Great video 👍 One thing I haven’t seen that many people talk about is how classism presented in the film. Batman views the issue with Gotham from a very privileged perspective, he thinks from a place that isn’t grounded with what the real issue is with the city. We can see this presented in the film with all the scenes of him standing above the city or looking down on people below him. Bruce manor in this film is a highrise, I think this connects well to what the riddler said “Bruce Wayne isn’t an orphan living in the highrise with all that wealth”, well ofc he is, but he doesn’t understand what it’s like to be one. Anywho, the final fight scene takes place quite literally above the city and only after he “unlearned” we see him on ground level with others. I find that’s why the final 2 scenes of Batman helping the citizens are so powerful. Sorry, I’m writing this at 3:00 am, great video again ❤❤
This is a great point! I hadn’t thought about elevation itself as a representation of Batman’s vantage point, beyond Wayne Tower. Of course at the end, the flood hurts all of Gotham’s poorest, lowest, and most vulnerable. And Batman rescues people to the rooftop, where he literally lifts people up into the helicopter. You can even connect this to the camera angle from which we see the Riddler’s and the Batman’s first dispensations of vengeance-low angle, with them looming over the camera beating down on their victims.
Bruce’s line “the city is eating itself” made me think of Ouroboros the symbol of the serpent that is eternally eating its own tail. The city’s evil has no beginning or end. Gotham was doomed from its conception and birthed a vigilante that is doomed to never ultimately save it
This is the best video essay on The Batman that I’ve seen. You highlighted the film’s incredible attention to detail beautifully, and your analysis of Bruce’s character arc and the themes of the film were spot on. Incredible work-you should be really proud.
Hey thanks! I just watched your video on the film, and you have some great insights as well. In particular, the way that Bruce has let his Bruce Wayne identity wither on the vine as Batman/vengeance consumes him. Great stuff!
I don't know what it is with me but this video made me realize I missed 90% of the film's story. I seriously did not realize this film was this deep with themes this fleshed out. I understood the story at a basic level which I always accepted the film was. I did not realize the intricacies and the excellence of how this film tackles its themes. It opened my eyes and had me dumbfounded about how the heck could I have missed so much despite watching it habitually. I'm seriously thankful for this video. This is, the best video essay on this movie and will for sure change the way I watch this movie from now on.
I'm so glad! To be honest I surprised myself with how rich and deep the film's themes were when I went to work on the video. There's a lot under the surface there!
Dude same. Like I got it and really enjoyed it but this made me actually understand what the moral of the story was on a deeper level. My enjoyment was very shallow for some reason, this was excellent!
I understood the general themes of the story and a lot of that stuff, but this video essay points out small things in the dialogue that I missed out on. So many obscure exchanges that seem to only just push the plot, but infact kind of tell you straight to the face what the film is about. I need to watch this movie again because I clearly did not watch it enough already
Not sure if it’s The Peguin’s show premiere that surged an influx of video essays for The Batman but I’m here for it. I appreciate your diy cape and closure; befitting of this Batman’s modus operandi.
This video goes into so much depth, it’s absolutely fantastic. The Batman is such a love letter to the heart of the character, I’m not sure it’ll ever be beaten as a “Batman movie”. His transformation from vengeance to hope throughout this film is a perfect reflection of Selena’s letter to him calling off their engagement in the Tom King comic run. There, she tells him he can’t be truly happy because he’s an engine for turning pain (i.e. his vengeance) into hope. The Batman’s core character turns vengeance into hope, and this movie, which refers to itself only as The Batman, does exactly the same thing. This movie IS the character himself, in a way. On second viewing, understanding his arc through the story, his fall into the water becomes much more poignant too. While I’ve often seen it criticised as a fakeout death, it’s completely the opposite. It’s rebirth. It’s a baptism. The scene occurs immediately after he looks Riddler’s “vengeance” in the face, and decides to reject it. Cutting the power cable to save those in the water, and then falling himself, was never supposed to pretend he was sacrificing himself. He’s sacrificing vengeance in favour of giving the “decent” a hope figure. Leading those trapped to safety before assisting with their evacuation in the aftermath completes his transformation, and the city begins to see him as something else entirely.
Something i thought about The Batman when i was watching this video is that his thought process in the beginning of the movie could very much lead him down a darker path as he gets older, like you pointed out, he views criminals and "bad people" as these irredemable animals to the point of thinking that they got what was coming to them when some died, i could very much see him turning into the Ben Afleck version of himself who kills criminals without a second thought as he gets older and starts thinking about What's the point of sparing them if they're just going back to crime, if this movie didn't happen that is
Yes, this movie is literally that, and at the end he says mmm 🤔 but wait I need to represent hope, and he carries a child 😅 literally just for depressed girls to love Pattinson.
I’ve watched at least 7 breakdowns of this movie, and yours was by far the best. You brought up so many different perspectives that I hadn’t even considered before.
This is a truly incredible video essay about The Batman, and perfectly explains what I love about the film in a way I couldn't properly articulate before! You deserve so many more views and likes, especially on this video!
Amazing video and analysis! Putting it into words really reminds you how awesome and consistent the messaging of the movie is! Perfect fit for a Batman story! Ty
I can really feel your love for the character here. This is one of the best video essays I've seen in months. I feel like everything I've been yapping about for the last two years were finally said in the most eloquent and concise way. I'm subbed and ready for the next one.
Thank you for this excellent and concise dissection of what was right there and yet didn't register as succinctly and clearly as it did until this. I feel dumb because I did understand the movie but it didn't feel like I was getting it past the shallow end for some reason. Those quotes and even the Joker scene which I'm glad is just a deleted scene really add in some extra context and this was just a fantastic lesson and analysis!!
Thank you. This is a seriously inspiring view of Batman. For a while I've convinced myself that his flaws would never be portrayed on screen as "potentially just as bad as some of his villains." A lot of times people get hung up about how the original idea of Batman was not against killing, but I think it's truly a key concept in why his character is compelling and flawed but in a way that enables growth. One recent breakdown of Reeves' film complained largely about how the movie has "two final acts," basically everything after his conversation with the riddler is a fourth (and unnecessary) act that wastes a good villain. My experience as a viewer the FIRST time for this movie was that the true climax is when the lady in the stretcher is not willing to let go. It's in this moment that The Batman embodies Hope NOT Vengeance. It was in this moment I relearned why I chose a career in law enforcement in the first place. I am an idealist and I often clash with other hardline perspectives about the nature of crime and criminals... because I believe that small convictions can transcend a paying career, and protect you from mounting corruption. If you take an oath, you better MEAN it.
You’re misinterpreting Batman’s opinion on Anika. He doesn’t blame her at all and definitely doesn’t think she got what she deserves. In the scene Selina comes to him for help finding Anika and she evokes his mission. This triggers him because from his POV, “If you really stand for what I stand for you would’ve talked your friend who didn’t know any better out of this.” He’s placing Anika’s death squarely on Selina because he thought more of her. When he caught her ripping off penguin that shatters his perception of her.
They are keeping Matt Reeves's Batman, it's just that Matt Reeves's Batman is going to be Elseworld Batman, which is fine because that's what Matt Reeves wants.
@cprw10 I think the original comment was saying that if Matt Reeves' Batman got canceled or let's say he just happens to finish it, James Gunn would be smart in keeping Matt in the fold. Matt has a way of looking at certain characters from unique lenses and that could be beneficial to DC as a whole.
Excellent video. Cognitive Dissidence was an excellent observation and your critique of Bruce's misguided world view was incredible and as a lifelong batman fan... It's something I had never even thought of. This is actually something I really needed right now and the fact it's Batman... Thank you 🫶💙
I always loved the scene of him implying that Selena was selling herself out, it felt so visceral, uncomfortable and rude af. But he also sounded so hurt and upset at the idea, he was obviously lashing out in an attempt to gain some control of the situation… I’ve felt that way before at a similar thought. That’s how I know the acting was very good. Robert really killed it in this film.
I had a crazy thought watching this and The Penguin. What if the "kid" in Penguin is actually Robin?! Hear me out, he became an orphan after the mistake of "Vengeance." I totally believe now that at the end of Penguin or the start of "The new Batman" who realizes he is half his dad "good man who messed up" (also like Vengeance) and half crazy mom side rage filled rich kid with the crazy half making the villians "super" now with his ultra violent Vengeance trip. After failing as Vengeance he goes back to his father's dream by helping orphans when we find this kid who is attached to Penguin who learns the street game and has to train himself to think fast to help or die with Oz or the flipside to help and live with The Bat. They keep ramming it home Batman is not in the TV show but I think I figured out "Robin" is going to fly away with the bat after he shuts down Penguin's operation finding an angry kid who hates Batman at first trying to survive because he failed the city so he takes him under his wing and bam you got Robin year 1 in The Batman 2 or The Robin... Might be my first fan fiction, or I spoiled myself either way that is a way that Robin could be introduced instead of the flying Grayson's storyline. Fresh take on, "the boy wonder" and a grant way at actually subverting the Status quo and also doing a susessful race swap without feeling like a gimmick or offencive to people of color.
I mean everyone thought Victor was Jason Todd when he was introduced or obviously based him. He’s introduced as a streetwise urchin caught stealing the protagonist’s car tires, and end up taken under the wing of the man they were trying to steal from! A young man sidekick character who likes to wear red? If he’s not a Robin he’s meant to evoke Robin and remind familiar fans of him.
1:00- the only reason i can think of as to why they mention bruce's parents is they want to clarify bruce's relationship with the boy at the start who loses his dad , the mayor. Not that I think that needed to happen but I can see the rhythm is repeating that message
Amazing video. This is the best in-deep analysis of the film I've seen here on YT. I just wanna add a couple of things to the discussion that I've noticed rewatching the movie a couple of times: -Batman smiles only 2 times through the entire movie and both time he is proven wrong right after: the first time is when he tells Alfred, "Are you a Wayne?". Alfred proves him wrong, telling him that Thomas Wayne gave him the cufflinks. The second time Bruce is smiling it's right before asking Selina why does Falcone owes her anything, implying she is having a relationship with him, again, only to be proven wrong by her telling that Falcone is her father. -Batman screams at The Riddler that he's a psychopath because the only "big" villain he has fought before is the Joker, a psychopat that he's crearly just evil, reinforcing his idea that's if you're evil, you're just evil. That's why in the deleted scene Batman asks The Joker to help him identifying The Riddler's plan, he thinks it's just another evil lunatic. -The Riddler clearly is intelligent and basically has figured it out that Batman is Bruce Wayne, but never actually in his mind linked the 2 and made that connection. But why's that? What I think, it's just that The Riddler idolise Batman that much and relates to him too much to even being able to just think about the fact that he could be the rich orphan, son of the guy that pushed the renewal plan. To The Riddler, Batman is just like him, another poor kid wronged by the system for all his life. He CAN'T be Bruce Wayne. That's my 2 cents
Hey, this is some really solid work! This is the first video of yours I've ever watched, and I dig the insights you've been able to gleam from the film. You should be proud! I've noticed you've been fairly supe-focused on this channel, and after hearing you played games in the video, I was wondering if you had plans to do thematic / character studies on that front as well! Perhaps if you wanted to stick close to home you might cover inFAMOUS' Cole MacGrath, or how Sonic ain't a hero..? Though that latter example might be my bias speaking, haha. Anyways, keep on keepin' on!! :DDD
Recently Arkham Shadow touched the same ideas and conflict that The Batman and Arkham Origins did with Bruce's conflict with his anger and his desire for vengeance; but this common conflict can be traced back to the comic book Batman: Ego.
Due to the film's strong style, it feels like a mythos outlier, but it's basically taking on the mainstream compassionless variety of Batman (the Dark Knight Returns, BvS, etc). Bridging the gap between that and the Conroy version that would comfort dying Ace.
I think it’s no wonder that this movie hits a bit too close to home for some people, as the black-and-white good soul/evil soul view of morality is something not uncommon in our society (especially given the massive impact of Christian culture and the idea that people *either* belong in heaven or hell). So many of the flaws in our justice system are due to the fact that many people don’t care about the people it hurts. If you’re a criminal, you’re bad. If you’re bad, you deserve everything that’s coming to you. If you deserve everything that’s coming to you, what’s the point in fixing the justice system, if the only people it hurts are criminals? I love that this film challenges that worldview, showing the complexities of morality, how not only can good people do bad things and bad people do good, but what exactly is a “bad person” or a “good person”? The line is blurrier than Batman thinks in the beginning, and the fact that he can’t see that leads to him being a relentless punisher of vengeance, the holy demon in the night that many see him as, instead of the hero who leads people to do better. The Batman at the beginning of the story wouldn’t congratulate Harley Quinn on getting out of Arkham or empathize with Mr. Freeze. He’d sort them into the bad category, treating Harley with coldness at best and seeing Freeze as just another bad guy to be taken down (part of why I support Mr. Freeze as the next villain). By the end, he’s no longer that hardliner he was at the beginning. He’s not a self-righteous symbol of vengeance; he’s a compassionate symbol of hope. He’s not a punisher of evildoers; he’s a sign that there’s a better way.
You guys ever wonder if the ridler was doing better work than batman? Besides the whole flood thing ridler was taking out and exposing Gotham's corruption while batman is just beating poor people who have fallen victim to the system
Yes, in a way batman just relived of what happened to his parents who got murdered by small street criminals so yeah that's how messed up his previous idea at the beginning of the movie. (This is the actor who said this stuff in a interview)
I think you could argue this via unintenional concequences in regards to Bruce's change in attitude, however I think that Riddler and Batman are two sides of the same coin in this movie in regards to their work. Both of them are observing a legitimate problem but both lack a proper world view to make sense of a solution. Batman is just going around kicking down petty criminals, which yes is protecting some of Gotham's inhabitents in the moment but is doing nearly nothing to actually address any problems or prompt change. Ultimately he is just a man in a bat costume punching unlucky bad people. Riddler observes the corruption of the Gotham elite, how politicians and criminals have essentially turned the entire city into a massive racket. He is essentially seeing the other half of the problem that Bruce can't see. And in turn, Riddler does not seem to really see the problems that Bruce sees in regards to the rampant lawlessness, choosing instead to wallow in it and aim to accelerate it. Ergo, his chosen course of action is outright terrorism which while theatrical for his cause does nothing but make things even worse; something The Penguin show (which im half way through rn) has done a good job of demonstrating so far. Thats what makes the movie's ending so good for me. Batman is the hero he is because of Bruce in a sense. As Batman he can do the dirty work but as Bruce he can do his part to try and influence the city away from its corruption. Batman without Bruce, or Bruce without Batman, are impotent forces and a matured Batman is the one who realises this. In this movie he is without Bruce, just a washed up shell who lives only for his nightly hunts, but at the end essentially takes on the Riddler's observations that he had blinded himself to after the death of his parents. As has been highlighted, he became an agent of actual justice instead of just vengence. Ultimatly that was all Riddler and pre-ending Batman were, vengence, and that was why they were both doomed to fail and achieve little
@ yes but What I’m saying is the end result of Batman’s work better for Gotham than what the riddler did? Riddler actually did something about the corruption batman did not
@@aroccoification Thats the thing, the Riddler does nothing about the corruption. He just lashes out at it with like-minded people, much as Bruce is at the start. This gives the satisfaction of action and as I said is theatrical, but it achieves absolutely nothing but carnage. The positives of it come from Bruce's personal journey which is completely unintended. Both Batman and Riddler are lashing out at Gotham, just different aspects of it. Batman's approach is just for personal catharsis just as Riddler's is, but is small scale so has little collateral damage just as much as little impact. Riddler has virtually no lasting impact on corruption in Gotham and barely even exposes anything - all hes doing is changing the pieces by taking some away. But they will all be filled by newcomers and the system itself will be undamaged at the cost of thousands of innocents who he claimed to be acting for. The Penguin show even demonstrated this by demonstrating how corruption, blackmail and the other ills of the city continue virtually unchanged from Riddler's actions. Nothing achieved at the cost of thousands of lives isnt doing something about corruption. Thats why in the movie both Batman and Riddler are wrong in their views and methodology until the end. Riddler reveals himself as nothing more than an angry terrorist with an axe to grind while Batman evolves to begin to understand what fighting the city's problems actually requires. It cant just be violence against people against whom you hold grievence.
41:30 This is actually my biggest complaint with the film; this scene was such a missed opportunity to have a dramatic hinge point in Bruce's arc tying the side plot about his father into the main story. I wish after saving Selina that Batman's need for closure, his desperation to resolve his parents' deaths, led him to brutally interrogat Falcone about the incident, threatening to kill him, but he has a moment of self awareness before he gets anything out of him and begins to question how far he's gone and whether his motives are really anything but selfish. He then stops Selina from doing what he himself almost did. In my mind, that would've made the whole movie a whole lot better.
I like elements of this idea, but I don't think the film is missing something without it. I see it as Batman digging into himself to find where he still possesses moral authority after having his worldview more or less shattered. The fact that he's able to find it in himself and build back from there works for me. I don't think this Batman would consider killing Falcone, even for an instant. It's too disgusting and "criminal" to him
@LetsTakeALook I get what you're saying, but too me it just feels wrong to spend so much time challenging the brutal violence and the selfishly personal motivations for his quest, and then reveal the possibility that the man behind all of this corruption is the very cause of the trauma he's been venting for 20 years, and then to not show any indication that he feels any temptation to unleash vengeance on that man. Matt Reeves talked about wanting to push Batman to his limit in this movie, and I think he had the perfect opportunity to do so, and then totally missed it.
I’m sure Matt Reeves had Watchmen in mind when he wrote the journal monologue at the beginning. And of course, Rorschach is Alan Moore’s take on a Batman with a broken worldview. Which perhaps motivates the allusion at the beginning of the film, when Bruce’s worldview is still broken.
0:14 Untrue. Batman 1989 doesn't show Batman's origin either. Instead, the movie opens with Batman saving a family in a similar situation as he and his parents were in Crime Alley. Later, Bruce is seen paying respects to his parents in Crime Alley. Aside from that, Batman 1989 does have a brief flashback throughout the movie, but this flashback's purporse is reveal to the audience that Jack Napier (Joker) killee Bruce Wayne's parents.
Honestly, the narration by the drifter and the whole ultra-black&white conservatism in the first third felt more redundant than deconstructive, because it is almost the same speech Rorschach gives in Watchmen. Culturally, I feel we didn’t need this kind of preconception from a character that should have carried a certain cultural awareness. The parallel with the binoculars etc. are already enough to show that Batman is operating in a grey area. Same with the Selina-dialogue: would a thirty something dude of the 21st century really equal prostitution other, more serious crimes? That and the scene where Batman drew these emo-schematics on his floor exuded an unintentional element of cringe.
Dcau batman... also got over vengeance and became a beacon of hope. Arkhamverse Batman also kinda did. After Arkham Knight he delved deep into vengeance and almost crossed the line until Superman and the Justice League brought him back and re taught him
Great video 👍 One thing I haven’t seen that many people talk about is how classism presented in the film. Batman views the issue with Gotham from a very privileged perspective, he thinks from a place that isn’t grounded with what the real issue is with the city. We can see this presented in the film with all the scenes of him standing above the city or looking down on people below him. Bruce manor in this film is a highrise, I think this connects well to what the riddler said “Bruce Wayne isn’t an orphan living in the highrise with all that wealth”, well ofc he is, but he doesn’t understand what it’s like to be one. Anywho, the final fight scene takes place quite literally above the city and only after he “unlearned” we see him on ground level with others. I find that’s why the final 2 scenes of Batman helping the citizens are so powerful. Sorry, I’m writing this at 3:00 am, great video again ❤❤
This is a great point! I hadn’t thought about elevation itself as a representation of Batman’s vantage point, beyond Wayne Tower. Of course at the end, the flood hurts all of Gotham’s poorest, lowest, and most vulnerable. And Batman rescues people to the rooftop, where he literally lifts people up into the helicopter. You can even connect this to the camera angle from which we see the Riddler’s and the Batman’s first dispensations of vengeance-low angle, with them looming over the camera beating down on their victims.
@@LetsTakeALook And also how the camera angle changes at the end! The camera looks down at Batman while he looks up.
Bruce’s line “the city is eating itself” made me think of Ouroboros the symbol of the serpent that is eternally eating its own tail. The city’s evil has no beginning or end. Gotham was doomed from its conception and birthed a vigilante that is doomed to never ultimately save it
I like to think Gotham represents Batman’s mental space
The majority of Batman iterations exist solely to lower the average IQ of Gothamites one punch at a time.
This is the best video essay on The Batman that I’ve seen. You highlighted the film’s incredible attention to detail beautifully, and your analysis of Bruce’s character arc and the themes of the film were spot on. Incredible work-you should be really proud.
Hey thanks! I just watched your video on the film, and you have some great insights as well. In particular, the way that Bruce has let his Bruce Wayne identity wither on the vine as Batman/vengeance consumes him. Great stuff!
I don't know what it is with me but this video made me realize I missed 90% of the film's story. I seriously did not realize this film was this deep with themes this fleshed out. I understood the story at a basic level which I always accepted the film was. I did not realize the intricacies and the excellence of how this film tackles its themes. It opened my eyes and had me dumbfounded about how the heck could I have missed so much despite watching it habitually. I'm seriously thankful for this video. This is, the best video essay on this movie and will for sure change the way I watch this movie from now on.
I'm so glad! To be honest I surprised myself with how rich and deep the film's themes were when I went to work on the video. There's a lot under the surface there!
Dude same. Like I got it and really enjoyed it but this made me actually understand what the moral of the story was on a deeper level. My enjoyment was very shallow for some reason, this was excellent!
I understood the general themes of the story and a lot of that stuff, but this video essay points out small things in the dialogue that I missed out on. So many obscure exchanges that seem to only just push the plot, but infact kind of tell you straight to the face what the film is about. I need to watch this movie again because I clearly did not watch it enough already
To quote Garrus Vakarian of Mass Effect fame: Sometimes, you need good people around you to remind you to be good.
Matt Reeves looks like Ed Norton playing commissioner Gordon
😭
💀
Matt "The Commissioner" Reeves has my blessing to keep forming his batverse forever
Not sure if it’s The Peguin’s show premiere that surged an influx of video essays for The Batman but I’m here for it.
I appreciate your diy cape and closure; befitting of this Batman’s modus operandi.
*clothing
He didn't shut anything
I don’t even see this Batman as “reimagined” I see it as a true telling and the most accurate interpretation to date
This video goes into so much depth, it’s absolutely fantastic. The Batman is such a love letter to the heart of the character, I’m not sure it’ll ever be beaten as a “Batman movie”.
His transformation from vengeance to hope throughout this film is a perfect reflection of Selena’s letter to him calling off their engagement in the Tom King comic run. There, she tells him he can’t be truly happy because he’s an engine for turning pain (i.e. his vengeance) into hope. The Batman’s core character turns vengeance into hope, and this movie, which refers to itself only as The Batman, does exactly the same thing. This movie IS the character himself, in a way.
On second viewing, understanding his arc through the story, his fall into the water becomes much more poignant too. While I’ve often seen it criticised as a fakeout death, it’s completely the opposite. It’s rebirth. It’s a baptism. The scene occurs immediately after he looks Riddler’s “vengeance” in the face, and decides to reject it. Cutting the power cable to save those in the water, and then falling himself, was never supposed to pretend he was sacrificing himself. He’s sacrificing vengeance in favour of giving the “decent” a hope figure. Leading those trapped to safety before assisting with their evacuation in the aftermath completes his transformation, and the city begins to see him as something else entirely.
Something i thought about The Batman when i was watching this video is that his thought process in the beginning of the movie could very much lead him down a darker path as he gets older, like you pointed out, he views criminals and "bad people" as these irredemable animals to the point of thinking that they got what was coming to them when some died, i could very much see him turning into the Ben Afleck version of himself who kills criminals without a second thought as he gets older and starts thinking about What's the point of sparing them if they're just going back to crime, if this movie didn't happen that is
Yes, this movie is literally that, and at the end he says mmm 🤔 but wait I need to represent hope, and he carries a child 😅 literally just for depressed girls to love Pattinson.
lol you made me realize how disrespectful we’ve been to uncle Alfred this whole time. Bruce technically wasn’t an orphan
😂
I’ve watched at least 7 breakdowns of this movie, and yours was by far the best. You brought up so many different perspectives that I hadn’t even considered before.
Best Analysis of this film and possibly the character ever. Kudos.
This is a truly incredible video essay about The Batman, and perfectly explains what I love about the film in a way I couldn't properly articulate before!
You deserve so many more views and likes, especially on this video!
One of the best videos I’ve seen on the Batman. This deserves millions of views.
My favourite Batman movie and my favourite video about it. Amazing work! 😊
Great video
Well, see you next year. Hopefully
😭😭😭 thanks for watching. I can’t say this is undeserved but I plan to prove you wrong! 🫡🫡
Amazing video and analysis! Putting it into words really reminds you how awesome and consistent the messaging of the movie is! Perfect fit for a Batman story!
Ty
This was incredibly well done. Just made me love a film I didn't think I could love any more than I already did
Commenting to help boost this video in the algorithm. I honestly loved this video, ain’t much more to say than that.
You get a 👍🏼for the 'grey' towel cape dude.
I truly understand! 🦇
This is such a great breakdown of the movie. I understand it better and love it even more now
I can really feel your love for the character here. This is one of the best video essays I've seen in months. I feel like everything I've been yapping about for the last two years were finally said in the most eloquent and concise way. I'm subbed and ready for the next one.
Thank you 🫡
Thank you for this excellent and concise dissection of what was right there and yet didn't register as succinctly and clearly as it did until this. I feel dumb because I did understand the movie but it didn't feel like I was getting it past the shallow end for some reason. Those quotes and even the Joker scene which I'm glad is just a deleted scene really add in some extra context and this was just a fantastic lesson and analysis!!
Thank you. This is a seriously inspiring view of Batman. For a while I've convinced myself that his flaws would never be portrayed on screen as "potentially just as bad as some of his villains."
A lot of times people get hung up about how the original idea of Batman was not against killing, but I think it's truly a key concept in why his character is compelling and flawed but in a way that enables growth.
One recent breakdown of Reeves' film complained largely about how the movie has "two final acts," basically everything after his conversation with the riddler is a fourth (and unnecessary) act that wastes a good villain.
My experience as a viewer the FIRST time for this movie was that the true climax is when the lady in the stretcher is not willing to let go. It's in this moment that The Batman embodies Hope NOT Vengeance.
It was in this moment I relearned why I chose a career in law enforcement in the first place. I am an idealist and I often clash with other hardline perspectives about the nature of crime and criminals... because I believe that small convictions can transcend a paying career, and protect you from mounting corruption. If you take an oath, you better MEAN it.
Brilliant stuff mate! Seems like a ton of work but hope you can keep making more of these
You’re misinterpreting Batman’s opinion on Anika. He doesn’t blame her at all and definitely doesn’t think she got what she deserves.
In the scene Selina comes to him for help finding Anika and she evokes his mission. This triggers him because from his POV, “If you really stand for what I stand for you would’ve talked your friend who didn’t know any better out of this.”
He’s placing Anika’s death squarely on Selina because he thought more of her. When he caught her ripping off penguin that shatters his perception of her.
I appreciate this distinction, and thanks for pointing this out! You’re absolutely right
@@LetsTakeALook :)
Batman in the beginning of the movie: Vengeance
Batman at the end of the movie: Justice
Hope?
If James Gunn was smart he would keep Matt reeves even if they don’t keep his Batman. Reeves has a way of reimagining characters
They are keeping Matt Reeves's Batman, it's just that Matt Reeves's Batman is going to be Elseworld Batman, which is fine because that's what Matt Reeves wants.
@cprw10 I think the original comment was saying that if Matt Reeves' Batman got canceled or let's say he just happens to finish it, James Gunn would be smart in keeping Matt in the fold. Matt has a way of looking at certain characters from unique lenses and that could be beneficial to DC as a whole.
Bro gave me a whole new view of The Batman
This is the best analysis of this movie I’ve ever seen
This movie has aged like a fine wine. Great vid.
The Batman can be summed up as "How Batman stopped himself from being Rorschach"
Amazing Video for such a small channel. Keep it up!
This is one of the best analysis videos i have seen , the production quality and the video itself is great ! kudos
how will this impact the bat economy?
Excellent video.
Cognitive Dissidence was an excellent observation and your critique of Bruce's misguided world view was incredible and as a lifelong batman fan... It's something I had never even thought of. This is actually something I really needed right now and the fact it's Batman... Thank you 🫶💙
SWEAR TO ME
Perfect video!
🫡
I always loved the scene of him implying that Selena was selling herself out, it felt so visceral, uncomfortable and rude af. But he also sounded so hurt and upset at the idea, he was obviously lashing out in an attempt to gain some control of the situation… I’ve felt that way before at a similar thought. That’s how I know the acting was very good. Robert really killed it in this film.
I had a crazy thought watching this and The Penguin. What if the "kid" in Penguin is actually Robin?!
Hear me out, he became an orphan after the mistake of "Vengeance." I totally believe now that at the end of Penguin or the start of "The new Batman" who realizes he is half his dad "good man who messed up" (also like Vengeance) and half crazy mom side rage filled rich kid with the crazy half making the villians "super" now with his ultra violent Vengeance trip.
After failing as Vengeance he goes back to his father's dream by helping orphans when we find this kid who is attached to Penguin who learns the street game and has to train himself to think fast to help or die with Oz or the flipside to help and live with The Bat.
They keep ramming it home Batman is not in the TV show but I think I figured out "Robin" is going to fly away with the bat after he shuts down Penguin's operation finding an angry kid who hates Batman at first trying to survive because he failed the city so he takes him under his wing and bam you got Robin year 1 in The Batman 2 or The Robin...
Might be my first fan fiction, or I spoiled myself either way that is a way that Robin could be introduced instead of the flying Grayson's storyline.
Fresh take on, "the boy wonder" and a grant way at actually subverting the Status quo and also doing a susessful race swap without feeling like a gimmick or offencive to people of color.
I mean everyone thought Victor was Jason Todd when he was introduced or obviously based him.
He’s introduced as a streetwise urchin caught stealing the protagonist’s car tires, and end up taken under the wing of the man they were trying to steal from! A young man sidekick character who likes to wear red?
If he’s not a Robin he’s meant to evoke Robin and remind familiar fans of him.
1:00- the only reason i can think of as to why they mention bruce's parents is they want to clarify bruce's relationship with the boy at the start who loses his dad , the mayor. Not that I think that needed to happen but I can see the rhythm is repeating that message
Amazing video. This is the best in-deep analysis of the film I've seen here on YT. I just wanna add a couple of things to the discussion that I've noticed rewatching the movie a couple of times:
-Batman smiles only 2 times through the entire movie and both time he is proven wrong right after: the first time is when he tells Alfred, "Are you a Wayne?". Alfred proves him wrong, telling him that Thomas Wayne gave him the cufflinks. The second time Bruce is smiling it's right before asking Selina why does Falcone owes her anything, implying she is having a relationship with him, again, only to be proven wrong by her telling that Falcone is her father.
-Batman screams at The Riddler that he's a psychopath because the only "big" villain he has fought before is the Joker, a psychopat that he's crearly just evil, reinforcing his idea that's if you're evil, you're just evil. That's why in the deleted scene Batman asks The Joker to help him identifying The Riddler's plan, he thinks it's just another evil lunatic.
-The Riddler clearly is intelligent and basically has figured it out that Batman is Bruce Wayne, but never actually in his mind linked the 2 and made that connection. But why's that? What I think, it's just that The Riddler idolise Batman that much and relates to him too much to even being able to just think about the fact that he could be the rich orphan, son of the guy that pushed the renewal plan. To The Riddler, Batman is just like him, another poor kid wronged by the system for all his life. He CAN'T be Bruce Wayne.
That's my 2 cents
Amazing breakdown. Further cements this movie as my favorite batman movie. Great job
Hey, this is some really solid work! This is the first video of yours I've ever watched, and I dig the insights you've been able to gleam from the film. You should be proud!
I've noticed you've been fairly supe-focused on this channel, and after hearing you played games in the video, I was wondering if you had plans to do thematic / character studies on that front as well! Perhaps if you wanted to stick close to home you might cover inFAMOUS' Cole MacGrath, or how Sonic ain't a hero..? Though that latter example might be my bias speaking, haha.
Anyways, keep on keepin' on!! :DDD
Hey thanks for the support! Those particular topics aren’t really in my wheelhouse, but you’ll fs be seeing more from me soon 🫡
3 mins in. I’m sold. And subbed
Recently Arkham Shadow touched the same ideas and conflict that The Batman and Arkham Origins did with Bruce's conflict with his anger and his desire for vengeance; but this common conflict can be traced back to the comic book Batman: Ego.
Due to the film's strong style, it feels like a mythos outlier, but it's basically taking on the mainstream compassionless variety of Batman (the Dark Knight Returns, BvS, etc). Bridging the gap between that and the Conroy version that would comfort dying Ace.
Wooooah dude this was awesome!!!!! Such a good explanation of his world view.
“Yeah , Batman roasted me”
THIS IS AMAZING!!! Really loved your perspective on the film. 🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇
Flawless. Subbed
This is where I watched my parents die 😢
Cowabummer
Loved the vid 👌🏽
Loved the comment 👌🏻
He’s back!!!
This is my goat
Can you do a review of Man of Steel like you did this video? I would love your take on it
Beautiful work 🦇
Thanks bat freak I know I can always count on you 🫡🦇
Bravo 👏
Great video! Subscribed!
9:37 genius
We need his vengeance back, Oz gotta go
after what happened to vic
vengeance !!!!!
I think it’s no wonder that this movie hits a bit too close to home for some people, as the black-and-white good soul/evil soul view of morality is something not uncommon in our society (especially given the massive impact of Christian culture and the idea that people *either* belong in heaven or hell). So many of the flaws in our justice system are due to the fact that many people don’t care about the people it hurts. If you’re a criminal, you’re bad. If you’re bad, you deserve everything that’s coming to you. If you deserve everything that’s coming to you, what’s the point in fixing the justice system, if the only people it hurts are criminals?
I love that this film challenges that worldview, showing the complexities of morality, how not only can good people do bad things and bad people do good, but what exactly is a “bad person” or a “good person”? The line is blurrier than Batman thinks in the beginning, and the fact that he can’t see that leads to him being a relentless punisher of vengeance, the holy demon in the night that many see him as, instead of the hero who leads people to do better. The Batman at the beginning of the story wouldn’t congratulate Harley Quinn on getting out of Arkham or empathize with Mr. Freeze. He’d sort them into the bad category, treating Harley with coldness at best and seeing Freeze as just another bad guy to be taken down (part of why I support Mr. Freeze as the next villain). By the end, he’s no longer that hardliner he was at the beginning. He’s not a self-righteous symbol of vengeance; he’s a compassionate symbol of hope. He’s not a punisher of evildoers; he’s a sign that there’s a better way.
You guys ever wonder if the ridler was doing better work than batman?
Besides the whole flood thing ridler was taking out and exposing Gotham's corruption while batman is just beating poor people who have fallen victim to the system
Yes, in a way batman just relived of what happened to his parents who got murdered by small street criminals so yeah that's how messed up his previous idea at the beginning of the movie. (This is the actor who said this stuff in a interview)
I think you could argue this via unintenional concequences in regards to Bruce's change in attitude, however I think that Riddler and Batman are two sides of the same coin in this movie in regards to their work. Both of them are observing a legitimate problem but both lack a proper world view to make sense of a solution. Batman is just going around kicking down petty criminals, which yes is protecting some of Gotham's inhabitents in the moment but is doing nearly nothing to actually address any problems or prompt change. Ultimately he is just a man in a bat costume punching unlucky bad people.
Riddler observes the corruption of the Gotham elite, how politicians and criminals have essentially turned the entire city into a massive racket. He is essentially seeing the other half of the problem that Bruce can't see. And in turn, Riddler does not seem to really see the problems that Bruce sees in regards to the rampant lawlessness, choosing instead to wallow in it and aim to accelerate it. Ergo, his chosen course of action is outright terrorism which while theatrical for his cause does nothing but make things even worse; something The Penguin show (which im half way through rn) has done a good job of demonstrating so far.
Thats what makes the movie's ending so good for me. Batman is the hero he is because of Bruce in a sense. As Batman he can do the dirty work but as Bruce he can do his part to try and influence the city away from its corruption. Batman without Bruce, or Bruce without Batman, are impotent forces and a matured Batman is the one who realises this. In this movie he is without Bruce, just a washed up shell who lives only for his nightly hunts, but at the end essentially takes on the Riddler's observations that he had blinded himself to after the death of his parents. As has been highlighted, he became an agent of actual justice instead of just vengence. Ultimatly that was all Riddler and pre-ending Batman were, vengence, and that was why they were both doomed to fail and achieve little
@ yes but What I’m saying is the end result of Batman’s work better for Gotham than what the riddler did? Riddler actually did something about the corruption batman did not
@@aroccoification Thats the thing, the Riddler does nothing about the corruption. He just lashes out at it with like-minded people, much as Bruce is at the start. This gives the satisfaction of action and as I said is theatrical, but it achieves absolutely nothing but carnage. The positives of it come from Bruce's personal journey which is completely unintended.
Both Batman and Riddler are lashing out at Gotham, just different aspects of it. Batman's approach is just for personal catharsis just as Riddler's is, but is small scale so has little collateral damage just as much as little impact. Riddler has virtually no lasting impact on corruption in Gotham and barely even exposes anything - all hes doing is changing the pieces by taking some away. But they will all be filled by newcomers and the system itself will be undamaged at the cost of thousands of innocents who he claimed to be acting for. The Penguin show even demonstrated this by demonstrating how corruption, blackmail and the other ills of the city continue virtually unchanged from Riddler's actions. Nothing achieved at the cost of thousands of lives isnt doing something about corruption.
Thats why in the movie both Batman and Riddler are wrong in their views and methodology until the end. Riddler reveals himself as nothing more than an angry terrorist with an axe to grind while Batman evolves to begin to understand what fighting the city's problems actually requires. It cant just be violence against people against whom you hold grievence.
@ how would getting rid of corrupt politicians and mob king pins not have positive results?
41:30 This is actually my biggest complaint with the film; this scene was such a missed opportunity to have a dramatic hinge point in Bruce's arc tying the side plot about his father into the main story. I wish after saving Selina that Batman's need for closure, his desperation to resolve his parents' deaths, led him to brutally interrogat Falcone about the incident, threatening to kill him, but he has a moment of self awareness before he gets anything out of him and begins to question how far he's gone and whether his motives are really anything but selfish. He then stops Selina from doing what he himself almost did. In my mind, that would've made the whole movie a whole lot better.
I like elements of this idea, but I don't think the film is missing something without it. I see it as Batman digging into himself to find where he still possesses moral authority after having his worldview more or less shattered. The fact that he's able to find it in himself and build back from there works for me. I don't think this Batman would consider killing Falcone, even for an instant. It's too disgusting and "criminal" to him
@LetsTakeALook I get what you're saying, but too me it just feels wrong to spend so much time challenging the brutal violence and the selfishly personal motivations for his quest, and then reveal the possibility that the man behind all of this corruption is the very cause of the trauma he's been venting for 20 years, and then to not show any indication that he feels any temptation to unleash vengeance on that man. Matt Reeves talked about wanting to push Batman to his limit in this movie, and I think he had the perfect opportunity to do so, and then totally missed it.
This Batman reminds me a lot of Rorschach, at first.
I’m sure Matt Reeves had Watchmen in mind when he wrote the journal monologue at the beginning. And of course, Rorschach is Alan Moore’s take on a Batman with a broken worldview. Which perhaps motivates the allusion at the beginning of the film, when Bruce’s worldview is still broken.
@@LetsTakeALook certainly my impression as well.
0:14
Untrue. Batman 1989 doesn't show Batman's origin either. Instead, the movie opens with Batman saving a family in a similar situation as he and his parents were in Crime Alley. Later, Bruce is seen paying respects to his parents in Crime Alley. Aside from that, Batman 1989 does have a brief flashback throughout the movie, but this flashback's purporse is reveal to the audience that Jack Napier (Joker) killee Bruce Wayne's parents.
I mean that counts as showing us the origin story tho, The Batman literally doesn't show the Crime Alley scene even in flashback
pls do more batman vids pls 🙏🙏🙏
So far I've done one every 5 years 😂 we'll see if I can keep that up or top it
@@LetsTakeALook lol keep doing them man they're great!
Nice
Nice
Honestly, the narration by the drifter and the whole ultra-black&white conservatism in the first third felt more redundant than deconstructive, because it is almost the same speech Rorschach gives in Watchmen. Culturally, I feel we didn’t need this kind of preconception from a character that should have carried a certain cultural awareness. The parallel with the binoculars etc. are already enough to show that Batman is operating in a grey area.
Same with the Selina-dialogue: would a thirty something dude of the 21st century really equal prostitution other, more serious crimes?
That and the scene where Batman drew these emo-schematics on his floor exuded an unintentional element of cringe.
FINALLY
...somethinnnns innnn myyassssss...........mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
In you don't like this movie, you don't like Batman
The only Batman movies that exist are Christopher Nolan’s so I don’t know what you’re talking about
?
The only real Batman movie came out in ‘66. This was a remake, which is why it uses Riddler, Catwoman, Penguin, and Joker just like the best one did.
Nerd
it’s 2024 bro
Dcau batman... also got over vengeance and became a beacon of hope.
Arkhamverse Batman also kinda did.
After Arkham Knight he delved deep into vengeance and almost crossed the line until Superman and the Justice League brought him back and re taught him