Penguins and crushingly high G forces don't mix – or, at least, they shouldn't.
But in The Batman," the Penguin escapes a brush with death a little too easily.
Let's talk about that scene.
Spoilers for "The Batman" ahead.
When "The Batman" kicks off, Bruce Wayne has been patrolling Gotham for two years.
He's already cemented himself as a brutal force on the streets, and he's created a sense
of paranoia in the city's criminal element -- so whenever they see his symbol in the
sky, they know he could strike from the shadows at any moment.
He's a savage fighter, as seen in the film's opening sequence with the skull-faced thugs
who target a passenger on the subway.
But Bruce isn't just up against petty criminals in the 2022 film.
He's also investigating a terrifying serial killer called the Riddler who goes after corruption
at the highest levels of civil authority.
Yes, that's a strangely heroic cause for a murderer who terrorizes his victims with bizarre
traps and explosive collars, but Gotham has plenty of room for more than one costumed
vigilante.
Since the city is full to the brim with other criminals, it's not so surprising that the
Dark Knight meets some other iconic characters over the course of the movie.
Chief among them is Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman, who is really more of an anti-hero than a
proper villain.
Another villain is notorious crime boss Carmine Falcone, who sits at the heart of Gotham's
underworld.
Last but certainly not least is the charismatic Oswald Cobblepot, aka Penguin -- a gangster
who is pulled into Batman's investigation into the Riddler.
The Penguin has quite a few meaty scenes in Matt Reeves' first Batman flick, but one of
those scenes doesn't really make any sense.
One of the biggest action sequences of the film sees Batman chase the Penguin in a high-speed
pursuit down the Gotham freeway after he suspects the mobster of being an informant for the
GCPD.
The dramatic scene causes plenty of chaos on the road, and gives fans a look at what
the new Batmobile is capable of.
It's one of the best action sequences in the entire film, with the cinematography dropping
the audience right in the middle of the swerving vehicles.
Batman even uses a ruined truck to ramp through an explosion, like a real comic book hero.
And when he plows into Penguin's car, the crash that results is brutal, with the mobster's
vehicle spinning violently through the air before he lands upside down.
Cobblepot is trapped in his car, unable to escape as Batman walks toward the wreckage.
Luckily, Penguin only has a few minor injuries, so Batman and James Gordon are able to interrogate
him afterward without too much hassle.
So why is this scene so troubling?
Honestly, because it's more than a little shocking that Penguin isn't killed, or at
least leaving that car in a stretcher, considering how disastrous the crash is.
The absurdity of it kinda challenges our suspension of disbelief -- even in a film where a grown
man dressed like a bat enacts vigilante justice against a riddling serial killer.
So why doesn't Penguin die in "The Batman"?
"Justice.
The answer's justice."
It's not justice, but there are answers.
The first reason is that, from an effects perspective, it's just a fun, cinematic way
to show a car crash.
You could ask the same question about any modern action scene.
Why doesn't Bruce Wayne get whiplash when he totals his Lamborghini in The Dark Knight?
How does anyone survive the Fast and Furious movies?
It's about the spectacle.
The other answer is even more obvious: Colin Farrell has more to do with the role.
Remember, this is only the second year of Batman's crime fighting career -- so there's
still plenty of time for Cobblepot to become the version of the Penguin that DC fans know
and love.
The 2022 movie depicts him as an up-and-coming crime boss underneath Carmine Falcone, and
he's also in charge of the sleazy Iceberg Lounge where Gotham's corrupt elite hang out
most nights.
The film ends with a bit of a power vacuum in the world of organized crime.
It's highly likely that Penguin will climb the ranks to become the new crime boss if
Warner Bros. gives director Matt Reeves the green light for a sequel.
The film's early reception has been overwhelmingly positive, so hopefully the cast and crew get
to come back for round two.
But there's another key reason that Penguin isn't killed off in the film: He's getting
his own TV series on HBO Max.
Per Variety, the Penguin show will be executively produced by Matt Reeves, Dylan Clark, and
Colin Farrell.
Hopefully fans won't have to wait too long until the streaming service reveals more about
what to expect from Farrell's spin-off series, but until then, we can all be glad that this
particular penguin is car-crash proof.
"Hahaha, I got you.
Hahaha.
I got you!"
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