The Batman is a master-class in filmmaking. In this video, I discuss what the film’s biggest influences are, what movies it borrows from, and contrast the directing style of Matt Reeves to his predecessors, Zack Snyder and Christopher Nolan.
The Batman is a master-class in filmmaking. In this video, I discuss what the film’s biggest influences are, what movies it borrows from, and contrast the directing style of Matt Reeves to his predecessors, Zack Snyder and Christopher Nolan.
Good observations with interesting comparisons. I can’t offer any counterpoints because I agree with most of your points. ‘Most’ because I have not seen the other Snyder movies besides Man of Steel so I shouldn’t really comment on them (but your criticisms of those movies are precisely why I stopped watching his work). I would even go further by saying that Nolan, while a brilliant conceptual director, is not only bad at directing fight scenes but he is terrible at intimate scenes: he is incapable of igniting the much needed chemistry between his characters which results a kind of hollowness in his Bruce/Batman’s emotional arc because we never feel it built up and, therefore, earned. This is cringingly obvious with Nolan’s approach, or lack of, with the character of Rachel (both times). Reeves, on the other hand, is not afraid to go soft and delicate when his characters call for: those brief moments between Batman and Selina have such tenderness and sensuality that beautifully expose different facets of this caped crusader and I’m here for it. I also love that in Reeves’ version Gotham is not just a location but a prominent character (something that was sorely lacking in all of the Nolan’s trilogy). A Gotham with a larger-than-life personality that entwines everything, drags everyone that comes across its path and we, the viewers, cannot help but be willingly immersed into its depravity. What a memorable cinematic experience this was. Thanks for the video.
Your observations about Nolan’s intimidate scenes are spot-on. I think Nolan’s strengths are *so great* that it offsets a lot of his flaws, including intimacy between characters. Not only was Bruce’s relationship with Rachel hollow, the short relationship he shared with Talia in the 3rd movie felt incredibly forced. I appreciate the watch, and the very thoughtful comment, truly. I love this kind of discussion. A lot of work went into the making of the video, and plenty more analysis to come of other films. I’m a new channel trying to get off the ground so again, thank you *very very* much for dropping in.
Don’t get me started on Talia…..lol. From one cynical cinephile to another, happy to subscribe and support a new channel to continue future dialogues on this common interest. P.s. The saying “there are no new ideas just new ways of using an idea” holds true for every creative artists, myself included. The Batman is not original, far from it; like you’ve pointed out, it borrows from so many other great works and subjects. The brilliance of The Batman is that Reeves was able to find and connect the threads within those sources to make this graphic novel/heightened reality so relatable to our current world. Now, THAT is no easy feat. To me, that relatability is what makes the telling of this story so compelling. And, goodness, the pace of this movie….I could go on and on but I’ll save it for future discussion.
@@multipass113 I think the knowledge that there are only so many stories to tell keeps me from getting too jaded. It’s exciting to see someone spin a tried and true tale into something entirely new. Reeves was a master at it this go ‘round (not that he hasn’t been before). It’s how we spin things and create something new from something old. I see it fail all the time, you can blend things that don’t make sense to blend together. But all the failures we watch/read make the ones that succeed, like The Batman, all the more exciting. I look forward to more discussions with you! It’s a little late, but I’m dissecting Uncharted and will be posting it next week. *that* dissection will not be a kind one.
You raised a good point because I, too, find comfort in knowing that my objective is not to make something original (i.e. The movie was shot entirely on Mars!) but to bring fresh perspective with existing materials. This concept of repurpose-working within a parameter using limited resources-is what motivates and inspires one to be truly creative. To make people see something in a new way yet still retaining some familiarity under a distinctive voice is challenging but so satisfying. Too often we end up with products that try so hard to be something for the sake of being that something which always result in me exasperatingly trying to roll my eyeballs to the back of my head (with no success, thank goodness). I look forward to your analysis of Uncharted; I have not seen the movie but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying a good breakdown. In this now seemingly bland-cookie-cutter-movie-making-assembly-line industry kindness breeds mediocrity and indifference, so I’d say: go for it. P.s. Most content creators do not take the time to engage in the comments so your thoughtful replies are equally appreciated.
@@multipass113 I couldn’t agree with this more, and couldn’t have said it better. You sound like you’re a writer yourself! I write and draw a comic book, write music, and now analyze movies here on KZhead (the library will expand, believe me!), and like you said, exposing a new angle to existing materials is what you have to do if you’re doing any one of these forms of art. Most things have been done, but what are *you* going to do to, in essence, to spice things up? To make it fresh? Since we’re chatting on KZhead I’ll focus here-because anyone browsing sees this constantly-videos that aren’t really anything… Just there for the sake of the creator, but not bringing something new to the table. I don’t want to analyze anything based on a “liked it / didn’t like it” basic reviewer take. I only want to do something if I think I can bring a fresh perspective or at least, *something* someone hasn’t touched on yet. I might not succeed every time in the future but I’ll give it my 100%.
My favorite thing about Pattinson’s performance (and it’s hands-down the best live-action Batman performance by miles) is how much he leans into the fact that Batman is a *deeply* maladjusted man. Whenever he’s outside the suit, the dude looks downright dysphoric. It seems to actively cause him pain to have to go to the Iceberg Lounge out of costume; he has no personal use for Bruce Wayne. Love the choice to depart from Bale’s social chameleon; it made his pain and thus his mission far easier to understand.
Damn, that’s an excellent take. It’s this kind of analysis that makes me think most people commenting should start their own film essay channels, that’s brilliant stuff Sam. I loved his portrayal (as you probably heard in the video) and some folks get upset about the “emo Batman” thing but, Bats expressing at the end that he needs to be more than just “vengeance” signifies this character is growing. *an actual character arc*. Something we haven’t really seen in a Batman movie. Not like this anyway. He’s indeed still young and learning, so he might get out of his disdain for being simply Bruce Wayne, too, and find (somewhat) of a balance by the end of the trilogy.
@@TheMovieCynic Totally; my called-shot for the sequel is that one of the final dramatic beats will be him revealing his identity to Selina as he begins to accept that part of himself.
I think the best part after this, will be seeing him become Bale's social chameleon, because eventually, he will have a use for Bruce Wayne. A slow progression, rather then the rushed one we got with Bale, no fault of Bale of course.
@@TheMovieCynic Yesss, I feel like an embarrassing amount of people aren't seeing this- There's tons of people on twitter complaining about it. It kind of hurts, this is why I only use Twitter for art-
@@DilettanteThat ooooof, That sounds exactly why I stay off Twitter.
Also, my favorite scene is when he first comes into the crime scene and all the cops are pissed that he's there. That whole scene is just great in every way. How he walks around looking for clues. The camera work ad lighting and everything about that scene is exactly the kind of Batman that I love. I've liked all the Batman movies but this one and The Dark Knight are the best. I can't decide which one is better but I don't care. I'm just glad this one turned out so good instead of being lame.
Batman’s introduction to the first crime scene is sooo well done. It’s been a bumpy road for Batman movies since Batman ‘89, but I agree this one is right up there with The Dark Knight.
I like how he kind of tells the forensic photographer lady about the blood without actually saying anything. Very Batman to me.
Finally, someone who talks about still camera movement and editing
When you see the potential in a great fight scene that’s chopped to hell, you start to recognize how important editing is.
@@TheMovieCynic definitely, and not having crazy shaky cam helps with that as well
@@CommanderSammer mcu fans would disagree
@@smittywerbenjagermanjensen5152 well the mcu isn't exactly the gold standard for good cinema, so much fans can disagree all they want, it doesn't make them correct 😂
I didn't notice because he kept saying Zoe Kravitz name wrong. For fucks sake it's not like she is some unknown actress
The slo-mo upside down shot from The Batman also makes sense within the movie because Penguin might have gotten a concussion from the crash.
I hadn’t thought of that, good point. It would give another + to Matt Reeves’ direction, actually giving a story-centric reason behind using solo-mo instead of the “because it looks cool” that Snyder does.
Lol it's kinda nice to hear someone mention how fantastic Robert Pattinson looks in the batsuit in this kind of video. Actually I've watched tons of review videos and "the batman is a masterpiece" videos and I don't think I've heard a single one say it. Cast-wise, this is quite a beautiful movie
I’m glad someone pointed this part of the video out, because I haven’t noticed anyone else mention this either! The jawline is undeniable and Zoe Kravitz breaks hearts
@Ribby The Party Frog There are several comics where he looks pretty similar to this. This just makes it a bit more extreme
@Ribby The Party Frog he looks way better than the cringe, growling "Batman" who is weaker than a 12 year old girl from the dark knight trilogy
Yea my only real main issue with the batsuit in this, is the head. Its just got a megamind kinda vibe going on, and it looks slightly misaligned with everything, so it gives off an odd vibe
@@xleplayVA lol, you're tripping. It looks soooo much better than the ridiculous suits bale and Affleck wore
The Batman is the greatest IMAX cinematic experience I’ve ever had. I have never smiled and had so many chills from a movie. I can’t wait for the second one and all the spin-off shows because they’re going to be incredible!!
they really are it was so good!!! and the characters were amazing - my favourites were Batman and Catwoman (holy fuck Zoë Kravitz is hot)
This movie worked so well because it followed the rule of "show, don't tell" to a T
That’s so ironic you said that, I’m writing my next video (Morbius) right now and tearing it apart for *not* following that rule whatsoever. Literally writing that part of the analysis and took a break when I saw your comment lol it sounds like you and I are on the same page!
I had two complaints after watching it the first time. 1. The joker cameo... Frankly I don't really want to see joker again right now definitely with Joaquin Phoenix doing a great job. 2. I desired more combat. After the fact I watched behind the scenes with a director stated they only wanted to choreograph fighting that made sense and not aimless fighting. But damn they made it look so good I wanted to see more.
When a complaint is that you more of the great stuff, that’s a good sign.
When I heard this movie was going to be a crime noir heavily influenced by Fincher films and that the Riddler was going to be the primary villain I was 100% all in! This movie was so good because of how dark and gritty it was. This movie wasn't as concerned about the duality of Bruce Wayne as the other films have been. Pattinson spent 95% of this film on screen as Batman and I was fine with it. He's still the flawed anti-hero we expect. I'll still think Michael Caine was the best Alfred in the history of Batman movies but Andy Serkis was alright too...considering it was really Alfred that did most of the detective work in this movie. Paul Dano was AWESOME! Second only to Heath Ledger in the hierarchy of Batman villains.
I loved the scene where Batman thinks for a moment that riddle knows his true identity. He leans back against the wall and seems to sigh, glancing at the camera on the wall. So much is conveyed in those quiet moments. Also Pattisons eyes inside the cowl are so powerful. He makes his eyes actors.
Easily my favorite live action Batman film ever made. Absolutely incredible.
When i saw this movie i came into the cinema super excited and i came out thinking about how great the cinematography was, i didn't feel like that after watching endgame(it was still a great movie) but I've got to give it to the batman, its made my top 5!
Endgame was satisfying in a different way for me since it was the culmination of a massive storyline told by a number of writers and directors over a decade. It makes sense the cinematography is in line with that “Marvel formula”, which I don’t have an issue with. I love me some Marvel. The Batman meanwhile stands on its own, and you’re absolutely spot on, the cinematography is breathtaking.
I watched it at the cinema yesterday and I completely agree with you. The car chase scene blew me away. Damn that Batmobile is the coolest thing I've seen in a superhero movie. I haven't been that excited about a vehicle since seeing Tim Burton's Batmobile, when I was a kid. Robert Pattinson is also such an awesome Batman. He's so moody and unhinged, and you can see the cogs turning in his head as he learns and grows throughout the movie.
It’s going to be fun watching this Batman grow into the fully formed version over the next couple movies that’s for sure.
I thought that the use of one of the greatest pieces of classical music ever created, Franz Schubert's "Ave Maria" or "Ellens dritter Gesang" as the Riddler's theme was completely brilliant. It is traditionally used as a joyful acclimation of the Hail Mary Prayer, but to see it be used as a message of warning, of the Riddler's coming brought a darkness to the tune that was completely original. Also, it seemed to mirror the Riddler's genius as a villain, as he could leave what he viewed as works of art for Batman to find (his riddles and the horrific murders), while keeping his other grotesque plan a secret until the epic third act of the film revealed the true extent of his madness and how powerful his evil ideas were.
This is the best video I’ve seen on The Batman so far. It summed up all of my thoughts. Can’t get enough of this movie.
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed the video. And I can’t get enough either, I’ve seen it three times so far.
@@TheMovieCynic I’m glad I’m not the only one! I’ve seen it five times so far, but I’m going to take it easy until I can see it with my brother who is a huge fan of the Tim Burton movies. I can’t wait to see his reactions!
@@megmurray8544 that’s awesome! Michael Keaton’s Batman is right up there. I’m nostalgic for it. I’m not sure if you’re interested in other blockbustery movies but I’m releasing an analysis of Uncharted tomorrow (I was not a fan) and will be doing one for Morbius, Matrix Resurrections (long overdue) over the next couple weeks!
@@TheMovieCynic I love the Tim Burton Batman movies so good! I’ll definitely have to check out your Uncharted analysis. I haven’t seen the movie yet, but the only reason I might have wanted to see it was to roast it. I’ll subscribe to your channel!
Took the words right out of me! I stumbled across another Batman video that I didn’t agree entirely with but thought the guy had some interesting points as I thought afterwards about it. (Edit,I found the vid):kzhead.info/sun/eryApMuljqeAY6M/bejne.html
Good vid man. You actually tie in filming concepts like editing and references to other films. Too many video essayists online have become mere opinion channels than analysts
Thank you sir, and I agree. “Everyone has an opinion, so what makes yours worth listening to?” Is what I was asking myself when I wanted to make this channel. I don’t want to make videos just to make them. Only if I have my own angle to bring for critique.
The Dark Knight's editing during action sequences, in my opinion, work pretty well due to the way in which Nolan paces the sequences. He makes several moments like crashes, explosions, and others.
The amount of effort in this video is incredible. Subscribed.
Thank you so much! This took something like 50-60 hours to do… making these videos are a labor of love!
@@TheMovieCynic We appreciate ya!👌🏽
Probably the best video on YT regarding this new Batman movie. Well done, couldn't agree more
I'm totally about to binge this channel when I really needed the distraction. Thank you for making consistent content.
I’m moving some of the shorter / older videos over to my second channel, in case you see some missing. Nothing will be gone permanently, just about a dozen videos shifting over. They’ll be available again soon! Sorry for the bad timing, but thanks so much for checking out the channel. I’m glad you’re enjoying it!
@@TheMovieCynic Well, as professional cynics go your channel is up there with the best. I'll def be checking out the 2nd channel
holy shit bro, didnt even realise u had 57 subs. the quality on the vid is insane... u got a huge future ahead of u my brotha
Thank you, that’s incredibly kind of you to say. My goal is to get to a point where there’s a new video up every week, but I’m quality over quantity. Literally working on the latest vid right now lol. Thank you *so much* for taking the time to watch the vid and comment. It means a lot.
I just found your channel and subscribed on the fact that the island boys part took me all the way the F out! lol Great channel though! you got a loyal viewer!
That's an amazing review and you are absolutely right The Batman is a masterpiece. :D I'll be seeing it a fourth time tomorrow.
Thank you very much my friend! I’m glad you enjoyed it the movie and the video! You’ll beat me, I’m at my 3rd viewing so far of the movie lol. It’s a guessing game if the hard work of making videos like this will get in front of peoples eyes, so thanks a lot for stopping in and giving it a shot. :)
@Super Roo I ended my run at 5 times! :D Movie is a masterpiece really.
@@TheMovieCynic Hey i ended my run at 5! :D And yes this video is exactly an example of hard work. I'm sure with time more and more people will discover you. Because your analyses are right on, your observations are spot on. And i thorougly enjoyed your analysis. I wish you the best!
@Super Roo :D
I just finished my third viewing and should’ve watched it in the IMAX but got to view it on the X screen! So worth it 😊😊😊
Thank you for making this video! I absolutely love this movie and it's getting so much uncalled for flack!
So true about the fight scenes in Nolans Batman. I tell my wife theyre great movies but just average action movies. The Bane fight at the end of DKR is abysmal. Its what kept me continually unsatisfied and Reeves Batman is far superior. Finally the Batman I've wanted to see, worthy of the Arkham game series.
Indeed, Dark Knight is a great movie (that props up the other two films IMO) but mediocre at action. *But*, the 18-wheeler vs Batpod, especially when the truck flips over, is fantastic. Poor editing or not, some of those shots are just iconic.
To say the Nolan trylogy is average is hilariously untrue he's the reason Batman even has respect in the movie side of things you kidding me he brought respect and badassness back to Batman to be honest the Batman copied seven it's not even unique but it's a good film just not better then darknight that's all
@@firelord4662 he literally never said the films were average lmaoooo he said the fight scenes are.
@@firelord4662 and he’s right.
@@firelord4662 He didn't say that. He said the action in it was average. The Batman copying Seven is like saying TDK copied Heat. The Batman took inspiration from certain things from Seven, but never took the entire thing. Its shot composition is almost entirely different, its color pallete is also much different, and the story and themes aren't really that similar. It just has some similar points
I really enjoyed your take on this. Looking forward to seeing more of your content. Note: Any chance you could link or reference the video you mentioned of the Nolan tunnel scene that was reworked by a professional editor? I would love to see that.
Thank you Rachel! Morbius analysis (it’s not as kind to that film as this video is to the Batman) will be up tomorrow, I hope you check that out and enjoy. I think the re-edit I viewed might’ve been removed, but this is a perfect deconstruction of the scene. Below is the link to part 1 of 3, you’ll find the other parts when you follow this link! kzhead.info/sun/a5Rqo7aXjGOOnq8/bejne.html
Damn , this is some high class content. Quick subscribe
Thank you!!! I’m trying to get new content out weekly, but I’m at a bi-weekly pace. It takes me quite a lot of hours to get one of these made, but I’m hoping to get on a roll with them. Quality over quantity is the name of my game.
I rarely comment, but man I love your 3 last videos, your humor and editing is so funny!! Keep going and good luck 👏👏👏
Thank you so much! I really appreciate you taking the time to comment 😊 I hope you enjoy future videos just as much!
Loved, your video is by far my favorite the Batman review
Incredibly kind words. There are more reviews like it to come, just a new channel trying to get off the ground. But doing my best to make high quality content. Thanks so much for watching!
Great review and totally agree, can't stop thinking about this movie for a month now. I would love to see a ranking video from you about the Batman live action movies.
That’s not a bad idea! I’ll put that on the list. Got a few videos up my sleeve beforehand that I’m working on.
I'm shocked this channel only has 77 subs. This shit is so good
Unbelievably kind of you to say. I just launched the channel a few weeks ago with this Batman analysis, and am just focusing on producing quality content and getting better with each video. I wish I could produce them faster but quality over quantity! 3rd vid (Morbius) incoming and being wrapped up as we speak. Thanks for dropping in and hope you stick around!
@@TheMovieCynic hell yeah dude. Keep that content coming
I don't see many people mentioning it but I like how the beginning of the movie makes you think that they'll show us Batman's backstory again but literally says nope once you cut to inside the house
I'm just so happy to have a Batman that is on par with the Animated Series. I don't like Bale's Batman, nor Keaton. Give me Conroy and Pattinson all day.
Revisiting the animated series, I can’t believe how dark and mature it was considering who it was aimed at. I loved it when I was a kid and it holds up now. I can’t imagine there’s that kind of quality in kids after-school animation anymore.
@@TheMovieCynic I know, right? That’s why I think BTAS is one of the, if not the best portrayal of Batman ever. The show knew what tone it needed to be and did things that were comic book accurate, yet with very phenomenal different takes (like Mr Freeze for example)
@@mikephelps9238 we’ll never get a film version of Mr Freeze that’s equal to his interpretation in BTAS.
@@TheMovieCynic one can hope that Reeves pulls off a good Mr Freeze (assuming Freeze will be the villain of the sequel)
This was a great review my guy
I watched this with my photographer friend. Right from the first shot, he was overwhelmed because to his cinematic eyes, he was on a ride. This movie is such a banger.
Terrific video. Had me grinning the entire time.
Greattt video broski keep it up
Thank you so much! I’ll definitely continue posting and trying to improve. Much appreciated!
damn I just now noticed that you only have 432 subscribers. short story there's now 433. but honestly, I consider this channel underrated and you deserve way more attention considering you're better than 90% of reviewers.
I really appreciate that!!! It’s still a brand new channel (just a month into this) so i hope the word gets spread over time. I’ll be doing my best to get out the best content I possibly make to earn everyone’s trust and support.
Stumbled upon your channel and gotta say good content That being said have your seen Talon in the movie?
My favorite part is the seemingly first time he uses that squirrel suit to fly and looks fucking terrified. Flawless acting moment. We always see bats as a badass, so it's great seeing him do something for the first time and how human and relatable he can be
Lot of detective work in this movie, more than the ones before. The previous batman movies had a lot of action but the main thing about batman is his intellectual prowess, of how he thinks ahead how he's always prepared and how he solves problems and this movie brought up all those qualities of batman
I thought this was excellent review, and I’ve subbed to hopefully to get more bangers like this
Thanks for subbing man!!! I’ve literally been working on my next video the entire day, just going back and forth between working on it and responding to comments lol I personally think it’ll be a banger, it’s a review of Morbius and I’m trying to go the extra *10 miles*. Nothing on this channel will be a “standard” way of reviewing or analyzing films-I’m trying to do it with humor, being informative, and super tight editing. It takes a bit to make a vid because of it, but quality over quantity. Thanks again man! Hope you enjoy the upcoming content!
You rock, sir. Keep it up.
The Batman is my most favorite Superhero movie. I watched it 10 times in cinema hall. It is the best directed, story telling and most believable Superhero movie. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
10 times?! I’ll get there when it’s on HBO Max. It’s definitely my favorite superhero movie too
@@TheMovieCynic not available in india.
Whattt??? Damn 😂
I’m late to this since I recently discovered this channel. Which, is fantastic. I’ve watched Reeves/Pattinsons Batman probably dozen times. It gets better every time. I agree with everything you said in video. We appreciate your insights! However, we have serious Marvel problem right now. Why am I saying this other than the fact it’s true? Because Reeves directing/writing, etc is what made phases 1-3 so dang special and now it’s all over. Perhaps Marvel should call Reeves! Also, where’s the channel that has yourself and Platoon discussing Marvel? There was a clip in another one of your reviews for a somewhat more recent Marvel movie? I think there were 2 others on that chat. I appreciate letting know if ever can get to this. Thank you dude!
well done on this channel man i've watched channels with 500k subs and they shit this channels gonna grow keep it up
Thank you my friend 🙏
Also mention the little moment were after revering up the battle mobile he goes and stalls it. Loved it as just shows how human Batman is he's still trying to figure things out and isn't this skilled hero people thinks he is.
Watching this video has made me want to watch this again. The first time I thought it was good but not exactly smack my arse and call me Sandra good. I wasnt a fan of the long reaching shots of him on his bike and stuff like that but I enjoyed all the action scenes and the story building. Gotta go back now. Seven which you draw obvious comparisons to is one of my top favourite films so need to check this film again
"Mix those style baeeee!" 03:07 Your voice is hilarious lol
Looool “I’m an Island boooiiii”.
Calling ZS self-indulgent for the narration is quite off the mark. MR doesn’t have to set up the exposition because it’s addressed as the Wayne Family secrets slowly unfold. And ZS needs to set up the back story in order to note the significance of the Martha connection. While we can agree to disagree ( I thought it was rather brief and beautifully shot) on the quality, to say it was just self-indulgent is silly. Now you’re just bashing to bash.
It’s not just his storytelling that I’m referring to as self indulgent though. His gratuitous use of slo-mo speaks for itself in that regard. I do note the Martha connection for the backstory, but there could’ve been a million different ways to do that instead of re-doing the tried and true origin rehash. Not to mention, possibly a way to do it without getting a laugh out of 3/4ths of the people in the theater when “Martha” is said as the connecting tissue between the two heroes. Also, “Cynic” is in the name-I stand by my Snyder bashing any day of the week. To that end, I really do appreciate you dropping in and commenting. Thanks for taking the time to watch the vid.
@@TheMovieCynic other than us agreeing to disagree on one issue, it’s a very well-done video! Props to your insight!
@@tommycreedon thanks good sir. If you stick around you might find some stuff we agree on in the future. Hope to see your responses either way. Take care!
Can you link to the re-edited chase scene from The Dark Knight?
This is a truly great film. While it benefits from - and pays tribute to - multiple prior incarnations of Batman, it transcends all of it, and makes something new and refreshing.
I loved The Batman. It is perhaps the best pure "batman" movie ever made. While it might not be as good as The Dark Knight in the broader sense of film, IT IS a better "Batman" movie. Pattinson is awesome under the cowl and is very good as the distant and broken Bruce Wayne. If they choose to do the playboy gimmick I think he'll do great at that as well because he was basically that in Tenet. I've seen The Batman 3 times in theaters and almost every minor issue I had with the movie on first viewing melted away on subsequent viewings. On first viewing I certainly felt the long duration of the film, but on second and third viewing it breezed by. A common complaint I see is that the third act came out of nowhere and contradicts the Riddlers plans of "punishing the corrupt" and that the seawall wasn't explained. I guess the average movie goer wasn't paying attention because the movie mentions the seawall multiple times, including in the very first scene when the mayor is watching his debate on TV. IT also shows it several times with the water right at the top threatening to spill over, hinting at the end of the movie. Also the Riddler says how he wants to "clean the city" and "wash away the sins" and so forth. Also, "the riddlers" at the end never seem like they are just shooting at random people, or that that was their intention. Perhaps the idea was that all the government officials and politician would have ended up there at the end and that they would be the targets and anyone killed because of the flood would be collateral damage. I also think that it's possible that the Riddlers intentions changed over time as he gained a following. His followers might have emboldened him to do something even more crazy "for the cause" as perhaps they were wronged by more average people or whatever. This is just speculation though. The Joker cameo also worked for me. I feel like it hints at a larger world. While I like the deleted scene and I think Barry will do great, I agree that they should hold off on the Joker until the final film in the trilogy (if we get one). I'm all for a villain that hasn't been used yet like Clayface or perhaps a serious take on Mr. Freeze (as has been rumored for a while now). The Batman also looks and sounds great. The dirty and grimy neon noir look of Gotham really worked and the soundtrack is haunting and memorable. Pretty much all of the performances are excellent. I'm really looking forward to where Reeves takes us next. Some other notes, Gotham looks really cool in this movie which is something the Nolan movies (after Begins) severally lacked. In TDK and TDKR Gotham looks like Chicago if it were power washed. It looks WAY TOO CLEAN. You don't feel like It would be scary to live there or that Batman would even be necessary. Also, Pattinson > Bale... AS BATMAN. I think Bale was brilliant as Bruce but suffered as Batman with his overly high tech suit and "cancer" voice. For me Bale ranks behind Pattinson, Affleck, and Keaton but not necessarily in that order. The other day I saw a comment saying that this movie sucked because we don't understand Batman's motivation because we didn't see his origin. Are you serious? Had they redone the origin the amount of complaints would have been an avalanche. Also, as someone who has been lifting and working out for close to twenty years, if I see one more complaint about Pattinson "not bulking up" I think I might scream. The dude looked fit. He's a natural ectomorph and without the use of PEDs he did the best he could in the short amount of time he was given. Also his physique is irrelevant to the quality of the movie. Keaton was awesome and certainly didn't look anymore buff than Pattinson. In the suit Pattinson (who is relatively tall) looked like a monster. Another note. Zack Snyder, based off what I have heard and seen seems like a genuinely good guy. He's very creative and artistic and isn't afraid to take risks and suffered considerably because of studio interference and the forced "catch up with marvel" mentality that WB had. While his DC work is a mishmash of great and mediocre I think the good outweighs the bad. I genuinely don't care for Man of Steel. The first half I think is excellent but the ending is just... too much for my taste. When I first saw BvS I pretty much hated it. The one shining thing was Ben Affleck. You could just tell how much Ben loves the character. The suit is THE BEST BAR NONE Batman suit we have ever gotten on film. Even the Justice League suits are inferior. I know people get all up in arms over the killing thing but I think it works within the context of the film. Batman is basically a jaded, drunk, xenophobic nutcase by this point in his career and gives no Fs about collateral damage. BvS the theatrical cut is not good and I hate that that version is the one shown on TV. The Ultimate Cut basically pulled a 180 on me. I now genuinely love BvS (which has by far the best Batman action sequence committed to celluloid) even with it's notably odd choices, but I think Zack Snyder's Justice League (which is a great movie also despite it's flaws) strengthens it because now we can see what Zack's intentions were. Don't get me started on Josstice League which should be deleted forever as all it did was harm DC and WB almost irreparably with the Fandom. On a final note, I can't help but feel like The Batman will ultimately "underperform" at the box office, despite that as of me writing this it has earned around double what Batman Begins made. In this day and age a comic book tentpole like this making under a billion is "a failure" which is far from true (especially with a relatively lower budget production such as this), but for some reason people are obsessed with that number. The Batman is not for young kids and it was never advertised as such. I think it might as well have been rated R. I doubt it would have made a difference. It's the first in a hopefully successful relaunch of a franchise with all new actors and released during a global pandemic. Comparing it to Spiderman NWH is unfair. NWH has the built in "go see whatever marvel puts out" fanbase (and yes those people exist), Spiderman is "for kids" which means adults are not afraid to bring their 5 yos (and every ticket counts), and it had the huge bonus of NOSTALGIA. If you take out the Tobey and Andrew spidermen and the villains I think the movie would have done about the same as the previous Spiderman movies. As far as filmmaking goes The Batman is superior on every level, but NWH was a stand up and cheer roller coaster movie, and those will always make more money than an introspective slow burn crime thriller no matter who is the lead character.
This an well-rounded and well thought out critique. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I agree with the majority of your observations on the film as well as my favor of Pattinson over the others-and as someone who also has knowledge of weight training, Pattinson’s look and weight makes complete sense for his starting point and how he looks in the film. He clearly didn’t use PEDs like the majority of Hollywood does to get jacked. He’s authentically ripped and I applaud him for that. He mentioned in an interview prior to the films release that he couldn’t believe people actually took him seriously when he said he wasn’t working out for the film. I’m going to do a follow-up video specifically addressing my issues with the Snyder-verse which I’m sure will be pretty divisive, but it’ll be obvious when I’m objective and what is subjective. As far as Batman’s box office, this is a re-boot to a franchise that was severely harmed by bad films (lets face it, if people really enjoyed Snyder’s vision, he’d still be making the movies. Numbers don’t lie) so the fact that The Batman has been embraced like it has speaks volumes to its quality.
@@TheMovieCynic funny enough that you mentioned the opening monologue of BvS as a weak point when I think the opening 10ish minutes of BvS is some of its strongest material. Ben’s monologue at the beginning frames his fall from grace and descent into almost literal madness and I think his parents being killed was handled in a exciting and artful way. Plus Chekhov’s gun with the whole dying words are Martha thing which comes back in the universally praised (sarcasm) Save Martha scene.
Great video analysis and also great feedbacks. I totally agree that Nolan’s dark knight is a better overall movie. But The Batman is the best Batman movie. Casual movie goers wouldn’t appreciate the slow pace, action lacking, suspense flick disguised in one of the biggest IP in super hero movie. But for those who has been Batman’s faithful will truly appreciate what a special one of a kind experience this Matt Reeves masterpiece has to offer.
@@korkor1020 I appreciate the kind words about the video, truly. I agree that casual film fans won’t find Reeves’ Batman very much fun, and I think that’s panning out since it’s release on HBO Max. I feel like I’ve seen far more negative opinions on the movie since, but that’s to be expected. Those who wanted to see it went to the theater, and people who couldn’t care less caught it once it hit streaming.
@@TheMovieCynic odd. I would say the opposite. Most people I know who didn’t go to see it in theaters who watched it on hbomax loved it. I’ve also watched a handful of more recent reviews and they were all positive. I feel like people who are shitting on it are just being contrarian at this point. It’s certainly ok to not like a movie. But I feel like people need to acknowledge that this movie was extremely well made (especially considering COVID), and that it looks and feels like a real movie. You know, like we used to have. I hate to rag on marvel too much as I do like the majority of their movies, but in NWH there were so many obvious green screen moments that it hurt the movie and seeing clips of the new dr strange hurt my soul. Looks so phony. With all the money that Disney/marvel has you think they could afford real sets and to have actors in the same room together.
I enjoy your efforts.
Youve given me hope for the future of dc. Havent gone to see another dc movie since batman v superman and suicide squad was the next and last one i tried. Ill watch this one and see
Amazing is an understatement!
A masterpiece, good sir!
I think Christopher Nolan's editing in the dark knight is really good. You know what's happening but it's still hard to see and comprehend what is going on which is more realistic to how being in that situation would feel. It's the same with Dunkirk. The editing and shooting varies depending on the setting to feel more emersive. The shooting was choppy during running scenes, fluid during boat scenes, and smooth during the dogfight scenes. It's all about context.
Is GG’s Only Boys - a gamer reference? Just found this channel, after the Love & Thunder/Garbage video appeared in my news feed…and I luv it! Went back and watched all your back catalogue. But the GG’s reference still confuses me. 🤣
Haha yessir GG is a gamer reference meaning “good game”. I’m not a super-hardcore gamer but I don’t consider myself a casual one either, I play competitively online frequently. I’m glad you’re enjoying the channel, and doubly appreciate you dropping in and commenting. Hope you stick around!
Having grace in Matt Reeves film direction was so noticeable. It made such a massive difference to the way we see the action sequences in this film. Made the fighting and action scenes more believable.
After one director who used choppy, spliced up action sequences, then another who only did slo-mo, it was nice to see someone just set the camera there and let things unfold. Something so simple is a breath of fresh air.
@@TheMovieCynic it feels so raw yet fascinating
I just discovered you! You are awesome!
While I didn't hate the movie, it just didn't make me feel much. The Riddler didn't feel as impactful as I was hoping to the point that I forgot who the villain even was a couple months after watching the movie. Compared to Dark Knight's Joker, this really missed the mark. Overall I felt like the movie dragged like it was just meandering around and had little clear direction for the payoff. Some cool scenes definitely stuck with me, like Batman gliding down from that tower, and the Penguin chase in the batmobile, but that's about it. Catwoman was kinda boring, and I didn't feel much of a relationship forming between her and Batman. This movie was okay, and doesn't particularly do anything wrong. I can see why people loved it and maybe on a rewatch I might enjoy it more but... eh. I like the noir direction they took for this franchise and I hope they do more with it next time around. A huge step above recent DC stuff, not topping Joker, however, but I still prefer any of the Nolan movies over this one.
I didn't feel anything from this either. Whoever calls this better than Nolan's is Nuts!!!!!
yes - this is the best film Batman. Agreed. And I love that this is a noir detective story instead of just fight after fight. This Batman has other means of solving things than just beating up the bad guys.
Enjoyed this and great video👌👌👍
underrated video, keep it going
I really appreciate the support, thank you. This is a new channel so getting anything through the algorithm is a terrifying prospect. Thanks for the watch
@@TheMovieCynic i just dont agree w ur snyder take, but thats ur opinion so its aight.
@@ewa1275 And to each their own! I don’t wish to take away from anyone’s enjoyment of a movie with my opinions. It’s improbable that someone feels the same as another on every single subject.
I liked the first two acts of the Batman. As a fan of psychological thrillers, I liked that we get to see Batman as a detective-type character since, technically, that's his superpower in the comics; not shooting and killing people or bodying bad guys like in the DCEU/Nolan films. His skill is his intelligence, cunning, and methodical planning. I also liked the cat and mouse interplay between Batman and the Riddler in the film (for once Riddler was scary and frightening, not just looney.) However, the 3rd act (after Ridler snipes the guy Batman and Catwoman "brought to the light") killed a lot of the suspense for me. And, when we find out that Riddler is doing all this because he's a delusional psychopath after, (once again) blaming stuff on Thomas/Martha Wayne, it was a bit of a let down because this trope is so overused. It would have been cooler if it was revealed that Riddler did what he did for an actual (not crazy) reason. For example, as a way for him to get into the Court of Owls, or, as a henchman to foreshadow a more formidable villain (God, please not Joker!) But, I definitely enjoyed the film and am looking forward to the sequel. Fingers-crossed that the next big baddie isn't the Joker (again.) Great video, dude!
Only thing that came to mind was the car chase scene comparison. Been a while since I watched The Batman, and I honestly found it somewhat forgettable. But as I recall, during that chase scene, lots of explosions happened and lots of cars got messed up. And at the end, Batman catches Penguin, accesses him of something, only for Penguin to say "It wasn't me." I do remember thinking all that effort for....not much of a payoff (if you're Batman).
The movie was the biggest surprise of all time how different it is from the other ones that have been done in the way it was put together with a real story that you can follow it to hold you to see the all thing it had everything
All I wanted was that hallway scene from Seven. When the detectives get ahead of John Doe.
Great video!!
9:34 I noticed that almost instantly and I feel like if there's a sequel he could possibly be a Robin but that's highly unlikely.
Agreed that it’s unlikely but I’d be down for that being Robin’s origin in this new trilogy!
I'm a new subscriber, and have spent an entire evening watching you critique movies I hate. I only watched 10 minutes of Thor Love and Thunder before realizing it wasn't worth my time. This is the first of your videos I have watched where you praise a movie. And I enjoyed it very much. I love great movies. I love it when the team behind a movie has a vision, a desire to tell stories, and a ability to create art. I also enjoy stupid stuff as long as the creators doesn't promise more then stupid stuff. I look forward to see more praise and criticism from you forward.
Thank you sir, that means a lot. I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the content so far. Tomorrows video is a duel-review of 2 recent films, and it’s positive (very positive). I hope it’s entertaining to you and I encourage checking out the films.
this movie took a lot of big swings - and it worked! Batman is best when he's a detective, and I'm so glad this movie leaned into that side of him.
Yeah I loved this movie. I loved the pace the tone,the story,I loved the balance of action, mystery,threat and tension Everyone worked in their part so well
You should have more subscribers dude, great video
Thanks Don! The channel is only a few weeks old so I hope with more quality content at and word of mouth, it’ll get there.
michael keaton is so underrated as batman
Apart from the excellent direction of Matt Reeves and the absolute compelling storytelling and cinematography/editing....what makes The Batman the best Batman movie is Robert Pattinsons portrayal of the character!! He nails it and it's his non verbal acting only adds to the portrayal!! His eyes do alot of storytelling alone!! The look of Batman, Gotham, the detective connection between Batman and Gordon and Paul Dano as Riddler just engross you into the story!! Thats not even mentioning Zoe Kravtiz awesome portrayal as Catwoman or Collin Farrell as Peguin!! Batman is hands down my favorite Batman movie and Pattinsons portrayal is the number 1 reason it is!!
Once again I agree with your opinion on movies. 👍 👍
Loved the movie overall only part of the movie that I just didn’t quite like was the wingsuit part cause I feel at that point Batman could have been able to use his cape to glide rather than to have a wingsuit but it’s still pretty cool how the wingsuit deploys and the scene where he’s grappling up trying to avoid the police was a pretty cool shot
I agree with everything but the scene in the church when the phone is ringing non stop is kinda bad. 1. Battery could have died 2. His open face was so close to the detonation and there were no scars or damage 3. After that incident that left him in a mini coma he would of been in a hospital not in a cell with cops.
agreeed and subbed
This is the masterpiece
I think my Sonic 2 video might be my masterpiece as far as editing
great vid
Where did you watch the video that fixed the tunnel chase in The Dark Knight? Great video by the way
The original discussion is by a guy named Jim Emerson. I’m not sure if the actual re-edit is still available on KZhead, but here is his brilliant breakdown of the scenes. The link is to part 1 of 3, but you’ll find the other parts from here when you click on this one. kzhead.info/sun/a5Rqo7aXjGOOnq8/bejne.html
I’m on board for most of your take. I thought there were a few things that could’ve been polished up in the movie and may be edited out. The important thing in war is to have some wider scenes to contrast the darker ones. When you’re watching at home you shouldn’t have to crank up the brightness on your TV just so you can see what in the world is going on. Chinatown had brightly illuminated daylight scenes that really contrasted the dark and dank evening scenes on the streets and that was important. There wasn’t enough contrast in this movie. As far as Pattinson I absolutely agree, he looks freaking amazing in the bat suit. Not even close who is the best Batman. He is Kevin Conroy incarnate. But I absolutely am not a fan of his Bruce Wayne. I wonder if a filmmaker will ever take the chance of making Batman and Bruce Wayne two different actors. I think that could be a risk worth taking. All in all I agree on most of your takes on movies particularly on the ones that are trashing beloved stories and pushing a agenda that doesn’t belong in our entertainment.
I haven’t watched the film at home, I saw it in IMAX multiple times where the lighting was brilliant. So I can’t speak on the darkness aspect. I’ve been meaning to rewatch it when I have the chance so that might be next on my to-do list. Thank you for checking out my videos, it’s greatly appreciated that you’d spend your time watching something of mine. I’m glad you’ve found some value in them.
The moment riddler was shown on screen I got shivers down my spine
Likewise. When he was saying “Bruuuucccce” and we thought he knew who Batman was, my mouth was agape. So damn good.
I remember people had there doubts about Robert Pattinson when this movie was announced but something in me knew from the instant that I watched this movie it was gunna be a grate addition to my personal favorite superhero’s gallery of content. They did a really good job making this movie. I’m really happy this risk paid off because then end result was so worth the wait for this movie, I think robert may be my second favorite Batman besides Kevin Conroy. Also really good video man keep up the good work!
Amazing Batman movie and video review!
Thanks Marc! I appreciate the kind words :)
100% agreed!!!
Flaws? What flaws? OK I do have one gripe with this film. The Fourth Act. I have no constructive offering here, because I don't know how he could've handled the transition better. It's like an imperfection on the texture without there being any structural weakness, but capturing the Riddler feels like the appropriate climax. Then we go into the Fourth Act where we have to deal with the flood and his followers. I don't know if it was bladder fatigue or what, but the last act feels like...mandatory DLC. I was happy to see it, but I feel like it's something I had to play/watch to get the true ending. Though in theater I remember being somewhat elated, "wait....the movie's still going? AWESOME." And it was a brilliant ending. But something about the way it connected to the rest of the film felt... off. I don't even know if I would change it, but it's the old negative thing I have to say about this instant classic.
Well I know this won’t go over well but the BvS warehouse fight was directed by Zack. It was actually the first thing on the whole film they shot. He is seen in bts photos and footage and hand picked Richard Cetrone (the stunt double) to try and get the part. Also another falsity about Snyder’s work is there’s no opening monologue during the Wayne’s death in BvS. Yes it opened with Bruce talking but that part ends before that whole sequence but I know nobody really cares that much but just figured I’d point out a couple of the mistakes.
Visually stunning film but personally I think it had pacing issues in the final third. Just seemed to unravel a bit towards the end. A shame as I would agree it is visually & conceptually stunning & the casting is perfect. Close to greatness but let down with weaknesses in the script is all.
The pacing just changes it doesn’t unravel
All of the previous film inspirations are true but I also have not seen many mention The Crow. Especially in aesthetic and tone, The Batman has parallels to the original The Crow from Alex Proyas. Also thematically, The Crow is essentially a Batman story.
I’m surprised I didn’t glean The Crow inspiration. Funny enough, the original publisher of The Crow, Caliber Comics, is the publisher my graphic novel is under.
Where did you see this fixed dark knight scene
I loved the movie. My favorite moment was when they introduced the bat mobile. Batman let's the car slowly build as psychological warfare in the Penguin. My only complaint is Falcone as a major antagonist. I love that they used the Riddler. A very interesting unpredictable character. Falcone is just a generic crime boss. I would have loved the entire focus on Mr. E. NIgma
i really liked that movie, i hope they make one more
Ya know i never really took notice of the "self indulgent" slow-mo of Zack Snyder until I watched Army of the Dead. Then like a bag of sh*tbricks it all hit me. "Why am I listening to church music while watching slow motion zombies??" "Why the hell do we need five mins to see Aquaman dive into the ocean..." Why are his movies so LONG ?????
Indeed
I can’t lie, I was skeptical about the movie. Specifically because of Pattinson being Batman. All I can ever think of Pattinson is him being is some edgy teenager. He just gives me that vibe. Doesn’t help that the only other movie of his that I knew about was Twilight, which I have never even watched. But this movie blew my skepticism out the window. Pattinson did great and I’m actually hoping he comes back in future movies. Bale might be my favorite Batman, but Pattinson did excellent.
This movie was so bad ass. Perfectly done. This is as realistic of a comic movie as we've seen not named Logan. I was hoping for RP to fail but he killed it.