# The Batman (some spoilers in the OP) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [March 5, 2022, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batman-some-spoilers-in-the-op/960534 "2022-03-05T21:05:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batman-some-spoilers-in-the-op/960534/81 "2022-04-27T01:18:46Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > And I’ve never really seen a _good_ Batman movie. The Adam West one was hilarious. The Michael Keaton ones were … okay. Adam West was perfect for that sorta camp show. Michael Keaton made a great Bruce Wayne. The Batman is just too dark. Filmwise. > [@Acsenray](#): > > This was the first superhero movie in a long time in which there was actual _sexual chemistry_ between two characters. Vicki Vale portrayed by Kim Basinger with Michael Keaton. Okay it was between Batman’s alter-ego, sure. > [@Alessan](#): > > You know what my problem was with the movie? Too many shots of Batman coming into rooms through doors. Batman doesn’t walk through doors - he either comes down from the ceiling, or he just appears in the room when people are looking in the other direction. The Mummy II _“Honey, those guys don’t use doors”_ > [@Alessan](#): > > Joaquin Phoenix _Joker’s_ Joker: a great big “Eh, I guess. Kinda Super well acted, I mean fantastic… but not The Joker. Some Psycho in bad makeup. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batman-some-spoilers-in-the-op/960534/82 "2022-04-27T01:21:34Z")
I watched the first half last night, and I don’t think I’ll bother with the second. And I thought Christopher Nolan’s Batman movies were boring… ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batman-some-spoilers-in-the-op/960534/83 "2022-04-27T17:02:32Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > > [@Acsenray](#): > > > > And I’ve never really seen a _good_ Batman movie. The Adam West one was hilarious. The Michael Keaton ones were … okay. > > Adam West was perfect for that sorta camp show. > > Michael Keaton made a great Bruce Wayne. > > The Batman is just too dark. Filmwise. I thought The Batman made Nolan’s films look fun and campy by comparison. [![](https://preview.redd.it/veygqv3rmwm81.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=b1344cc0f8b661348147db4d7e2b628386d3726a) ](https://preview.redd.it/veygqv3rmwm81.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=b1344cc0f8b661348147db4d7e2b628386d3726a) The UK filming locations for Gotham made it less recognizable than Nolan’s “Chicago/New York” Gotham. Barry Keoghan was well cast as “Unseen Arkham Prisoner”. He always plays a nut. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batman-some-spoilers-in-the-op/960534/84 "2022-04-27T20:43:33Z")
Were there any scenes that were stupidly over the top? Like Batmobile driving over the rooftops stupid? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batman-some-spoilers-in-the-op/960534/85 "2022-04-27T21:26:00Z")
I don’t know that anything was stupidly over the top. There were several instances in which Batman walked away unscathed from a situation in which a real person should be seriously injured. For example, being shot at nearly point black with automatic weapons. Batman’s armor was apparently impenetrable to the point of invulnerability. And no one thought to shoot him in his unprotected mouth. Also, he used his cape/glider gizmo to fly down from a building, hit a bridge, top of a bus or something, and then the street. Also a bomb blast that destroyed a car, and a person, and did a bunch of damage did nothing but fling him across the room. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2022, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batman-some-spoilers-in-the-op/960534/86 "2022-05-12T20:16:07Z")
Just watched it. Definitely seems from the comments here it would have been a fun movie to see on a big screen in a dark theater, rather than partly on a flat screen TV and partly on an iPad. In general, I agree with many of the comments in this thread, both positive and negative. One thing I’m absolutely OVER, though, is the criminal who’s always a step ahead, who can always organize and build and deploy his extremely elaborate contraptions, and just never gets stopped or caught or hindered in any way. Like, his master plan for kidnapping the crooked DA, who had to know that he was a target, was to hide outside in the back seat of his car? So, like, if the DA had a single bodyguard, or was prudent enough to look in the back seat of his car, then his entire scheme falls apart right there? It’s just dumb and I’m sick of it, goldarnit. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2022, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batman-some-spoilers-in-the-op/960534/87 "2022-05-12T21:26:09Z")
I agree with your general statement regarding villains with elaborate plans. However. I disagree with your specific example. It wouldn’t take much planning to kidnap a local prosecutor. Even a federal prosecutor. I don’t have any problems with the hiding in the back seat trick. Now, getting away with it for an extended period of time, that would be a much more difficult feat, and that would take a lot more planning and preparation. ---
**Author:** ![JustinC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justinc/32/8083_2.png) [@JustinC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustinC)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2022, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batman-some-spoilers-in-the-op/960534/88 "2022-05-12T23:41:40Z")
I was under the impression if you’re flying using a wingsuit and hit something incredibly hard, you’re either dead or severely disabled. It isn’t like knocking a radiator with your knee and crying out “Ouch! That really hurt.” ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2022, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batman-some-spoilers-in-the-op/960534/89 "2022-05-13T02:59:39Z")
No doubt superhuman ability to endure physical punishment is routine in the genre. I don’t think this particular movie is anywhere near the worst in that respect. This Batman is probably somewhat less superhuman than the Black Widows were in their recent movie. ---
**Author:** ![Galactus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galactus/32/3581_2.png) [@Galactus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Galactus)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2022, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batman-some-spoilers-in-the-op/960534/90 "2022-05-13T03:16:29Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > But the good ones, in my opinion, are far better than any MCU movie (Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Shazam!, Birds of Prey, The Suicide Squad, The Batman). Wow, I’m of the exact opposite opinion. The only DCU movie that comes close to the best MCU movie is Wonder Woman. But I lean Marvel, as you can tell by my avatar. And, The Eternals was the worst, so long and dull. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2022, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batman-some-spoilers-in-the-op/960534/91 "2022-05-13T16:26:45Z")
> [@Galactus](#): > > Wow, I’m of the exact opposite opinion. The only DCU movie that comes close to the best MCU movie is Wonder Woman. Agree wholeheartedly. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2022, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batman-some-spoilers-in-the-op/960534/92 "2022-05-13T19:12:27Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > However. I disagree with your specific example. It wouldn’t take much planning to kidnap a local prosecutor. Even a federal prosecutor. I don’t have any problems with the hiding in the back seat trick. > > Now, getting away with it for an extended period of time, that would be a much more difficult feat, and that would take a lot more planning and preparation. Right. Kidnapping a DA: probably pretty easy. Kidnapping a DA within 48 hours of when the city’s mayor and chief of police, who the DA knows were involved in the same corruption as he was, were kidnapped and murdered: should not be easy. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2022, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batman-some-spoilers-in-the-op/960534/93 "2022-05-13T19:57:05Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > Kidnapping a DA within 48 hours of when the city’s mayor and chief of police, who the DA knows were involved in the same corruption as he was, were kidnapped and murdered: should not be easy. Well, we saw how he made it easy. He went to a mafia club, parked in the dark under an overpass, got high, and left by himself. You could maybe say that some theoretical prosecutor in that set of circumstances wouldn’t have done that but (1) this one did, and (2) people do stupid things all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2022, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batman-some-spoilers-in-the-op/960534/94 "2022-05-15T10:40:51Z")
After ruminating on the movie for some time, I realized that the plot shares a lot of elements with Batman: The Telltale Series, the episodic adventure game from 2016. - Bruce Wayne has only been Batman for a year or two - Jim Gordon is an up-and-coming lieutenant - The events take place just before and after Election Day - The incumbent mayor is assassinated by the villain just before the election - The villain is an orphan who wants to expose the corruption in Gotham’s government and destroy the entire system - They inspire a popular uprising of people who dress like them and join in the violence - Thomas Wayne is revealed to have had criminal entanglements with the Falcone family - Wayne Manor is directly attacked - Batman and Catwoman meet for the first time - The villain exploits the Penguin to carry out part of their agenda - The Joker is already locked away in Arkham - At the end Bruce has determined to right the wrongs of his family’s legacy and bring hope to Gotham It certainly seems like too much to be coincidence, and makes me wonder whether Reeves had played the game at some point while working on the screenplay. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2022, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batman-some-spoilers-in-the-op/960534/95 "2022-05-15T15:51:23Z")
> [@Galactus](#): > > Wow, I’m of the exact opposite opinion. The only DCU movie that comes close to the best MCU movie is Wonder Woman. Superheroes are inherently silly so movies about superheroes only really work for me when they try to be fun. They can have serious issues in the plot but the movie can’t present itself as a serious thing because that just never works for me. MCU usually does a decent job of this and the worst movies are where they seemingly forget this (Thor 2, IM3, etc). DC usually takes itself too seriously for my tastes and this wasn’t any exception. Of course, some of the DC “fun” ones include clunkers like Suicide Squad (original) and WW84. ---
**Author:** ![Galactus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galactus/32/3581_2.png) [@Galactus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Galactus)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2022, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batman-some-spoilers-in-the-op/960534/96 "2022-05-15T15:53:42Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > only really work for me when they try to be fun. Totally agree. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2022, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batman-some-spoilers-in-the-op/960534/97 "2022-05-18T22:20:26Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Superheroes are inherently silly so movies about superheroes only really work for me when they try to be fun. They can have serious issues in the plot but the movie can’t present itself as a serious thing because that just never works for me. MCU usually does a decent job of this and the worst movies are where they seemingly forget this (Thor 2, IM3, etc). DC usually takes itself too seriously for my tastes and this wasn’t any exception. Of course, some of the DC “fun” ones include clunkers like Suicide Squad (original) and WW84. Good point; it fits with how _Shazam!_ was also one of the better DCU movies – generally fun (albeit with some scary intense moments) and willing to play with the tropes of the genre, like the scene just before the climactic battle where Sivana delivers a classic supervillain rant while he and Shazam are hovering some distance apart over a city street, and Shazam can’t hear a word he’s saying. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2023, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batman-some-spoilers-in-the-op/960534/98 "2023-07-22T04:42:28Z")
I just watched this on Netflix. I liked it more than I thought I would, probably more than the Christopher Nolan films. However, it did have the strange feeling that it was a three episode miniseries with the episodes glued together to make a film. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2023, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batman-some-spoilers-in-the-op/960534/99 "2023-07-22T05:13:51Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Thought the movie was fantastic, if slightly too long. Slightly? I actually started getting my stuff together three times, and even half-stood up, assuming that THIS time, there’d be an ending. But I really liked it. It had echoes of Keaton’s ‘psycho killer’ Batman. But none of the fun that Christian Bale had as Bruce Wayne (esp. in his dealings with Morgan Freeman’s bat-toys). > [@Steve\_MB](#): > > _Shazam!_ was also one of the better DCU movies – generally fun (albeit with some scary intense moments) and willing to play with the tropes of the genre, like the scene just before the climactic battle where Sivana delivers a classic supervillain rant while he and Shazam are hovering some distance apart over a city street, and Shazam can’t hear a word he’s saying. "WHAT? No, wait, can you repeat… l_ook, I canNOT hear a WORD you’re saying!"_ They lampshaded a few tropes just by asking “Okay, how would this work in real life?” In this case, all the examples we’ve seen just _wouldn’t._ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batman-some-spoilers-in-the-op/960534.md?page=4)