One of the most anticipated films of the year is finally here! After months of rumors and teasers, the world finally gets to see Batman and Robin In Action!
While many consider the Batman and Robin movie to be a cinematic event, it is still more of a marketing ploy than a reflection of the strength of the movie itself. As one of the most popular licensing brands in movies today, it is no real surprise that Warner Bros. would want to cash in on a movie tied to one of the most recognizable characters in film history. Still, I must say that I was certainly not expecting this film to capture the public’s imagination the way it did.
Upon its release, The Batman quickly became one of the highest-grossing movies of all time, raking in over $700 million at the box office around the world. The film is now considered to be a classic, with many praising its action scenes and unique sense of humor. Personally, I think it’s a combination of both. While there are a lot of iconic scenes that one can re-watch over and over again, the film also has a great deal of dark humor that you may not have noticed if you only watched the film once or twice.
However, despite its commercial success, The Batman was still a troubled production, plagued by numerous script delays, reshoots, and production troubles, according to
- The Hollywood Reporter
- The Wrap
- Variety
- The New York Times
As a result of these problems, the filmmakers ultimately decided to cut corners by using visual effects and doubling up on the performance of certain actors. As I mentioned, this is a movie that was definitely intended to be an event, and it shows. While the world’s greatest detectives still roam the earth, they don’t exactly look like they did in the sixties.
What Is Batman?
Before we get into The Batman’s unique brand of humor and the various Easter eggs that it contains, it is important to establish what exactly Batman is. In the comics, Batman is a fictional character who first appeared in The Adventures of Batman in the thirties. Since then, he has become one of the most recognizable figures in pop culture, spawning a massive amount of merchandise, including action figures, Halloween costumes, and more.
Batman’s notoriety makes him an ideal subject for merchandising, especially since he doesn’t really have any distinguishing physical features. Indeed, one of the most famous marketing ploys associated with Batman is the Riddler, whose distinctive laugh can be mimicked by anyone. This allowed the character to be over-used in advertising and merchandise, and inspired a generation of would-be raccoons to enter the profession.
Interestingly, the creators of Batman didn’t always see eye to eye. Bill Finger and Bob Kane originally conceived of the character as a dark and brooding figure who rarely smiled. However, over the years, the character evolved into what we know him as today, a jovial playfulness frequently undercut by his more serious moments. You can still see hints of this darker version of Batman in the animated series, where he is depicted as a gruesome creature who hunts down criminals in a grim and gritty fashion. In that animated series, Batman’s voice actor, Michael Keaton, really shines, giving him the ability to display a rich, multi-layered acting range that is otherwise difficult to achieve as an adult.
The Dark Knight is a 2008 superhero film in which the character Batman is portrayed by Christian Bale. The film is based on the Batman comic book series of the same name, written by Dick Tracy creator Dick Sargent and published by DC Comics. It is the sequel to Batman Begins (2005), the first installment in the Batman film series. The film also stars Anne Hathaway, which is another first for the character: she had never acted before!
The Dark Knight is a gritty reboot of the Batman Universe which aims to present a more adult and sophisticated image of the Dark Knight. The film closely follows the plot of the comic book series, but departs from the more comedic elements that were present in the previous films. The filmmakers took a more realistic approach and, as a result, many scenes in the film are more violent than those in the previous entries. The soundtrack for the film is also much more diverse than that of its predecessors, with the incorporation of various musical genres such as hip-hop, rock, and electronic music. The film is widely considered to be a masterpiece, and one of the greatest superhero films ever made!
A Whole Other Gal
Although Batman is often portrayed as a lone vigilante, the character actually has a long and storied history of working with others to fight crime. Batman teamed up with various heroes and villains over the years, including the Boy Wonder, Dick Grayson, now known as Nightwing; Black Canary, now known as Starling; Catwoman, now known as Molena; and more. These are just a few of the heroes who have helped Batman on his crusade to fight crime, and although they do not physically appear in The Batman, their spirit certainly does!
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Batman, Warner Bros. has released a whole bunch of awesome new items related to the character!
Robin, Always Take A Pillow
One of the most interesting aspects of The Batman is its portrayal of Robin, Dick Grayson’s (Benjamin McKenzie) sidekick. In the comics, Robin is the son of Batman’s archenemy, the Joker, and is inspired by the comics’ portrayal of the comedian, Jim Carrey. In the movies, however, Robin has largely maintained the same personality and character traits as those of the comics’ version of the character. In The Batman, Robin’s role is rather minimal, consisting primarily of providing assistance to Batman during interrogation scenes and sounding off (sometimes literally) at the end of every single scene.
One of the most interesting aspects of Robin’s character in the films is his reliance on pills to stay alive. As the son of a psychotic clown, it is no real wonder that Robin would seek solace in medication! One of the most interesting historical references in The Batman is a scene in which Bane (Tom Hardy) mercilessly beats up a handcuffed Robin in full view of the public. Naturally, the cops show up and arrest Bane, but not before he has planted a bomb on Robin which will go off if he is harmed in any way.
An Imposter With A Laser Eyes
One of the most iconic scenes in The Batman is the introduction of the Joker (Jared Leto), a villain who will prove to be a thorn in Batman’s side for the rest of the film. In the comics, the Joker is often depicted as a smiling clown who dress in costume and dance around, but in the movies he is a much more serious and determined character who has an entire speech devoted to him!
In the comics, the Joker is the ultimate supervillain, known for his ruthlessness, resourcefulness, and grand schemes. However, he is also a rather cowardly villain who is very much a parody of the superhero, often crying during altercations with Batman. In the films, Leto’s Joker is far more focused and determined, as he finally gets to put his plan into action, but it is still very much a parody of the superhero genre!
Why Are The Movies Different?
Although every other aspect of The Batman is similar to other comic book adaptations, the biggest difference comes from the fact that it is a movie and not a book. The biggest question is: why are the movies so different from the comics?
The most obvious difference is the fact that movies are mostly intended to be seen by a mass audience, whereas books are mostly aimed at a niche audience, with the occasional best-seller. Another difference is the fact that a movie is edited to fit the screen rather than letting the reader experience the story how they might want to. And last but not least, movies generally attempt to be more “family-friendly,” incorporating less foul language and more PG-13 rating (usually).
In general, movies want to appeal to as many people as possible, whereas books want to cultivate a smaller audience with highly engaged readers who may be more likely to tell other people about the work they’ve enjoyed.
The Many Influences Behind The Batman
If you’ve seen any of the various Batman movies (and I’m assuming you have since they’re all based on the same character), then you know that each one is heavily influenced and inspired by other works. This is especially true of The Batman, as it incorporates such a wide variety of sources.