The Batman no killing rule
“Someone says to me like, ‘Oh! Batman killed a guy!’ I’m like, ‘F*ck, really?’ I’m like, ‘Wake the fuck up!’ That’s what I’m saying about once you’ve lost your virginity to this f*cking movie and then you come and say to me something about like, ‘Oh, my superhero wouldn’t do that,’ I’m like, ‘Are you serious? I’m like down the f*cking road on that.’ You know what I mean?” — Zack Snyder, Director of Batman V Superman- Dawn of Justice.
I saw The Batman yesterday the new one with Robert Pattinson, you will find that this essay will be about exploring some fun ideas for Batman and there shall be no major spoilers for the plot.
A few times I mention cinematography that captured my attention, that you have already seen on those trailers.
Again, a minor plot point if it is not already clear to you, in this version of Batman he does not kill. This version of Batman brutal as he is with his fists approaches fighting crime without using guns.
I think this fits Batman much more than than having than the charcater’s wanton use of guns and artillery in the Snyder version.
I really like Zack Snyder, I am not an expert in cinematography or direction but I do love his early work, such as Suckerpunch, 300 and Watchman.
There are some scenes in his later movies that I still rewatch to this day.
Like Man of steel’s small-town fight with Faora.
and Bruce Wayne’s CrossFit training video in the Dawn of Justice
However, this new rendition of Batman with Pattinson takes a whole new direction.
If Snyder’s Batman was the Hammer then Reeves’s script clears the way for a more introspective and spiritual Batman.
Pattinson even spoke about how his main inspiration for his role was
Batman: SHAMAN
This is what I think was missing in the prior versions of Batman. It is too materialistic, however, this time there is almost a dreamy vibe of being in the unexplored territory with Pattinson’s work.
The extreme close-ups give you an opportunity to look into Batman’s psyche and Batman is playing the role to the city as a Shaman plays to their tribe to protect them from things they don’t understand.
It’s almost like Batman almost feels like a wizard without the blatant use of magic though magic is active in the DC universe, the magic Batman employs are technological, alchemical even.
The red colour pulsates throughout the movie like blood.
There is point in the movie where Batman holds a red flare it’s like he is the mythical Prometheus leading humans to an enlightened world.
Almost the same energy here.
Also, let’s talk about the new Batmobile.
No longer is it something made in a factory with military precision.
This one looks like it was made in a garage by hand using spare parts.
That’s the point of Batman, he’s good with engineering projects too.
When I first heard the noise the Batmobile made, I thought wow, he’s done it now, that thing sounds like it’s nuclear…
I realized how absurd it sounds now, the sound it makes is that of a muscle car combined with a jet engine.
Bruce was smart enough to take a jet engine and attach it to a V8.
Poison Ivy might complain about the emissions.