Summary
Batmanis one of the most recognizable and beloved DC superheroes of all time. The tale of Bruce Wayne becoming an orphan after his parents were gunned down by a criminal is an origin story everyone is quite familiar with. Despite this trauma scarring him deeply, Bruce decided to do something about the rampant crime threatening to tear Gotham apart. With the help of his trusted butler, Alfred, he decided to invest a ton of money and resources to become Batman, a superhero who foils the plans of criminals and brings much-needed peace to the citizens of Gotham.
Given this hero’s popularity, it’s easy to see whyso many movies featuring this characterhave become enduring facets of pop culture. From Nolan’s brilliant trilogy to movies that focus on his work as a detective and everything in between, it’s easy to see why there’s so much potential for The Caped Crusader to feature in a wealth of films that show his penchant for fighting crime while living a double life as a billionaire with nothing to lose. Batman’s story has ended in a variety of ways, but some of the character’s endings have arguably been better than others.
Matt Reeves' take on Batman was hailed by the masses as a return to form for the character after his poor outing in the DCEU. Fans who doubted Robert Pattinson to bea competent actor worthy of the masksang a different tune when they saw his masterful performance as the Dark Knight. The first half ofThe Batmanmakes for a riveting watch, with the character trying to prevent the Riddler from destroying Gotham.
Unfortunately, a problem plaguingThe Batmanis that it doesn’t justify its extended runtime, with the final action sequence falling somewhat flat when compared to the rest of the movie. However, a strong ending sequence helps salvage a lot of this experience, with Batman realizing that he needed to be a symbol of hope instead of just operating from the shadows. Meanwhile, the Riddler encounters the Joker in the Arkham State Hospital, setting the stage for what is bound to be a bombastic sequel.
Given the dark and brooding nature of Batman’s cinematic outings, it’s nice to see a movie that takes a lighthearted look at this hero. After all, the charm of Batman during the Golden Era came from his goofy crime-fighting hijinks, and a lot of this energy is channeled inThe LEGO Batman Movie. This version of Batman is obsessed with crime-fighting, to the point where he becomes despondent when all of his villains are either locked up or not a threat anymore.
This causes him to forcefully send Joker into the Phantom Zone, which works into the mad clown’s plans. He recruits numerous villains and wreaks havoc upon Gotham after turning the tables on Bruce and sending him to the Phantom Zone after his escape. Here, Batman realizes the error of his ways and how he alienated the people around him. After coming back, the Dark Knight bonds with the Joker and helps save Gotham after a bombing gone awry. In the end, when Batman decides to head to the Phantom Zone of his own volition, the gatekeeper stops him to proclaim that he managed to get over his fears and serve as a mentor for his Bat-family. Giving Joker and his cronies a head-start, Batman, Robin, Batgirl, and the others resume their crime-fighting hijinks in an entertaining ending toone of Batman’s best movies.
Nolan’s firstBatmanmovie is a joy to witness from start to end, withRa’s al Ghul serving as the antagonistafter initially helping Bruce develop the skills that he’d eventually use as Batman. After an attack on his fortress, Ra’s al Ghul is presumed to be dead, only to later reveal himself as the true antagonist of the movie who, along with Scarecrow, tries to destroy Gotham with fear toxin. His plans are eventually foiled, but Bruce doesn’t enjoy the happy end he craves.
Despite becoming a hero, Rachel refuses to be with him, proclaiming that they can be together once Gotham no longer needs him. Lucius Fox is also introduced to Wayne Enterprises, while a final meeting with Gordon reveals the Joker’s infamous calling card, setting him up as the sequel’s villain.
It’s a testament to Nolan’s impressive directorial strengths that fans continue to nitpickThe Dark Knight Risesdespite this film being another excellentBatmanmovie that does justice to the character. Tom Hardy’s Bane is a fascinating antagonist whobrings Gotham to the verge of ruinafter breaking Bruce’s back and sending him to an underground prison. His escape is one of the most iconic cinematic moments, culminating in Batman’s triumphant return to a Gotham that desperately needs him.
After defeating Bane and Talia al Ghul, Batman decides to sacrifice himself after giving Gordon a hint about his true identity. The world presumes that Batman and Bruce Wayne are dead after the Bat ferries a destructive bomb to safety seconds before it explodes. However, by the end of the movie, a dejected Alfred finds Bruce living a quiet life with Selina, silently acknowledging each other before moving on. Finally,Detective John Blake is revealed to be Robin, who finds the keys to the Batcave and will presumably protect Gotham in Batman’s stead.
The Dark Knightisone of the greatest movies ever made, and it features a conclusion that fans still remember to this day. Harvey Dent’s heroic exploits take a turn for the worse when the Joker kills his fiancee and burns half of his face. The damage caused by this leads Dent down a dark path where he leaves everything up to fate, killing officers and criminals alike. While the Joker is successfully defeated by Batman, the crazy clown reveals he had the last laugh, since his horrid acts eventually broke Gotham’s hero and turned him into an unhinged two-faced criminal.
After capturing Gordon and his family, Dent psychologically tortures them and is on the verge of killing the police commissioner’s kid before Batman tackles Dent, causing him to fall to his death. Gordon rues the fact that Dent’s hard work to imprison Gotham’s criminals would be undone with his murder, but Batman proposes that he will take the fall for his death instead. It’s one of the most iconic dialogue exchanges in movie history, with Batman’s noble sacrifice cementing him as The Dark Knight who will forever protect Gotham from the shadows.
