also is quite lacking and it links more towards the conveyour
belt of product over recent years. But with Reeves as
a particular example, he genuinely approaches the character and world of Batman in a way
that makes his film feel like it earns it's own status beyond influences and property.
Yes it's David Fincher-esque in terms of being influenced
by that of Se7en but seeing a character like Batman through that lens and combining it
with the comic book foundations we expect, it
makes this film feel like a perfect balance with it's own ideas too. The Batman essentially
takes the comic book movie into another genre. I'm not saying that we need more detective
noirs when it comes to comic book characters, but what I am saying is that by having these
different movies in the comic book genre like Joker and the new Batman film for instance,
it calls for other unique takes on comic book
characters that can be just as successful as them. These types of movies can exist in
accordance with the more conventional comic book film
and do just as well. If it was just universe movies which 90% of the market is today then
were not really inspiring filmmakers, people who work on these films and loyal fans of
these projects to really keep the comic book genre
feeling new. So when a Joker, a Logan or The Batman comes along, it again makes me question,
why not more. Especially when we see how well they can consistently do, from a box office
and quality perspective. Yes, there are certain rules that even the most audacious superhero
blockbusters must include, whether they’re part
of a larger cinematic universe or not. But after so many directors have put their own
take on a character like Batman, finding a fresher perspective is harder but more fulfilling
when it comes to the impact it can bring to a genre
giving us so many films a year, with many of them being very similar in structure and
tone. To me, The Batman is one of those rare examples
that is able to step outside of the structure, and I would love to see much more like it.
It's not just taking a character in a new direction with a darker and more grounded
story though. It's also a case of grounding the filmmaking within that too. So many of
these comic book films today include very relatable and
real-world themes, but then they also rely on over excessive visual effects to the point
where you get moments that simply take you out of
it. You can't engage as much in the more important story points or climatic developments because
then you also watch scenes that look like they were pulled out of a video game. It's
powerful characters fighting other powerful characters and all the themes and more interesting
narrative points that are executed quite well in other moments get bogged down in all of
the badly-executed spectacle that studios feel they have to put in every film they make
as part of a universe. It makes many films look very similar to the ones that came before
and if you aren't invested in that world to quite
a degree when it comes to fandom, it's really hard to connect to it through the filmmaking.
The Batman in most of it's scenes, gives the essense of grounded filmmaking. But then also
in it's limited action scenes, they filmed every shot with something real in-camera so
that you can clearly see the effort of composition in the final footage. There is care put into
the way the camera moves, what's it's attached too and the way everything is lit in frame.
Matt Reeves had the Batmobile jump through fire
for real, not because he's trying to be edgy, but because he cares about how that primal
vehicle looks like in frame. These shots are then lit with natural light and it really
helps you to connect more to what's going on, especially
in moments that could take you out of it. It's not a coincidence that the oscar winning
cinematographer of Dune shot The Batman and made it
one of the most beautifully shot comic book movies in years. Greig Fraser didn't need
to film in front of a green screen or the visual effects guys didn't need to overwhelm
the frame with artificially created subjects because
a lot of it was shot for real. There's a greater sense of authenticity in all of this filmmaking,
and primarily, it's a film that is build to last. Not the same type of filmmaking that
is consumed and then we move on to the next one. That's part of the reason why myself
and a lot of people love the filmmaking in Christopher
Nolan's The Dark Knight Trilogy too, one that is still brought up and praised today, because
equally, they also made films that not just resonate with the anxieties of that time,
but also utilise filmmaking that has lasted all
the way through to today. Essentially, through a filmmaking and storytelling lens, The Batman
is separated from a lot of recent comic book fair, and in my opinion, this is great
in a landscape full of similar looking films and ones that play it more safe. With the
popularity of the genre very high, to keep it alive
well into the future, films like The Batman will be the ones that help aid that hope.
And I can only hope that alongside that of the more traditional films, we get more of
the different kinds of movies too.
But that was my video discussing why we need more comic book movies like Matt Reeves The
Batman. Again, I love all types of comic book films and at the end of the day the story
and characters are what matter. But even in the
more conventional blockbusters in this genre, I've found more recently that there are less
and less of them that really convey this to an
interesting degree. The Batman being a quite different comic book film, already is given
the room to become something that stands out, but two, be a comic book film that can last
the test of time due to the handling of it's material. If a filmmaker like Reeves with
a powerful vision is given the tools and creative control to make what he set out to achieve,
then there's a better chance that he can really make something special. I think he has with
The Batman and it makes examples like 2017's theatrical version of Justice League look
all the more worse. That film was studio mananged
and what we saw in the Snyder Cut was a vast difference in quality and direction. So hopefully
after films like this, Joker, the snyder cut and The Suicide Squad in the last couple of
years, there is the hope that more distinct comic book films will be made and filmmakers
are being given more control when it comes to
producing their visions. But let me know down below in the comments section whether you
agree that we need more comic book films like The Batman alongside what your overall thoughts
were towards the movie.
For much more breakdown videos and essays on The Batman, then subscribe to the channel
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make some noise.