Batman will once again be hitting the big screen with Robert Pattinson giving fans the next live-action film iteration of the Dark Knight. Ever since Michael Keaton made the character a Hollywood hero, the Batman brand as a whole has only grown in popularity. He's dark, edgy, and appeals to the brokenness in humanity that just wants to see crime get what it deserves.
Batman has reached such epic levels of love and admiration, and there have been movies devoted to whether this mortal man can take on god-like characters. After all, there isn't a scenario he hasn't thought of or a contingency plan he hasn't set in motion. He has so much nuance and depth, it seems impossible for films to nail every aspect of what makes Batman who he is.
10 Wrong: The Citizens Of Gotham Constantly See Him
For all the flaws Dawn of Justice had, it did tap into some of the more fun parts of Batman. Namely, the almost ethereal image the populace has of him. For the most part, people were still not sure what to make of him even though he had been active for years. This is something most of the films have seemingly ignored.
In other movies, Batman frequently walks amongst the populace, he's seen amongst other cops, or he's at fundraisers auctioning off women. Whatever it is, the characters within the movies see too much of him. Batman needs to become the greatest supporting character ever.
9 Right: His Ability To Fight
It's well established that Batman is one of the greatest martial artists in the world. There is no physical situation he walks into that he can't walk out of. It's like mixing Kevin Nash and Bruce Lee with special forces training. This makes him a force of nature.
Batman is able to take on entire swaths of enemies without anyone laying a finger on his armored cowl. And each version of the character is able to lay a serious beatdown on whatever thug is in the way. Some have been blunt and brutal like Affleck's. Others have been more nuanced and stylized like Bale's. But in general, the movies are right to make him able to easily beat down groups of thugs.
8 Wrong: He's Not Scary
There has never been anything terrifying about Batman in the movies. Anyone who spends even a modicum of time with him knows he's just a guy in a suit. This goes for supervillains all the way down to street-level thugs. And that's sad because a driving force behind Batman's crusade is to strike fear in the hearts of criminality.
Bruce Wayne watched hopelessly as his parents were gunned down in front of him. That same fear and hopelessness is the curse he wants to deliver to every evildoer he can get his hands on, and not one of the films has been able to truly show this.
7 Right: His Gadgets
One of the things that makes Batman so much fun is the gadgets. He's equipped with batarangs, grapple guns, smoke bombs, sonic devices, anesthetic gas, a cape that enables him to glide, bulletproof armor, a rocket car, a motorcycle, and a customized jet. There isn't much Batman can't do with all these state-of-the-art gizmos.
Each film has showcased these gadgets, ranging from the sillier guided batarang in Batman Returns, to the more serious tumbler from the Christopher Nolan trilogy. His gadgets have been displayed tremendously on film.
6 Wrong: His Strength
Everyone knows these movies are based on comic book characters. This means fans can allow for a certain level of fantastical flare to certain elements. There's no denying that Batman is strong, able to pick people up at arm's length with one hand without breaking a sweat.
At the same time, his body is also able to take a tremendous amount of abuse. Batman has always been depicted as being above average in his strength in the films. There have been some nods to his muscle capacity, but by and large, he's never been particularly impressive on screen. Once again Dawn of Justice did something right: Batman knew how to throw a punch.
5 Right: Alfred
Bruce's closest friend and confidant has a couple of simple beats that have been universal across all iterations; Alfred is a loving man who takes care of Bruce Wayne. There have been changes to Alfred over the years. Some movies highlight his tech and automotive skills while others highlight a more sage-like character, giving Bruce guidance when needed.
Each one is legitimate in their own way. The more recent versions of the character have honed in on Alfred's military background, though admittedly, that aspect has more been explored in TV shows Gotham and Pennyworth than the films.
4 Wrong: He Talks Too Much
This is a problem that can be largely solved by cutting down on the visible screentime for the character. Unfortunately, when Batman is visible to the audience with other characters, this means there's an engagement of dialogue.
In the comics, Batman is someone of very few words. But in the films, all too often Batman has lengthy, wordy conversations with his fellow characters. Batman is effective because he doesn't have to say much of anything at all. When he shows up, the bad guys should tell him what he wants to know without him ever having to open his mouth.
3 Right: He's Rich
One of the most essential things to Bruce Wayne's character is that he is rich with almost unlimited money to spend. After all, how else would he be able to afford all those wonderful toys? It's an aspect of the character that the movies have had no reason to change.
In every movie version of Batman, there is an elaborate and gorgeous version of Wayne Manor that spans multiple acres with an almost castle-like mansion at the center of it. And while each actor has put their own slight spin on it, they've all played Mr. Wayne as some variation of an extremely wealthy man and one whose wealth is very easily apparent.
2 Wrong: He's Not Paranoid Enough
Batman is a paranoid man. This is one of the interesting psychological quirks that not only make him unique but also make him incredibly dangerous and nearly impossible to outwit. He thinks 100 moves ahead because he's compelled to. He's driven to make sure every possible outcome is accounted for.
When it comes to the films, Batman seldom ever shows paranoia. Ben Affleck's Batman, while not the greatest, did hint at this particular characteristic, hence the heated debate between Bruce and Alfred as to whether to kill Superman.
1 Right: His Parents
Fans don't need to see Bruce's parents dying again. Everyone knows what happened. Granted, the reasoning for their deaths changes from one version to the next. This event is the pivotal moment for Bruce. Batman doesn't start years later. He was created at that moment.
It was a seed that was planted deep into Bruce's psyche that eventually gives birth to a specter that would make villains of all stripes quiver. The smartest move any filmmaker has done is leave this moment alone. No oddball adaptation will ever be able to replace this all-important moment.
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October 23, 2020 at 05:30AM
