Why THE BATMAN is so beautiful. | A Cinematography Video Essay
#thebatman #film #videoessay
Director Matt Reeves and cinematographer Greig Fraser have created an immersive world draped in darkness and mystery that makes most modern blockbusters look like amateur student films, and it’s an answer to a trend that’s cursed the entire filmmaking industry which is to make every shot look clean. But what makes The Batman dirty then? What’s so unique about how The Batman was shot that makes it so… beautiful? In this video we’re going to dive into the approach Matt Reeves and Greg Fraser took to bring their Batman to life, the lenses they used, their cinematic references, the lighting, color grading, and an interesting new approach to digital cinema with 35mm film. We also do a recreation of The Batman using an anamorphic lens and the Sony A7iv to show how you can apply the principles from The Batman to your own work.
This is The Cinematography of The Batman.
Chat with me about this video on Twitter: twitter.com/impatrickt
Check out Dolby's Full Conversation with the filmmaking team of The Batman:
• The Cinematography of ...
00:00 - Intro
00:54 - Intro & Context
01:54 - Cinematic References
02:12 - The Lenses
02:34 - Make The Frame Dirty
02:53 - Angles & Framing
03:30 - SE7EN
04:09 - I Am The Shadows
04:40 - Color
04:53 - Gotham City
05:45 - Why So Real?
06:15 - VFX
06:37 - Color Grading
07:36 - Thesis
10:16 - The Batman Recreation
11:49 - Free Pizza
Camera: SONY A7iv: geni.us/ptsonya7iv (affiliate link)
35mm F1.8 Lens: geni.us/pt35mmsony (affiliate link)
Voiceover Mic: geni.us/ptvideomicII (affiliate link)
Dialogue Mic: geni.us/ptvideomicntg (affiliate link)
The Batman is an upcoming American superhero film based on DC Comics featuring the character Batman. Produced by DC Films and 6th & Idaho, and set for distribution by Warner Bros. Pictures, it is intended to be a reboot of the Batman film franchise. The film is being directed by Matt Reeves, who wrote the screenplay with Peter Craig, and stars Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne / Batman, alongside Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro, Peter Sarsgaard, Barry Keoghan, Jayme Lawson, Andy Serkis, and Colin Farrell. Set in his second year of fighting crime, the film sees Batman uncover corruption in Gotham City while facing a serial killer known as The Riddler.
Honestly, I never thought the cinematography in Spider-Man: No Way Home was bad, but going from seeing the clips of The Batman to No Way Home almost blinded me and made my eyes hurt. The Batman is just so good.
For Marvel movies, I don't really care about the glossy cinematography. They're light hearted and flamboyant, something you watch when you want to shut off your brain for a while, it would be a less fun experience if they didn't look the way they do. In my opinion!
@@johnzackarias11 That's a poor defense
@@abdullahahmad4239 yeah Just an escape from what a Movie shoul be
@@abdullahahmad4239 It's a hell of a lot better argument than "that's a poor defense" followed by literally nothing
I was actaully pretty impressed with it honestly, for a Marvel film! There's especially a scene that I feel like nobody talked about where, in the beginning of the film Peter and MJ meet up with Aunt May and Happy and they go around the house talking about that Mysterio video which paints Spiderman as the bad guy. And this scene is a really cool long-take shot - There's not a *single cut* until Peter opens the window to show the helicopter outside their house! As a guy who's really into cinematography (and especially into long-takes,) this scene stuck with me more than honestly any other scene in the film. Also the scene where Electro shows up for the first time behind Peter was really chilling too, because of how the audio of Electro's apearance was *absolutely silent* and it was just MJ and Ned whispering through the phone attached to his suit.
Honestly the cinematography has to win an Oscar for sure
it's tough release date for the academy to remember next year. we'll see!
Hopefully Warner Bros brings the film back to the theatres closer to awards season, like what it did for Dune. The make-up and costumes for The Batman also was spot on. Colin Farrell's Penguin was only as good as the make-up and costumes! Can't wait for his tv show spin-off, too!
@@impatrickt yeah, but let’s not forget that Logan and Get Out still received some Oscar nominations despite those movies being released around springtime.
For sure! I think the whole film should get some Oscar nominations such as Best Makeup, Best Musical Score, Best Actor(s) in a Leading/Supporting Role, Best Director and Best Picture. If Joker and Black Panther can get some, why can’t The Batman?
Nominated to Cinematography, Make-Up, Score and Production Design I hope.
The scene where batman holds the flare light, leading the people through the waters was absolutely breathtaking.
Dude I would love a nice screen printed poster of that scene
my fav scene
That scene is registered within forever ❤️
It's also a scene that gets heavy rotation when demoing/reviewing OLED shadow detail and specular highlights.
Now you're alive or not? 😂
“commercial gloss” is the exact term i’ve been struggling to bring to mind when trying to describe why certain movies, especially marvel, don’t do much for me. the cinematography of The Batman is so commendable!
WWE also has this problem, for those into wrestling. The modern arena lighting and presentation is squeaky clean. The old smoky arenas and blurry cameras added so much more texture
The first 5 minutes into the movie the first thing that came to my mind was that this was the best rendition of Gotham I’ve ever seen in a Batman movie. It was damn near perfect.
Felt like an entirely unique city. The Dark Knight trilogy always felt like Chicago.
@@angryox3102in the batman it looks just like new york. even down to time square.
That's what I thought, finally just a dirty disgusting rundown city that fits the setting of what the comics made
@@angryox3102 Not in Batman Begins ... Nolan dropped the ball in TDK .. people spend too much time talking about how great TDK was. Batman Begins was the better movie.
@@angryox3102 it's exactly like New York
One thing I loved about The Batman was that Gotham really did look like a city that was riddled with crime. The last time Gotham(in a Batman movie) was shown like that was by Tim Burton, but never to this extent. Here the city really does look like a place where someone like Batman would exist.
I think Gotham in Batman Begins was actually the last time on film that the city felt like it was riddled with crime. I'd also say Batman Begins was the last good Batman movie as it had everything - the origin story, his use of gadgets, somewhat grounded in realism, Gotham felt grungy, Bruce Wayne actually acted like a playboy like he is supposed to, he used fear to intimidate his enemies, he did things like inverted takedowns, he called his bats to aid him. I think this movie is being highly overrated - everything was hard to see, lots of scenes were blurry for the sake of "art", Batman walks so damn slowly, he was completely emo the whole time like he had no Bruce persona. I think people like it just because it's different to what is usually coming out these days, but I wouldn't say being different is always a good thing.
The city was like a character itself the movie is on a special pedal wow
I think BvS also had a great Gotham.
I completely agree with what you've said about Batman Begins. It has been my favorite movie for 15 years now (not "Batman movie," just "movie") and, for some reason, both TDK and TDKR completely forgot about the amazing atmosphere Batman Begins had created; Gotham felt like any other major city in those films. As soon as I saw the first trailer for The Batman, I felt like it was the sequel to Batman Begins I never truly got, and it absolutely did not disappoint. @@Spacemonkeymojo
@@Spacemonkeymojo It's more like your hating on the movie for not having the things you wanted. Bruce Wayne isn't a playboy because he doesn't exist yet. He's hellbent on saving Gotham as Batman and doesn't feel the need to be Bruce Wayne. But he is wrong, and Alfred criticizes him for it. I liked the take because it shows that for a guy who is still traumatized by the death of his parents, he can't switch to his playboy facade on the spot. He needs to properly develop it. And Batman is always emo, I don't understand this critique. He literally dresses up as a bat and beats people up. For what the movie tried to do, it pulled it out off very well. I definitely do have some problems with it like the inclusion of that Arkham scene, but the good stuff in it massively outweighs the bad ones. And the movie looks good. It's dark but I was easily able to make out the scenes.
I really hope more of DC films are like this in the future, because the couple past years they've been really trying to be like Marvel with their bright color when it doesn't fit their DC style where it is dark and dirty.
Yea I’ve always rathered dc cause it seems more life like, but the movies just never hit
Y e s !
I hope they are as well. I think James Gunn will really apply the texture to future cities and the DC Universe when we get those films. All of DC's cities aren't dark and dirty but they certainly all have their own feel and he has a keen eye for the visual.
Bruce Timm's animated DC films have been getting it right since the 90s with that "dark deco" theme.
I don't wan't DC to do their films more like The batman cuz that's why zack snyder kinda did for the DCEU. But from what I can take from your comment is that you probably want DC to embrace the worlds of the superheros from DC and I couldn't agree more if that were the case. Cuz the bright colorful mood in their movies works for some characters in DC, but for characters like batman, The darkness is where he really shines.
I stood on set for many of these scenes. I vividly remember the shot of the Diner. The slow push in… beautiful. Greig is truly a master cinematographer but also a lovely man to work with. Generous with his time. Collaborative…
What was your role on set?
@@isabellamoya3934 He was senior Art Director! He was responsible for the design and building of the amazing sets
Very well done, friend
The slow shot of the SWAT moving in on ONE guy, The Riddler, is so memorable & iconic and the movie hasn’t even been out a full year.
I personally loved the rooftop scenes. The scenery was so beautiful.
and its wild they were on a LED wall!
@@impatrickt it has a more authentic look than cg actually.
One thing I really appreciate about The Batman is the camera work during the fight scenes. There is none of that shaky cam, cutting every half a second, motion sickness inducing camera work, it's mostly slow long shots.
How about the hallway fight sequence where they were lit up only by the gun fire? Beautiful
@@wpaunan Equilibrium did it first.
@@21stcenturyhiphop as the essay said this is basically Seven. And the slow walk of Batman is Mike Myers or Jason. Matt Reeves masterfully stole and put a masterpiece together.
@@FashionableFather Lol salty.
@@Gervaj79 lol didn’t mean to come across as salty. All good directors steal with grace that’s all.
The Batman using flare to rescue people scene captured the essence of Batman perfectly. Yeah, he might be broody and dark but it’s just the means to an end which is giving people a symbol of hope.
Which is giving people symbol of hope. This line told in the man of steel. Nowadays some people using this line for this film. 😂
I liked all the Batman movies. And then I watched this one. This is different. I feel like this is the Batman movie I always wanted to see but no one showed it to us until now. You can feel BW conflict and pain. And Paul Dano’s performance is stunning as the Riddler. I am looking forward to the next one. Well done!
The thing is. This Batman movie is way more about "batman" than it is about Bruce Wayne when comparing it to the Dark Knight Series
Agree, apart from the Paul Dano thing. He was the only thing I didn't really like about the movie. He is great when he's being subtle, but I feel like once the script calls for heightened emotion, he just starts screeching and wailing. He's always been like this, at least since There Will Be Blood, probably since Little Miss Sunshine. I don't know why it's considered good acting. It seems like something you do in drama school to get attention, but he should have developed beyond that by now. I don't really care about whether the performance conforms to what people think The Riddler should be, I just think it's hammy and kind of amateur. Di Caprio has a similar foible, whereby he just starts yelling and screaming when a scene calls for him to show anger. It works for some roles, but it's actually a demonstration of limited range in my opinion.
@@MrOtistetraxI kinda agree with you. I just saw 12 Years A Slave and to me Paul Dano was acting exactly the same as in The Batman.
I feel like The Batman is to live-action superhero movies what Into The Spiderverse was to animated films. It just kicked it to a whole other level stylistically and was so immersive and atmospheric that there's just no way the film industry could ignore it.
Yeah its bummer they didn’t just cancel Morbius. Lol
Honestly, I feel like The Batman and Spiderverse are DC and Marvel at their very best
@@disgustangy4901 spiderverse is sony
@@Cage66666 Spiderman belongs to Marvel Comics. The film rights belong to sony
@@tumdslaka1662 yes, the spiderverse is a film made by sony
You probably know this by now, but Greig Fraser just shared this video on his Instagram story! Congrats dude! Keep it up
thanks for sharing 🙏
This is probably the best video essay I've seen. No pretentious script or editing. You have your knowledge, and the quotes from your sources. It's like an actual essay that's a video.
Thanks for watching! Glad you enjoyed it.
The amount of immersion you get from this film is at another level.
The Batman is one of the most refreshing superhero movies I’ve seen in some time. Felt like genuine care and effort was put into every shot of the movie practically giving off the impression of a Comic book. Very memorable with great cinematography to back it up with outstanding visuals.
I agree, it didn't have that corporate feel like a lot of superhero films have.
Ngl I felt this way too with James Gunn's The Suicide Squad. DC is really on a hot streak with those two, but the suicide squad went criminally underrated and its not talked about enough
@@miguelangelloyo-labastida9516 Not a movie but peacemaker was a banger too.
@@miguelangelloyo-labastida9516 Don’t forget about Zack Snyder’s Watchmen.
The visuals were good but my god it was the most boring story ever
Fraser just shot two of the best looking blockbusters in recent memory almost back-to-back, he has quickly become one of the premier cinematographers to look out for. All the technical aspects of The Batman are borderline perfect.
Dune is the best cinematic experience I have had in my whole life. Fraser made the film feel ENORMOUS, and that feeling of being tiny and genuinely a bit fearful of how intimidating and awesome the shots were. The mystery that is conveyed by something so massive that not even a 10th of it can be fit into a frame, made for a fully immersive experience. I felt the heat, was blinded by the sand and the sun, saw how brutal the Saudakar assault was with the explosions dwarfing every character and vehicle. The Batman was a similar experience but in a very different way. It felt cramped, concealed and unnerving. Each alley shot was a powerful display of how scary cities can be in the dark. At any moment you couldn't be sure whether Riddler, a thug or Batman would reach out of the thick, sticky shadows. It really felt dangerous and unknown. That's why these movies are so cinematically great, a combination of the cinematography, soundtrack and writing are all vital for a film to make you FEEL a part of the movie.
This film has such a distinct and recognizable visual style. Take a random shot from The Batman and you can identify it just based on the style. Take a random shot from No Way Home and, well, you’ll probably be lucky if you guess it’s a Marvel movie, but I doubt you’re getting much better than that.
It’s really hard to compare this style of cinematography to the dark knight’s cinematography. The Batman’s cinematography feels like a painting. It’s staged, moody, and beautiful. The Dark Knight’s cinematography feels like everyday life. It’s familiar, and heightens the realism of the movie, and is also astonishingly good. They both complement their movies in their own distinct way.
I am so happy to see that the people have spoken: we are done with CGI and we want painstakingly photographed “real cinema.”
Most of this film was rendered in Unreal Engine using the similar "volume room" technology used on the mandalorian. it's still verrrrrry cgi
@@pianoif This is not an MCU “green screen” movie-in 18 months !! They built sets, and shot a movie. CGI was used for enhancement, and masterfully executed.
@@gokhanersan8561 yeah but there was a ton of cg. we aren't exactly "done" with cgi
@@pianoif I am done with all-cgi movies. Wooden sets draped in green; actors dressed in green; with a fake virtual camera-practically doing Shrek. CGI will stay as an effects tool. A powerful one in masterful hands.
there was still plenty of cg in the film tho, it is just not the majority of shots
Greg Fraser was just as important to this movie as Batman himself. You could honestly turn off the sound and the story will be told through that lens. The camera conveys emotion in this movie.
You could turn off the sound but then you wouldn't want to because you'd be missing Ghiaccino's incredible score. What a treat that this movie is amazing on so many fronts.
@@CosmicShadowMari0 Yup I agree, everything in this movie was a story in it self
can confirm, I accidentally watched it in japanese dub and it was still amazing
I went into this completely blind because my friend had a spare cinema ticket and I wasn’t too sure about Robert Pattinson after only seeing him in Harry Potter so I didn’t check out any trailers. Holy crap was it great! I love film noire and I really didn’t expect the vibe from a big budget superhero movie. I really hope this group of creators gets a trilogy at the very least.
I was really blown away by the Batman. Lighting, plot, and monologuions were all the best we’ve ever seen in a Bman film
It’s been a while since a film in theaters had me glued to the screen focused on every frame like The Batman did, your right it may be one of the best looking comic book films ever made
* one of the best looking films ever made in general
@@josht5453 Of the 21st century*
The best looking comic book movie of all time* And one of the best looking blockbusters ever. One of the best of the 21st century as well
i have no idea about cinematography but this movie was the first time i ever walked out of a film and actually appreciated the cinematography of the film. My fave scenes were the car chase, batman upside down (like a bat) walking towards penguin and the fighting scene that was lit up by gun fire. Honorable mention to the opening scene when batman walks out of the dark. Literally sat in awe of it.
When I first saw the new bat mobile, I hated it and wasn’t gonna see the movie. Then I heard it’s really good so I went to see it with my cousin. We both loved the movie, and he hates superhero movies
fr, every scene in the movie is incredible
Let's not forget The Joker was equally impressive in it's cinematography
I watched a couple of Marvel movies with friends a week after seeing Batman and man, they looked like student films. Batman was such a beautiful cinematic experience.
The Batman is one of those special times where you're watching it and can feel that you're watching a new classic.
I was stunned by its cinematography too, and I’m glad I’m not the only one!! (My non-filmmaker roommate didn’t think it was that great overall-though better than he expected). I am thinking it’ll be talked about in future cinematography books for years to come. Thanks for sharing this
he did work on movies like Dune and ROgue One and mandalorian
Yeah I feel like there’s so much creativity in this film that some folks may not appreciate all those aspects
This movie impressed my “cinematography-sensitive” my non-filmmaker friend who was compelled to comment repeatedly how the film’s cinematography added to the experience.
Yeah, right now there's a lot of good channels talking about it, but at first it seemed to me that people were criminally underrating it. Most opinions I was hearing were: "Not that bad.", and I was like: "not that bad?! It's not perfect, but did you not see how masterfully narrated it was? how deep and developed the characters are?"
You don’t have to be a filmmaker to appreciate that aesthetic of this film, it probably the most eye catching Batman movie of all time, I’m an artist tho so I have an eye for color palette and tone lol
Fun fact: They were going to make the Penguin smoke cigars in this movie but every time they put them on camera it made them look like sausages. I don’t know why it is. I think it it has something to do with the lenses.
The movie camera really is something else.
@@impatrickt they should have put a sausage in his mouth to make it look like a cigar. That’s an old Hollywood trick used in countless movies. Bless you and bless the Batman.
I actually knew the fact about the cigars not being in the film. It's because WB didn't want him holding an unlit cigar.
@@isaiahvoss no its because they look like sausages on a movie camera.
Sosig
I really like that you not only explained this all clearly, with emotional weight behind the delivery, but also demonstrated it in a practical way. Excellent work!
The Batman now has one of my favorite openings in a movie. It truly sells the world and Batman as a character just by showing to true power of what he is. It gives Batman as a concept in this world so much validity that the viewer is sold on his importance as a symbol of justice
Loved this. SUCH A COOL BREAKDOWN
thanks man! enjoyed your Mac studio stuff today. excited to try it tomorrow.
Lol literally just came from your Mac video
Hi Dave, love ya
Lmao what’s up Dave 2D it’s a surprise you’re here to be sure but a welcome one
Omg Dave
I’ve watched it 3 times so far. The IMAX blew me away
The first two times I saw it I felt like I was just trying to like understand the story and appreciate the world and the music. But the ensuing times I just was blown away by the cinematography as well. So many great elements to this movie, and honestly the cinematography steals the show. The action is intense, the story is great, the music is exceptional, but the cinematography is world class.
Honestly tho, even the first time there were a few shots that I was just wowed by. The scene where batman and catwoman kiss on the skyscraper during the sunrise, and the scene where batman is leading the people out of the flood with a flare.
They could have edited out a full hour of the movie. It’s a butt-buster
@@gregbors8364 I disagree, but I respect your opinion.
@@notVitruvius I appreciate that. Anyway, considering that there really wasn’t much of a plot, the movie really didn’t need to be almost three hours long. IMHO.
Really liked this essay and the Clip. Especially the shots of the front-light of the bike looked amazing!
thanks for making this video. the cinematography and the general aesthetic that The Batman utilises is stunning and to hear someone delve into the details and analyse them is great.
Spot on when you said Gotham looked like grease. it looks like an oily, wet, dark, gothic entity that breathes its own life into the film in a way that I haven’t seen any other city depicted before. I gasped when they showed the Times Square of Gotham light up in the rain. The dedication to filming at beautiful old stone work buildings made Gotham into a grounded entity. And your comparisons shots from no way home really opened my eyes to the drabness of marvel movies. What I also noticed while watching is the difference in how fight scenes were shot. It was so refreshing (and heart pounding) to see long, wide frame shots of characters fighting. I think directors rely on quick shots from many angles to sell the strength and speed of fight scenes, so it was a bold choice to stray from that. Honestly, at times the full body action shots felt a little silly or awkward to me, but I’m realizing it’s because I was seeing the human body do sequences that are usually just cut to the face or punch/kick. Batman is a perfect hero to switch this up to, because we NEED to feel his human-ness in addition to his strength and skills. Also, no scene ever felt too long even if it was slow, just because it was such a joy to watch the cinematography.
Well said
this is unrelated to the contents of your comment which I do agree with and think is very very well said, but I love your limmy pfp
I like how 90+% of the movie takes place at night. Makes it feel a lot more like the Batman animated series
At the beginning of the movie I was trying to work out why I was so spellbound - I mean I know this story a hundred times backwards. I thought it was the pace, every shot drawn out and no urgency at all to explain. What a gorgeous movie. I bet actors are saying: I want to be in a movie like THAT
The Fact That This Movie wasnt Nominated at least in the Cinemathography Category in Oscar Is a Massive Crime!
The movie feels like a horror movie, especially when they reveal Riddler and Batman from the darkness
true, that Riddler reveal freaked me out lmao
Plus the thugs getting scared of the shadows,i could feel their fear
@@bigdaddytrips6197 riddler was fine imo but yeah the joker wasn't too convincing though i kinda liked their scene together
I thought Riddler was fine, he just overdid the serial killer schtick a bit but it was fine
When I left the cinema I said to my friend that this movie felt like something I could hold, something that I could imagine the texture and the weight. The "tangible" aspect of the cinematography as you pointed was so satisfying.
you have a phenomenal breakdown things i wouldn't and didn't notice in the movie that makes me want to rewatch it, i like the insight and the mind you have also how most people would've put the short stylistic shots of yours behind a paywall, you have earned my respect and my subscription. I don't normally comment but your art and perception is inspiring
I genuinely felt the movie was incredibly beautiful The cinematics, environmental settings, ambiance, camera angle it all felt so immersive. I was sad that no one was talking about it. But after seeing your video I'm happy that all their hard work is acknowledged by the fans
We live in a society that nowadays commercials, blockbuster clean, crisp and sharps looks are dominating. When we watch The Batman movie with those grungy, underground and bizarre rainy dirty looks, that's giving us a whole new experience as and audience, an experience that makes us forget where we live and what we consume ⚡What a breakdown from a genius Cinematographer, +1 subscriber mr Patrick✌ cheers🥂
Society
We live in a society.
The human eye cannot see the environment with the cleanliness that Photoshop filmmakers have portrayed it in recent times. The Batman had texture, it felt visceral, and gave me hope for the future of cinema.
@@gokhanersan8561 couldn't agree more
it is not a bad thing, having that crisp look, spiderman did not need the dark dirty batman look.... please throw away your phones and camera... u have no humility and no knowledge
Yes! One of the reasons why this is my favorite Batman is it doesn’t feel like it’s just dragging you on for the ride. Instead of being spoon fed an origin story, it was like I was in the crime scenes with Batman trying to solve the mystery with him. Think the “dirtiness” and “reality” style camerawork helped with this.
I think this awakened a part of me that loves cinematography. Like I already knew I liked it, but this popped the top off and showed me "woah, this is a way bigger and more complex art than I thought, this is great."
That scene you shot at the end looked dope! good job!
I went to school for cinematic arts. I was slowing down on my passion for film making / cinematography and about half way through The Batman I had adrenaline again to get behind the camera. Amazing art. Also your video at the end was sick. 10/10.
keep filming!
The Batman has been stuck in my head since watching it, and I can't stop thinking about ways to incorporate more from this style into "internet videos." This was an awesome essay and really great job on that experiment at the end!
Same here bro
Taking the lessons from the topic of the essay and applying them to a practical example is an incredible way to end a video. I say do that where ever possible because there's no other video essay channels trying it. Instant subscribe
just did it in the latest video too :)
Really well put together thesis. Appreciated your take and walkthrough afterwards as well. Thanks for sharing!
The gritty dark vibes, the composition, the lighting, everything was on point this movie was amazing, the cinematography was definitely the best thing it had going on
First thing I said while leaving the theatre after seeing the batman was "is david fincher involved in this because this is what a super hero action movie adaptation he would do" and I'm so glad someone made a video essay centered around how this was filmed. amazing video dude you got my sub. looking forward for your next video.
Yes. Love Fincher!
Fincher's version would have been 20mm wider for every shot, you where on a 50, fincher's on a 30 - but I see what you mean
@@AxTechs Ok smart guy.
This was my EXACT thinking while I was watching it. I got Se7en vibes from so many scenes.
Haha David Fincher inspired.
Love your breakdowns (just watched tye insert shot one as well). I learn so much, and then love seeing your takes at what you talked about. Love these formats!
Great essay! Also love the short at the end, beautiful.
Comics and especially Batman fan for 40 yrs and this was my favorite version. It’s accurate and shows him growing and honing his persona. Excellent filmography and story!
Hoping we get at least a trilogy from Battinson just like Bale's Dark Knight. Although this movie was so masterfully done, perhaps leaving it as a standalone with no sequels would be better. I did think the latter half of The Batman dragged on a bit with not much added substance or story, but the overall premise was good sooo, not a big deal.
I agree. It was longer than it should’ve been, but I still find this to be one of the best movies around. I think this movie would’ve greatly benefited from cutting out Catwoman’s character completely. If that was done, I think we would’ve had a taut, neat, sleek, and absolutely phenomenal Batman thriller movie. Would’ve shaved off a good 30-45min of the movie!
@@ComedyBros5 Yeah she should have been cut IMO. I think the reason she might have been included is to entice more female viewers though (also as a nod to a previous Batman movie with Penguin and Catwoman). Batman fans are traditionally overwhelmingly male. Much easier to say to the GF "it's got Catwoman in it" to convince her to tag along to the movies lmao. It's one of the main reasons why Marvel's Daredevil got axed after 3 seasons. Only dudes were watching it, so that automatically cut out 50% of Netflix's audience.
@@CreatedTech I think cutting Catwoman would remove an important subplot about Batman as a character. In the beginning of the film he is totally uncompromising, criminals are criminals and he sees everyone of them the same way as the one who killed his parents so he takes vengeance on them, seeing catwoman as a person first and criminal second softened him and opened him up to the idea of a more compassionate approach which is later solidified when one of the riddler clones calls himself vengeance. He stops her from killing Falcone when I feel like in the past he would have made no extra effort to stop one criminal killing another, earlier on in the film its even implied he thinks the Riddler's victims deserve what they got so as much as the film could have worked without her I think she definitely added depth, and in a lot of versions including this one I feel her character is used to bring out a more raw emotional side of batman as he's forced to reconcile the fact he's falling in love with someone who he knows he should capture and turn into the police.
@@AGD_27 Yeah, very great point. The more I think on it, the more I realize there's really nothing that could've made this movie better...other than to maybe have ended it when Batman helped that injured lady onto a helicopter in the final minutes. End the film as he's looking up, cape waving in the wind, face covered in dirt...I think that would've been perfect.
@@ComedyBros5 the only thing I think I would do is cut the Joker tease, it was unnecessary and kinda cheapened the last few moments of the film. I understand that Warner Bros let Reeves do whatever he wanted on this so if they wanted him to do a Joker tease he would find a way to make it happen but I think Nolan did the Joker tease much better.
Loved your essay and your experimental work. Please keep it up!
Ever since I watched THE BATMAN, I have been trying to find a video that talks about its cinematography. Great job diving into it Patrick! Hope we get to see films like this.
The Batman is a literal masterpiece . It's surreal the film exists. The camera, writing, producing by Matt Reeves, the cinematography by Greig Fraser, the editing, the score by Michael Giacchino is incredible from it's very low points to its high points of intensity from when a scene starts to when it finishes to Nirvana's Something In The Way just fits it all in the film. It's the perfect song to describe Batman. It also reminded me of Watchmen in the beginning of it's cold opening. Everyone did just phenomenal. The runtime was perfect. It might have the best ending to show that Batman doesn't need to use vengeance or pick his targets wisely to hurt people, he's a symbol of hope for the people in Gotham when they need him. Everything is what a Batman film should be. Robert Pattinson is my new favorite Batman. 10/10. It should even be studied in film school.
Agreed.
it's astonishing a film of this grade was made that as a Marvel fan also can not almost go back to their style after seeing this it's that special
10000% agree. when I watched the movie I was in awe. watched it the second time last weekend and I'm still so in love with this movie. hadn't have that in years.
It seems a bit derivative.
The only thing I would’ve done differently is cut out Catwoman’s character completely. It wasn’t even that Kravitz’s acting was bad, because I thought she was great as Catwoman. I just felt that her character didn’t add anything to the story, and all she did was bog down time with Bruce getting the Riddler. The only thing she helped with the story was getting us introduced to the DA, which could’ve been done a different way without her character. Aside from that, the movie was an absolute blast and one of the greatest times I’ve had in theaters.
I love how your focus is always meant to be in the middle of the frame. A good example is when Selina is just to the left of the frame, but her weapon is dead centered. This entire film is artistry that I may have never seen before in my life.
A good comparison for this technique is Mad Max: Fury Road. Also a masterpiece.
Just came across this breakdown. So glad I found it and great visuals at the end too!
Love, love, LOVE this video. Great job 💪🏻💪🏻
Glad to know that I am not the only one who knows how actually/really comic book movies should be made. The Batman is a masterpiece and one of it's own kind, IMAX experience was breathtaking!
The batman is definitely one of the best looking movies right now. I love the overall color feel and listening to the Dolby interview about the amount of testing and trial and error they went through to get to the final look is inspiring and intriguing.
It’s on a whole different level
This video is magical man. Your filming was so cool too. I have no clue about this kind of stuff so you taught me a lot about the technical aspects. Bravo!
I think you did absolutely great with your footage. Looked so cool and you can obviously see the similarities from which you drew your inspiration from!
It's my favorite superhero movie. Period. Still a fan of of the Nolan films, but this was just EXACTLY how this subject matter was supposed to be handled. Modern classic.
While I’m tired of superhero films, I think I’ll go see this film for its cinematography. Truth be told, you’ve got some mad skills yourself.
appreciate you! definitely give it a chance.
This movie differs very much from other superhero films trust me, you won't be dissapointed.
There are some great comic book/super hero movies, but this is slightly elevated to another level, this is just a pure and expertly made film adaptation of Batman.
this isn't your typical action superhero film, which I loved.
Its more of a thriller detective dark film rather than a super hero . He doesnt save people in this movie(at first ) he takes down criminal
Wow, thank you so much for making this vid and breaking things down!!
your video was recommended. I found it very interesting. You paired your points with the quotes really good, kept it short but still gave interesting insights into cinematography.
Can I swear in here? I'm going to swear for a second. FUUUUUUUK yes. Finally saw the film, had to wait before watching, I know no spoilers, but I needed to go in as full blank slate as I could. It's perfectly shot, especially for The Batman and what his character/Gotham represents etc. Anyway you've said it all, i've got nothing left, I loved it. One of my FAV sequences was the Batmobile reveal. The way that thing starts up in the shadows, the sound design, the camera movements, cuts, reaction from the Penguin....that and those club scenes. The music pulsing almost perfectly matched the blocked walking of The Cat and the Bat. I could go on. Fuking great video dude, glad to see it's having much success on the platform and notoriety amongst GODS (Greig shout out).
that Batmobile sequence is an all time legendary filmmaking moment. not just for Batman, but all cinema. thanks for checking it out man! glad you enjoyed the movie.
@@impatrickt agreed. This is podcast fodder right here, lots of interesting discussion points.
the batman is the most gorgeous comic book movie of all time.
Nice job on your video, inspiring! Totally agree with the warts and all approach. Thanks Patrick!
Amazing just amazing. Love how you can tell a story differently just by cinematography and stuff its amazing.
EVERYTHING, and I mean it when I say EVERYTHING about this film was amazing. The acting, cinematography, directing, timing, and costumes! Easily top 3 films of the year
Yoo dude, sweet piece this video! Keep going 🔥 Thanks for share your perspectives about the art
love that you take what you have learned and practice it with a short film 👏👏
This is the first movie I didn't just watch, I felt it, I experienced it, I wasn't sat in a chair looking at a screen, I was in Gotham with batman
When I watch a Marvel movie in the theaters, it's so bright and there's a lot of daytime scenes, it was hard to immerse myself in the story because how much light filled the theater and I could see everyone in their chairs....but for The Batman, it was freaking transformative with how dark it was, I didn't see much of the theater environment and it helped pull me into the story. And the scenes were just expertly shot so it looked like a comic book panel and the less is more really worked. It felt like I was watching a John Wick movie and the city and night was it's own characters.
Well dc has been making Batman movies since the 90's so a lot of people know properly about the character and the director also had a ton of source material. Originally Matt Reeves was going to direct a batman movie with Ben Affleck, but since it was part of the DCEU he couldn't make it as dark as this film so he decided to make his own batverse. However in terms of marvel movies which in short is called the MCU is an interconnected franchise so there are a ton of creative differences and since Disney owns it too it can't be very dark. If marvel made standalone films like dc I'm sure they can achieve a film like this too. Right now I'm interested in moon knight cause it really looks dark and the Egyptian themes will make it look intriguing. And doctor strange 2 which is directed with Sam Raimi.
You are focusing too much on the colour palette and comparing marvel to dc in filmmaking which is illogical. If MCU movies do not meet your requirements as a viewer, that’s fine. Nothing to do with the visual style, colour palette or cinematography. You just haven’t found the right story that you can connect/relate to yet. I’d recommend watching the eternals. Regardless of your opinion of the film, you will appreciate its visual style. The director utilised more naturalistic techniques to shoot the film. There’s more natural lighting employed, the images are clean, neutral and any bright colours are refined to compliment the shot and scene at hand.
@@master-of-mind5881 yeah exactly, although the eternals overall was bad, but cinematography was good
@@master-of-mind5881 That's what he is trying to convey. Because The Eternals was mostly shot outside in very scenic places, as compared to other Marvel movies where they just shot indoors. Marvel should try and interact with environment more to produce cinematic shots.
@@tanaykumar1043 haha I didn’t think it was bad per se I like it for what it is but still the cinematography was the best thing about it.
great video and what a treat to see you do some experimenting. your shots look beautiful, nice work.
This was amazing! That first test shot dude!!!!!! Crazy good. Two questions, what anamorphic lens adapter did you use from slr magic , and how'd you pull off the bike shot showing his feet?
Can we just talk about the flood scene after Batman falls? Especially when he gets up and gets the light out. So gooood! Also I love the word play with the lyric ‘underneath the bridge’, and the scene showing a flooded Gotham
so I just watched this movie yesterday and I loved every second of it, definitely one of my favorite movies of all time. I went home and saw a lot of reviews on youtube and was quite surprised and sad that a lot of people didn't like it. I hope the studio won't be reluctant to produce films like this in the future
The cinematography and the look and feel of the setting was a big factor in the film becoming my new favorite batman film
Loved every part of this!! Really enjoyed it!!
Great video essay! The cinematography of this movie is out of this world. Greig Fraser is an absolute master.
Your sequence looked damn good, especially the mostly in dark stuff. Love that mounted shot on the bike too, how they shot vehicles in THE BATMAN was sick. My favorite thing about Greig Fraser and Matt Reeves when they use anamorphics is that it’s for the overall look, it’s a stylistic choice for their final product. Too many unskilled filmmakers just do it to have a bukkake of lens flares which is so overdone and obnoxious now. There’s hardly any flaring in their films.
*typical anamorphic flaring, where it streaks across the whole screen.
To me your videos and explanations feel like pure cinematography
Love the video man! Such a great work. Subscribed.
What made me instantly understand that this movie was something "different" is the fact that even the transitionary shots (the equivalent of "prose" in reading) were beautiful. It feels like every angle in this film is a brushstroke, combined to make a work of art.
Really hope this blows up even more. I learned a lot from this, and it’s good to see a video essay not based around the screenplay. Great job!
Great work recreating the style. I was really impressed
This is incredibly inspiring. I was captivated by the cinematography and the overall feel of The Batman. Subscribed!
Great essay. I really appreciate the fact that you show us how we can sharpen our spectator's eye by learning about movie-making techniques, and also that you went to the extra effort of showing us how to apply what we learn. This is the kind of material that makes us less passive when watching something, which we too often are.
Fantastic breakdown. The Batman is the first movie in a long time where I truly appreciated the art form of movie making. There's a grit yet warmness in it that was really common throughout the 70s and 80s movies but went away throughout the 90s and is basically non-existent today. There are certainly visually stunning movies still being made but every time I sit down and watch a movie from before the 90s I tend to think about how much character the film itself adds to the movie watching experience. The Batman has this in spades and them using film in the way they did really helps explain why I got those same vibes!
I TOTALY agree with your essay man nice work
This is the best video I've ever seen on KZhead. I LOVE how you breakdown the cinematography of the movie.
thanks so much!
5:36 the first time I noticed something like this was in the movie Children of Men when blood would splatter on the screen during the final act. Something so small blew me away and I never even thought of it as a cinematic technique. So much detail and stylistic maneuvers goes into making these movies it’s insane.