The Batman (Matt Reeves) ***spoilers from post 1030***

Sonics2k

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118776384#Comment_118776384

I'm curious, what exactly are you basing this on?

You said you've only seen the trailer and seem to take an issue with the Batmobile, but why do you think it's rubbish?

Opening weekend it brought in over $250 million world wide, incredibly good reviews from critics and movie goers.

AMKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118780438#Comment_118780438

Yes I only seen the trailer. That's all I intend to see. This film is not even worth 6 euro. I want to go to the cinema to be entertained and taking away from all the bad we see everyday not into a dark cold world where its just depressing and more bad. No thanks.

Maybe some people like that but not me.

pjohnson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118780492#Comment_118780492

Strange takes.

Ave Sodalis

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118780492#Comment_118780492

You could just... ignore it? There's plenty of movies I've seen the trailer for, thought "not for me", and then carried on with my life like the vast majority of adults do.

Skerries

anyone notice that the young initiate thug we see when we first see The Batman is the same actor who plays Tim Drake in The Titans series?

pixelburp

So on reflection, this was a frustrating, but also worthy and fascinating, creature. I'll always have time for something that swings for the fences and misses, than a blockbuster that aimed for dead-centre mediocrity. This film is worth talking about, even if I didn't love the sometimes overwrought drama it was selling me.

Matt Reeve's influences were sometimes so brazen it was impossible to avoid thinking of Seven, Zodiac, Saw and all the other obvious inspirations - and while it ultimately gave the film a separate identity from the other Batmans, it also sometimes got in the way of considering the film as its own beast. Now to be fair, while Gotham was drawn as Rain City from Seven, Reeves used a palette of deep blacks and Stygian orange and reds to distinguish itself. Most of the time mind you. That finale was an affront to all the prior acts and the most suspiciously studio mandated, where the aesthetics and tone gave way to blockbuster noise.

But because those cinematic inspirations were often front & centre, it made them hard to ignore - and then find The Batman lesser. The dissatisfaction was all the tonal punches pulled. Seven's city positively heaved with sickness, an itchy feeling of being one week before the apocalypse; while this Gotham only had a superficial sheen of decay and grime, its serial-killer vibe too often more that of a theme-park version of hell, too stylish by half. Reeves wanted me to despair at this Gotham, slowly sinking literally and metaphorically yet I never truly bought into it. Maybe the age rating held the narrative back, prevented it from fully committing to the idea, with its fictional drugs and whatnot. Maybe it was that the central reveal wasn't as shocking or interesting to me as the film that it was.

But I can't and don't hate all the ambition either: all that superficiality didn't chaff to the degree Joker did, the themes feeling less cynical, less mealy-mouthed than Todd Phillips' feature.

siblers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118741583#Comment_118741583

Saw it in Maxx in Mahon and couldn't fault it. Did you complain?

MOR316

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118780492#Comment_118780492

Soooo you just don't like the character Batman then?

MOR316

"He's not a good Bruce Wayne..."

He's not supposed to be...He's supposed to be lost, depressed and mentally struggling. The writer, the Director, The actors and actresses all spelt that out for everyone.

The kiss scene summed him up. The awkwardness in him comes out because he's experiencing something he never experienced before.

Genuinely thinking some of you went into this without 1. Not knowing anything about the character arc or 2. Just aren't Batman fans...

Useless Lump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118749085#Comment_118749085

Superheroes are bright cartoons.

Useless Lump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118776384#Comment_118776384

You base this on a trailer? How odd.

You seem to be taking it a very personal offence about the very existence of this movie.

And it hasn’t been a flop - doing very well at the office and it will have at least two sequels and there is a Penguin tv show in the works. So you should you post about your opinions of those now too.

Useless Lump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118781540#Comment_118781540

I’ve only seen season one so far.

Pattinson has said he would like a sequel (if it happens) to introduce Robin. I think they would have to make Robin a young teenager to work with this young Batman.

A sequel needs more Alfred too.

Am I right that that Alfred isn’t a butler in this film? The scar above his eye looks “recent”. I wonder if he got that and the leg injury helping on a previous case. I thought maybe it was connected to Joker - I assume he is in Arkham because he went up against Batman during the first two years.

ozmo

Why did the camera keep focusing on loose floorboards in several of the crime scenes. In one he even requests (by a stare) photos of one to be taken.

At the end when batman is given a flooring tool I thought - aha the clues were left under the floorboards of the murders as telegraphed - but he actually just pulled back the carpet at the end i think..?

McDermotX

If its the initial murder, wasn't it a blood splatter from the murder weapon that had been missed by the cops ?

He spots it straight away, and the crime scene photographer follows him

ozmo

It was that plank and it was loose like it had been removed/replaced. Was at least two other closeup shots of loose flooring boards i think - wonder if it was a last minute story end change that no longer needed these shots…

pixelburp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118801425#Comment_118801425

I think this Alfred is similar to Michael Caine's version (and possibly the latest comics, I can't say) in that this version has a military history; the implication he's as much a fixer as he is butler. I just took the injury as part of that "mysterious" past.

I'd be a little shocked in Robin appeared; it's the one aspect of live action batman that producers seem a little embarrassed by. And I don't think this particular Batman is quite there yet, that he might find a surrogate son/daughter to teach.

ThePott

I think Robin is long overdue to be in a Batman film again but I don't think it suits this Batman for the moment, certainly not yet.

Useless Lump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118801872#Comment_118801872

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118801928#Comment_118801928

I can’t find the interviews but both Pattinson and Reeves have mentioned villains they would like to bring into future films - Mr Freeze, Hush, Calendar Man and the Court of Owls - and Robin.

I would be very, very interested to see how they would do Mr. Freeze in this world they have created although I wonder if he was mentioned to help cover up that Joker will be a future villain.

I would definitely like to see Dick Grayson added even if they don’t make him Robin. I think it would be good if they went beyond a trilogy - Pattinson is young I would like to see a series rather than just three.

Pixelburp - You are correct about Alfred’s injuries - both the scar and the leg injury are from his military service. He was also in the British secret service.

kerplun k

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118801872#Comment_118801872

They might be able to pull it off, but only if they cast Taylor Lautner.

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

So I saw this the other night, first cinema experience in two years with covid. I normally go 2 or 3 times a week. I was taken out of the movie completely by a couple on a first date beside me who thought it was perfectly fine to drink cans and talk like they were at home in the sitting room...this experience peaked at one point when the fella (who I hope doesn't reproduce with the horsehead he was out with) shouted out "TAKE HIS MASK OFF" at one stage when Batman was lying unconscious on the ground. A social shout-out to the absolute gobshite on front of me who also thought it was cool to send Snapchat pics of the screen to her significant-retard too.

That aside.

First impressions. Pattinson is a great batman, really encapsulated that moody reclusive Bruce Wayne. I loved him as batman. Riddler reminded me of the riddler from the 60s Adam West schtick...never found him menacing but it's great they updated him to being a keyboard warrior/anonymous like figure...very very clever. Penguin...wow, what a performance. Loved him. That roar off the batmobile...I **** loved they skinned this right back to a basic batmobile and seeing Bruce on a motorbike most of the time...makes the whole thing more believable. So so so many good things about this movie but if I was to have one complaint and it's never something I complain about, the length...too long, cat woman, pointless, too much. We had enough with riddler, penguin, politicians, Albert, Gordon. It was just too much, I'm sure there's gonna be three movies here, don't cram everything into the first. I was never bored but I felt a lot of the time that, "this is just unnecessary".

To anyone comparing these to the Nolan movies. Stop. This is obviously very very different. Did I love this as much as any of Nolan's movies, no. Did I like it anyway, yes. Bring on the next two though.

Def need a rewatch at home where nobody's taking me out of the experience.

Useless Lump

Paul Dano is going to write a six issue RIDDLER: YEAR ONE comic telling the background to his character.

Might be already mentioned here but WB are planning an Arkham Asylum series instead of the Gotham PD series. I don’t know if Reeves is involved.

BruteStock

I believe the character of Robin last featured in The Dark Knight Rises and was played by Joseph Gordo Levit. Anyway , I thought this Batman was an excellent film.

ThePott

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118804888#Comment_118804888

I think calling that the 'character' of Robin is a bit generous. It was more of a nod, John Blake in DKR was a bit of an amalgam of some of the Robins but hardly felt like a real depiction of the character.

BruteStock

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118804944#Comment_118804944

I dunno , Bale kinda hand picked him to take his place by showing him where the bat cave was. The Robin wouldn't really fit in anymore anyway , unless he's a John Blake type character.

ThePott

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118805015#Comment_118805015

I'm talking about his characterisation. Bale picks him at the end but it definitely seems like he's more likely to become the new Batman or at best Nightwing. While I'm not disagreeing that Robin wouldn't fit into Nolan's movies, I think that's reflective of the Batman they often depicted on screen. I would also say that this Reeves' Batman in it's current state doesn't seem suited to Robin but then again this is a new franchise just one movie in, over time I think it could be possible to have Robin in this universe.

As it happens, saw quite a good video recently about why Robin hasn't really been in the movies which sort of solidified a lot of my thoughts on the matter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yabUYM5uN0

pixelburp

Was going to share the Willems video; it is a rather excellent summation of the problems at the heart of bringing Robin into a "serious" Batman.

As Willems says, the easiest way to just steer past the potential problems of the Boy Wonder is to gender flip. Which was already done in The Dark Knight Returns.

Or you just go do Batman Beyond - but unfortunately Pattinson is way too young for that phase.

Useless Lump

Robin can work in a “serious” Batman movie - he was a good character in the animated Batman but he is a character I never took too seriously until Titans. Until that I never really saw them as damaged just Batman or that he used them as a distraction.

If Pattinson and Reeves are both interested in him being in sequels I think they will only do it if they can make him serious and if it fits. When to introduce him depends on how many years there will be to a sequel and to the next film after that or it depends on how many films they intend to make. (I would have no objections to Pattinson staying in the role for many many years. )

A Robin can definitely be made to suit this Batman.

The one that doesn’t suit a “serious” Batman is Mr. Freeze but I really hope they mean it becasue I would love to see how they would make him fit.

ThePott

I don't disagree. Robin can work in a serious Batman story, the comics have shown this already.

I think there's a few things that need to happen first though meaning it's a ways off. Reeves' Batman needs to grow, that's obviously started by the end of this film. We need a balanced Batman who's moved past the trauma of his parents death, developed a distinct persona as Bruce Wayne and found relative happiness as the Caped Crusader. That is a long way off I would say. Story-wise If they do go with the Court of Owls eventually I think that is better served coming before Robin. While I'd like to see this being a running series for years, I'm not sure if either Reeves or Pattinson will stay for more than a trilogy.

As for Mr. Freeze I think there's definitely a grounded and relatable version of the character that could easily work. Quite frankly I think Reeves version will need to expand in scope to include some of the more fantastical elements or it will be in danger of aping the Nolan trilogy or villains. I think that already began towards the end of this film with the ending being more bombastic and him seeemingly using Venom.

Useless Lump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118807537#Comment_118807537

Isn’t a Robin necessary for a Court of Owls story? I only know of Court of Owls from the Son of Batman animated films but didn’t they try to turn Robin against Batman and have them kill each other?

Based on the world and technology of the Batman, how do you think a Mr. Freeze could work?

I love the fantastical elements of superheroes. I prefer the Affleck Batman to the Bale Batman because be more comic book but I never thought of Nolan’s films as being more real world. The Batmobile, the plane, Scarecrow, Bane, Ra’s Al Ghul all make the film very much a fantasy world. Strangely one of the reason I like The Batman so much is becasue it feels more “real world” with the Batmobile being a modified car, the Batcave being a repurposed subway station, etc. - but still showing a fantasy element with the contact lens cameras

Useless Lump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118805098#Comment_118805098

i dont think I could tolerate a conversation with that guy but there was a few interesting elements on the history of Batman that I didn’t know and he made some good points.

I think the “homo-erotic” relationship is something that won’t be a problem in a live action movie. Just have Bruce and Dick getting massages like they are in that issue he shows

The name Dick doesn’t seem to be an issue in Titans so I didn’t think it would in a movie but nothing wrong with calling him Richard.

On that point, he never once mentions the Titans TV show which is Robin’s live action TV show. Why is that?

And what is the “season finale” he talks about a couple of times?