The Batman Review: A Refreshing and Subversive Take on the Batman Mythos

Minor spoilers ahead:

One of the concerns I had going into The Batman was that it would be too similar to Nolan’s “grounded in reality” approach to the Batman universe. Stylistically, yes, it takes Nolan’s realism even further, but thematically, the film is the complete opposite of the Nolan trilogy, which is the best thing about it. In short, it subverts many of Nolan’s political themes.

I appreciated the film’s attempt to address white male privilege and systemic injustice, particularly classism and corruption among politicians and the police. I also liked the de-romanticization of Bruce’s father, Thomas Wayne. However, the movie raises these issues and critiques cautiously. It refuses to cross a line and instead relies on a safer narrative by the end. It’s a reminder that mainstream superhero movies can only go so far with social justice messages. At the very least, it’s refreshing to see a Batman story that acknowledges some of the foundational problems with the character (unlike the Nolan and Snyder films, which leaned in strongly towards a Frank Miller-esque, fascist Batman).

I liked what they did with The Riddler, though the “understandable villain with legitimate goals, but extreme methods” has become a trope, hasn’t it? Erik Kilmonger, Ocean Master, and Magneto come to mind (though I know they’re not exactly the same). What’s frustrating about this trope is that the villains often raise legitimate concerns that typically align more with leftist politics, but the overall narrative wants to make sure we don’t fully root for these villains, thus resorting to having these villains commit atrocious and over-the-top acts of violence. If only the protagonists had these radical views…

Those issues aside, a major highlight for me is Robert Pattinson’s performance as the character, even though I disagree with the approach that Bruce Wayne is the “mask” that Batman wears (I prefer Michael Keaton’s interpretation that Batman is the “shadow” of Bruce Wayne). Pattinson brings an emotional depth to the character that’s more pronounced than previous versions. His Batman voice thankfully isn’t like the growling and over-exaggerated Christian Bale version, but more quietly intense like Keaton. Based on the reviews I’ve read, I was expecting a hyper-masculine Batman, but it was nice to see that this wasn’t the case (at least from my perspective). The fight scenes were a bit brutal, but nothing compared to Snyder’s Batman, which was a character obsessed with “manliness.” While Pattinson’s Batman had a more militarized look and resorted to some brutal tactics, I found there was a vulnerability he brought to the role as well. Furthermore, there was growth for his character by the end. I was surprised that I actually liked Batman calling himself a symbol of hope and engaging with the citizens of Gotham. I do prefer the Tim Burton Batman where you get the sense that people would rather stay away from him, but I also liked this alternate Matt Reeves version, where a more interpersonal connection between Batman and the people is possible. Pattinson’s Batman is not beyond critique, of course, but better than the Nolan and Snyder versions at least.

I thought Zoe Kravitz’s portrayal of Selina Kyle was great (annoyingly they don’t call her Catwoman, just like Nolan’s version, because realism, I guess). I’m glad that some of the leftist critiques were voiced by her, not just by The Riddler. I disagree with the criticism I’ve read that her scenes distracted from the overall narrative; I thought everything flowed nicely. I don’t think she had as much screen time as Michelle Pfeiffer in Batman Returns, but I think some depth was provided for her character (not so much for the romance element between her and Batman). Hopefully we’ll see more of her in the sequels.

I wasn’t too impressed with Michael Giacchino’s score initially, but it grew on me (“Escaped Crusader” is probably my favorite on the soundtrack, as it has nice touches of Danny Elfman and Shirley Walker). The Nirvana influence was effective, not just in the film’s use of “Something in the Way,” but in Bruce Wayne’s look (Matt Reeves stated that his depiction of Bruce was inspired by Kurt Cobain).

Overall, I liked seeing Batman through a noir, detective-driven lens. It definitely draws a lot of influence from David Fincher’s Se7en (which I thought was perfect because I remember thinking for YEARS that I’d love to see a Batman movie like Se7en). It’s a shame that the DC cinematic universe can’t restart with this movie. The realistic approach doesn’t allow for supernatural and fantastical elements (a flying character like Superman can’t exist in this world, for example).

I’ve posted about this elsewhere on social media before, but both Nolan and Reeves arrogantly view Batman as being exceptional among the other superhero characters. They don’t embrace him as a comic book character and are more interested in grounded him in the real world. This interpretation is not without its strengths, but I think it takes away too much from the character and source material. Again, it’s a shame because I think Reeves could do an amazing job with something more fantastical and connected to the larger DC universe.

The Psychological Depth of Batman Returns

I’ve been revisiting the Tim Burton Batman films because of the recent buzz around Batman (whether it’s for The Batman or Michael Keaton returning to the role in The Flash and Batgirl). My appreciation for Batman Returns grows every time I watch it, and it’s unfortunate that many of its deeper, psychological themes are overlooked by mainstream audiences. I was discussing (arguing, really) with someone who proclaimed that The Dark Knight is not only the best Batman movie, but one of the greatest films of all time. While I agree that The Dark Knight is quite thrilling and entertaining with great performances (minus Christian Bale as Bruce/Batman), I think the film is very overrated.

The Dark Knight may excel in suspense, but it lacks depth and complexity, particularly with regard to character development. For example, as amazing as Heath Ledger’s performance is, the characterization of The Joker is very simplistic. People tend to argue that Nolan’s/Ledger’s Joker is born out of trauma, as exemplified in how his story about his scars changes, but he ultimately serves as an allegory for the “War on Terror” and it’s apparent in the film that Nolan is less interested in a character study than he is in terrifying us with a Joker who just wants to “watch the world burn.” This, to me, is more like a fairy tale villain, a character who has no motive and just kills for the sake of it. Given Nolan’s “realistic” and “grounded” approach to the Batman universe, a villain who just wants to watch the world burn for no apparent reason is quite unrealistic.

There are many reasons why Michael Keaton will always be my definitive Bruce Wayne/Batman. Similarly, there are many reasons why Batman Returns is my favorite live-action Batman movie. For one, Batman Returns is a quintessential Tim Burton movie and that’s not a bad thing. Although I think Burton lost his touch over the years, his great films carried his trademark themes on sympathizing and empathizing with social outcasts. Batman Returns not only unapologetically embraces the fantastical, comic book, and gothic elements of the source material, but it also applies Burton’s unique aesthetic and commentary on the struggles of duality that Batman, Catwoman, and The Penguin endure. The Bat, the Cat, and The Penguin can be viewed as what psychoanalyst and psychiatrist Carl Jung called the Shadow Self, i.e. our repressed self that gets pushed into our unconscious because we think society will disapprove of it.

In my interpretation, Burton portrays the duality as a struggle, not as a romanticized truth that these characters fully embrace. In other words, there’s a tragedy to it, especially with The Penguin. Similar to the protagonists in Edward Scissorhands and Beetlejuice, Burton shows us a Batman, Catwoman, and Penguin who struggle to conform to societal expectations and norms. Bruce struggles with being the billionaire playboy that society expects of him (and I know, is it really that much of a struggle as a billionaire?); Selina struggles with sexist gender role expectations, especially in her white male-dominated workplace; and Penguin struggles with living in mainstream society that is simultaneously repulsed and fascinated by his physical appearance.

If we view these characters from a trauma-informed lens, we can appreciate how their traumas shaped them. Each of their struggles with trauma are different, especially due to socioeconomic differences, yet interconnected. What Burton seems to highlight is that these three characters are not just drawn to each other as “heroes and villains,” or because of the plot, but as people with traumatic backgrounds. When Bruce hears about Oswald/The Penguin’s parents on TV, he empathizes with him and expresses that he hopes Oswald finds his parents. Bruce’s trauma is drawn to Oswald’s trauma.

The social awkwardness of Bruce Wayne is so under-appreciated by most people I talk to about the Tim Burton films, yet it carries so much weight if you pay attention to it. It’s clear in these films that Bruce is psychologically traumatized. Even in the first film, Bruce is having dinner with Vicki Vale where they are seated so far apart at opposite sides of a long table that they have to shout to hear each other. It’s a funny scene, sure, but Burton seems to understand that humor is a common defense mechanism to trauma. Bruce does not know how to socialize with others, especially in romantic relationships (and it’s no wonder why he has difficulty maintaining a long-term relationship). And, how could he? After his parents were murdered and he grew up isolated from the rest of mainstream society. The trauma is also prominent when Batman calls Joker “psychotic” and Vicki says, “Some people say the same thing about you.” Vicki then says that Batman is not exactly “normal,” to which Batman says, “It’s not exactly a normal world is it.” I love this point because in our own society, we place too much focus on diagnosing the individual, but as psychiatrist Frantz Fanon emphasized in his work, the society itself is built with structures of oppression. In other words, who is diagnosing society?

In Batman Returns, the social awkwardness is apparent in Bruce’s conversations with Selina. He is drawn to Selina because he sees her as a mirror of himself (he says this later to her in the film). Yet, Burton also juxtaposes the duality of class differences when we see Bruce suiting up in his high-tech cave where there’s an abundance of Bat costumes whereas Selina is struggling to suit up in her car while driving (Batman has the absurd luxury of a car that drives by itself). The Penguin struggles with the duality of growing up in a sewer and then being abruptly thrusted into mainstream/human society where he is being exploited and used by Max Shreck. This is why I think Burton wants us to sympathize with The Penguin. Again, it’s a tragedy.

It’s worth noting that Keaton’s approach to Batman is different than Bale’s and Pattinson’s. The latter see Bruce Wayne as the mask that Batman wears (i.e. the narrative being that Bruce died that night when his parents were murdered). However, Keaton stated in a recent interview that his approach to the character was through Bruce Wayne. That is, Batman is the shadow of Bruce Wayne. Keaton brings a humanity to the character, understanding that one cannot fully grasp an understanding Batman without Bruce’s trauma.

Also, the scene at masquerade ball is one of my favorite scenes. How brilliant is it that the only characters not wearing masks at a costume party are Bruce and Selina? The song, “Face to Face,” by Siouxsie and the Banshees only elevates the scene even more. Speaking of music, the Danny Elfman score is phenomenal and, like all great scores, gives the film its identity. The addition of the chorus is what makes me prefer this score over his ’89 Batman score.

Lastly, I would argue that Batman Returns is the one Batman film where the primary antagonist is the rich, corporate elite, as represented by Christopher Walken’s Max Shreck. There’s an old video clip of comedian Reginald D. Hunter infamously calling Batman “a conservative’s wet dream.” He criticizes Batman for using his wealth and advanced technology against street-level crime instead of going against “the industrialists, the super capitalists, the Murdochs, the Trumps.” These are all valid points and I think if there is any Batman film that is an exception to this critique, it’s Batman Returns. Sure, Batman fights against The Red Triangle Gang and The Penguin, but Shreck is masterminding a larger plot for corporate domination that shows no regard for the well-being of the citizens of Gotham, especially the marginalized.

Shreck reminds me of Lex Luthor a great deal. He presents himself as a generous philanthropist (“Gotham’s own Santa Clause”) who cares about the people of Gotham, world peace, and “unconditional love.” However, he has ulterior motives to build a power plant that would give him control of Gotham’s power supply. We later learn through The Penguin that Shreck killed his business partner Fred Atkins. When Selina finds out what Shreck’s real plans are, Shreck sees her as a threat and attempts to kill her.

Much is made about how violent and vampiric The Penguin is in this film, but the real sinister villain is Shreck, who cruelly exploits The Penguin’s desire to be accepted on the surface (mainstream) society. By propping up The Penguin as Mayor, Shreck can then use him as a puppet and have his plans to construct his power plant approved. Just as The Penguin’s character serves as a harsh reminder of how society mistreats and otherizes people who are different than the majority, Shreck’s character represents how capitalism can create the appearance that it is being benevolent, but is ultimately dehumanizing and cares only about feeding the greedy.

Anyway, these are just some general thoughts and feelings I have about my love for Batman Returns. By no means is it a perfect film. Like anything, there is much to critique, especially with regard to Bruce’s privilege and power, the objectification of Catwoman, and ableist tropes with The Penguin. The film noticeably lacks people of color (a problem throughout Tim Burton’s filmography) and there’s one scene that involves a brown man trying to rape a white woman, reinforcing the racist trope of the “dark stranger in the alleyway.”

The argument could be made that The Dark Knight is more rewatchable and entertaining, at least for mainstream audiences, but Batman Returns is, despite its issues, deeper psychologically, more symbolic, and complex in character development. The beauty of Batman Returns is its depth and ability to absorb the audience in its world. It doesn’t need to spell themes out for us. Like a unique painting or work of art, it allows for and encourages various interpretations.