There’s a new Batman movie coming out this week, and it’s going to be one of the biggest films of the year. The highly anticipated flick, The Batman, is set to hit theaters on Friday, and if you’re reading this, probably already has. It’s already made more than $100 million worldwide – which isn’t bad for a superhero movie that costs about $60 million to make.
The film is based on the 1940s serials starring Dick Gray (AKA the original Batman) and is loosely based on the graphic novels of the same name by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. And what’s funny is that, even though this is a modern retelling of one of America’s most iconic vigilante stories, it’s literally got nothing to do with real life. As you’ll see, it actually takes place in a parallel universe.
A Parallelogram
The first thing you’ll notice about The Batman is how the visuals mirror the story. For example, the way the story is told through editing reflects the way the characters move and act. There are also a lot of jump cuts which serve to emphasize speed and action. This isn’t a common practice in modern filmmaking, but it feels right at home in a story about a comic book superhero.
No Tears, No Fears
Another thing that sets The Batman apart is its utter lack of sadness. This is not a dark or depressing film by any means, but it also completely lacks the tear jerking moments you’d expect from a superhero movie.
All Ages
One of the things which makes The Batman so unique is that it caters to the entire family. The Dark Knight is a movie which appeals to audiences of all ages and walks of life, and that’s largely because it avoids being too superheroic in nature. To put it bluntly, kids will love it and so will adults. And it totally works. The Batman is a movie which feels fresh because of its design and because it doesn’t feel like a rehash of other superhero movies.
A Little Less Talk, A Little More Action
One of the reasons why The Batman works so well is that it focuses less on exposition and dialog and more on the action scenes. This is especially notable in the second half of the movie, which is when the action really ramps up. There’s also a lot less talking in general, which is refreshing since a lot of superhero flicks have way too much talking. If you want a movie which is both exciting and funny, then look no further than The Batman
One other thing which sets this movie apart is that it doesn’t follow the typical superhero formula of the masked vigilante slaying the wicked. Instead, the focus is on Batman’s investigation and logic battles with the Joker. To put it another way, it’s much more Sherlock Holmes meets Batman than it is Superman. Which makes sense since it’s based on the 1940s Batman serials and the comics which followed. So it’s basically Sherlock Holmes and Alfred the butler.
The Most Popular Superhero Movie Ever
If you’re unfamiliar, the original Batman series ran for nearly 70 episodes from 1948 to 1959 and starred Dick Gray as a hard-hitting detective investigating various crimes. The shows weren’t exactly high-quality, but they were popular and inspired the creation of the character.
For more than 60 years, the Batman has been one of America’s most popular characters. The character first appeared in Sunday morning strips in the now defunct Newspaper Enterprise Association in 1938, and quickly became a popular figure among readers. It wasn’t until the early 1950s that he became a full-fledged superhero, and even then he didn’t start getting his own comics until the late 1950s. During that time, Batman was a popular character in both newspaper strips and in comic books, and his popularity eventually led to him becoming one of the most popular superheroes ever.
This Friday, The Batman will make its cinematic debut, which will no doubt lead to many conversations about the greatest superhero movie of all time. As you might imagine, there are many camps which could lay claim to that title. But if you ask me, The Batman is definitely up there.