The character of Bruce Wayne, or as he is most famously known, Batman, has been represented throughout cinema more than any of his superhero counterparts. The first Batman film was released in 1966 with Batman: The Movie, and now 2022 had the recent release with The Batman. All of these films portray Batman in a different light, whether it is through the character of Bruce or through the general tone of the film. Some of the films rely on staying loyal to their source material, through showcasing the campy and over-the-top features of the comic books, and some go in a more serious direction by focusing on Bruce’s psychology to present a more complex and layered version of the superhero. The Dark Knight trilogy is the most critically acclaimed, and arguably includes the biggest fan favorite Batman movies. In comparison to the prior Batman movies, such as Batman Returns (1992) and Batman Forever (1995), these films were a lot darker, and focused on Bruce’s psychology. To put it into perspective, Batman Returns was directed by Tim Burton, who is largely known for his attention to detail in set design and atmosphere, which created a sense of otherworldly escapism. On the contrary, The Dark Knight trilogy was put into the hands of Christopher Nolan, who is known mostly for presenting multi-layered stories that revolve around extremely complex characters. These directors ultimately aimed to create completely different films, despite the fact that they revolve around the same superhero.
It is clear that Matt Reeves also had his own personal vision when it came to The Batman, and was determined to add yet another unique installment to accompany the visionaries that entered the world of Gotham before him. Like Nolan, Reeves is also more interested in using the psychology of Wayne as a plot point, but he does this successfully through using various cinematic techniques that intertwine both the narrative and mindset of Bruce into one individual factor.
For a film that was released after multiple different cinematic portrayals of Batman, it is miraculous to me that The Batman came very close to being my favorite. Navigating through the same timeline of its predecessors, and adhering to the diversifying needs of modern-day superhero fans, The Batman presents an even darker version of the character. If Batman Returns presents a Gotham that feels otherworldly and gritty, and The Dark Knight presents a Gotham that feels realistic and bleak, then The Batman presents a Gotham that feels like hell on earth. It seems like a riddle itself to tell me that I would walk out of a Batman movie in 2022 actually wanting a sequel. This led me to wonder why this film had such a profound impact on me, and in my opinion did for Bruce Wayne in one movie what it took The Dark Knight trilogy to do in three.
Before even looking into the background of the film itself, it was obvious that the cinematography played a major role. It is aesthetically gratifying, helps present a horrific portrayal of Gotham, and it provides insight into Bruce Wayne’s (Robert Pattinson) psychological state. In an interview with IndieWire, director Matt Reeves and cinematographer Greig Fraser stated that they wanted everything to be shown through Bruce’s point of view, allowing his despair and hopelessness to translate into the narrative itself. This ideology stemmed from Frasers belief that “the fun thing about Batman is that he has no superpowers” — his strength is determination and intelligence, which they wanted to reflect in the cinematography. These details go all the way down to the general movement of the camera, as they wanted this to represent Bruce’s inner tensions, which are reflected in the stiff and mechanical nature of the movements in the final film. Reeves even applied this stylistic discipline to the car chase scene, stating that he “wanted to feel that kind of visceral chaos.”
Where most directors tend to utilize cuts and fast camera movements to create a sense of panic, Reeves wanted the cameras to be hard mounted in order to make the relationship between the psyche of Bruce and the viewer as kinetic as possible. In another high action moment where Batman jumps off of a building in his wingsuit, for a large majority of the scene the camera is attached to Robert Pattinson as he soars through the skies of Gotham. In a scene breakdown with The New York Times Reeves stated that he did this not only to make the viewer feel they were flying with Bruce, but to put them into his shoes, and help them understand that he is out of control. The chaos of the scene is outlined through the fast moving background behind Bruce, but despite this the camera still remains still and attached to Pattinson stiffly. This gives insight into the fact that although Bruce is in a state of panic in this current scene, he is still determined and focused on making sure he gets to safety. This scene on its own is very important to the film as a whole, as through the cinematography alone Reeves and Fraser were able to highlight the entire essence of Batman as a superhero, and what makes him special.
However, choosing to place all visual cards on the emotional state of Bruce didn’t come without its complications. Fraser found it difficult to balance the dark lighting of the film well enough so that everything could actually be seen. He made it clear that he didn’t want any artificial lighting, and so he went out of his way to make sure that every source of light in the film could be subconsciously explained by viewers, making the experience feel even more physical to them. Ultimately, the cinematography plays the role of a scene partner for Pattinson, as it is just as important at conveying the strained psychological state of Bruce as Pattinson’s perfectly communicated scowl.
The sound of The Batman also plays a major role in its world building and lends a hand to the cinematography in representing Batman’s mindset. Michael Giacchino manages to create a beautifully haunting score that successfully articulates a balance between the rage of Batman and hopelessness of Bruce Wayne. The theme (“The Batman”) introduced from the very beginning is solidified as Batman’s official theme song. This theme song almost serves as an alarm for when Bruce is about to give into his anger, or what he calls vengeance. As Batman strays further and further away from self-actualization, the theme song gradually becomes even more extravagant and dramatic, created with a sound of harsh thunder. However, as the narrative begins to shift and Bruce begins to realize what his purpose is, the song begins to shy away from its intimidating nature, and towards the sound of trumpets and horns, representing the birth of a true hero. Giacchino uses one theme to represent two completely different characters, and he creates a score that can successfully be incorporated into the overall development of the narrative.
There are two specific shots in the film that I feel sum up the use of these techniques and their effectiveness: Batman’s introduction, and one of Batman’s final scenes. When this version of Batman is first introduced, we the people of Gotham do not sigh in relief because the bad guys are going to pay. Instead, criminals run in terror because the shadows will creep up on them once more. Batman struts out of the dark underground of Gotham, accompanied by Giacchino’s menacing theme song, as a towering silhouette. He walks towards the criminals with the camera cutting between a mid-shot in which the details are swallowed whole by the surrounding darkness, and a shot of Batman’s methodological walk towards his prey. Bruce Wayne doesn’t exist here – Batman is merely a symbol of fear whose only goal is to eradicate the problem. Compare this scene to a scene that directly follows Gotham being flooded toward the end of the film. This time, Batman walks towards the victims of a true tragedy with purpose, as he lights a flare that symbolizes the end of not only the darkness looming over Gotham, but the darkness of his own mind. Suddenly, like Bruce, viewers can see clearly as the flare projects bright orange lighting over the dark and gritty aesthetic of Gotham. One by one, Batman rescues the terrified victims, accompanied by the triumphant and energetic section of Giacchino’s score. The people of Gotham follow him with hope, as he guides them into the light, both literally and figuratively. Batman is no longer a symbol of fear, but a symbol of hope.
The Batman manages to present a fresh film in a sea of different visions, and it does this through utilizing the technicalities of cinema to its advantage. Bruce Wayne has never felt so complex, because everything from the visuals to the sound of the film guide us in forming an understanding of him, and in result the general message of the narrative, being that representing hope is better than inspiring fear, feels more clear than ever.
