“THE Batman” depicting a new standard [Mizumaru Kawahara’s CINEMONOLOGUE Vol.66]

Index

• 10 years after The Dark Knight Rises, Batman is finally rebooted
• All-New Riddler
• Not a tank, but a car

10 years after The The Dark Knight Rises , Batman is finally rebooted

To be honest, I didn't have high expectations from the start. While the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) was building a new mythology, the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) was also developing, but I personally wasn't that interested in Batman being depicted as a member of the Justice League, and although it can't be helped since it wasn't a standalone film, I felt that his presence was weak. I think it was the bad side of universe-style crossover works, that is, the characters and settings became just one part.

This is very frustrating. As I have said many times in this series, when I think of American comics, Batman is the one for me. The MCU is undoubtedly fun, and I think it is a major phenomenon that has even reshaped the concept of franchises, but it is difficult to say whether I have that much attachment to each individual character. This is probably because, as I mentioned earlier, the characters have become half-parts, but whether it's Iron Man, Captain America, or even Thor, the God of Thunder, they are well-designed, but the stories don't seem to have anything to do with me (which is why I can watch them casually).

But Batman is different. His suffering, conflicts, and impulses feel much more real and life-sized than the Marvel heroes. His personality has almost nothing in common with me, but I still feel like I'm connected to him deep inside. Of course, that's because I grew up watching the early Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher movies over and over, and I ended up watching " The Dark Knight " during my summer vacation in high school. In other words, I've been exposed to it for a long time and have a strong attachment to it.

Isn't it a bit disappointing that the Lego animated movie is the most interesting Batman movie of the last decade? Christopher Nolan's trilogy depicted Batman Batman to be presented at this point. And this time, my wish has come true.

Although the introduction was long, this "THE Batman" is not a story of his birth or his legendary existence. It has only been two years since the young Bruce Wayne started his unconventional detective work, and it is the eve of the heyday of Batman activities. This is the "regular Batman" that we have been waiting for. There is no scene that has been shown many times, where his parents are shot to death and his pearl necklace is scattered. From the beginning, Bruce Wayne is Batman, and Gotham City is very rough. A searchlight shines the Bat signal in the night sky where thick clouds hang, and Batman moves around the city in the darkness, terrorizing criminals. From this self-introduction scene, the excitement I felt when Michael Keaton's Batman appeared behind a robber, casting a huge shadow, revived, and I felt like a spark went off in the back of my head, and I was convinced. "This is the one I wanted to see!"

Film noir. The atmosphere makes such a term suddenly come to mind. A crime-ridden city shrouded in darkness with strong contrasts, the rain-soaked ground, the detective's monologue... Yes, this Batman is more worthy of the title of detective than the dark knight. The high collar makes the silhouette look like a trench coat with the collar turned up. The familiar cape, which used to reach the ground, now only reaches the calves. The overall leather feel, including the mask, gives the impression of being more fashionable than the Batsuit armor. Even the small details, such as the pouches on the waist and the boots on the feet, are classic details. And yet, it still deflects bullets well.

By the way, DC in DC Comics originally stood for Detective Comics, and while Batman is a superhero (a character concept that had just been born at the time), he also has a strong detective nature. He investigates crime scenes, drives his cool car to chase bad guys, and resorts to physical force when necessary. This has been depicted in previous movies, but this film approaches Batman origins by portraying him thoroughly as a detective rather than a hero. The main villain that this new yet nostalgic Batman faces is the Riddler.

All-New Riddler