![]() ![]() It’s a reactionary idea with a reactionary solution, and we’ve just got to sit back, eat the popcorn and accept it, because it's a superhero movie, and that's what we signed up for.īatman isn't a character from Alan Moore’s Watchmen - Rorschach and Nite Owl made it perfectly clear how hideous and pathetic Batman would be in reality. The Batman attempts to question its own logic, but can’t fully condemn Batman because there’s a sequel on the horizon, and the character needs to keep cracking skulls the result is a centrist Batman movie that tries to turn a fun power fantasy into hard-hitting political commentary, and winds up saying nothing at all.īecause there's always a million petty criminals out there - it's Gotham! Gotham City is supposed to be a broken, haunted place, the manifestation of urban decay and inner-city violence that fuels conservative fever dreams. So what’s he supposed to do, hang up his cape? The moment Batman movies try to ground this idea in “reality” it becomes blindingly obvious that Batman is a complete nutjob, and that only a dangerous man would actually think this way. I think the film is overthinking it - Batman is just a cool story about a man overcoming grief and senseless tragedy, rising up to become protector of the innocent. It paints a picture of a city where the game is always rigged, no matter who’s in charge, then shows an idealistic political willing to get shot for the right cause. It frames the Gotham City police department as hopelessly, institutionally corrupt, then shows a large group of noble officers who stand defiant against corruption. The film “snaps back” several times - it reveals Thomas Wayne to be a cold-hearted, merciless billionaire, then instantly softens him. It’s a strange moment, where Batman seems to snap back to his old self. Hence, when Batman reflects on the damage and devastation caused by the flood, only the threat of “looters” comes to mind. The thing is, Batman can’t stop being a cop - he’s not going to stop beating the snot out of street-level thugs, because this is a superhero story and we want to see some action. Catwoman and the Riddler are there to give him an education in how the world really works the fact that Batman not only inspires the Riddler, but completely fails to stop his plan is a brilliant twist (not unprecedented, but refreshing). It’s an interesting arc that allows Robert Pattinson to lean into how disturbed Batman is, which is neat - it’s a great performance. ![]() ![]() Why would they not? Faced with the monster he created, Batman decides to stop being such a brute and focus on rescuing victims, rather than punishing lawbreakers essentially, he shifts from cop to firefighter. The Batman chooses to lean into it, showing Batman as menacing and unhinged his actions even inspire copycat acts of vigilante terrorism. It’s a billionaire giving petty criminals brain damage, quite literally “punching down.” Unless he’s battling a costumed supervillain, the optics don’t look great. The thing about Batman is that, sure, the concept is inherently reactionary - when you apply it to the real world. ![]()
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