The more I’m hearing about Matt Reeve’s The Batman now that people are starting to see it the less interested I am in doing so myself. The Riddler has gone from a criminal who likes to show off how smart he is through clues to his capers nobody can solve to yet another “serial killer out to prove society is the true evil”, and some stuff I heard in a podcast this morning sounds like Riddler (bet he isn’t Edward Nigma) has his own reverse Court Of Owls. Catwoman is now bi according to her actress, who probably never read the comic and only evidence is “has a roommate”. Apparently Robert Patterson plays a good Batman but a terrible Bruce Wayne because we have another instance of “he has to learn how”…WHEN THAT WAS THE WHOLE POINT OF BRUCE TRAVELLING THE WORLD TO GAIN THE SKILLS HE NEEDS TO BECOME BATMAN! His early years as Batman should be about honing those skills and learning to use them in practice, not to use them at all. Then there’s the race swapping but I’ve long given up on Hollywood caring about a proper adaptation, especially for those silly little comics that the entertainment industry only cares about if they don’t have to come up with characters or a plot.
Basically, bringing out Batman’s detective side and making the Batmobile a car instead of a high-speed tank seem to be the only things he’s gotten right. Even the Bat-suit has the rather weird gun thing for the symbol that just looks weird to me. Every time I see it I want someone to finish drawing it.
However, he was supposedly influenced by some very beloved Batman comic stories. Supposedly. Owen of Owen Likes Comics goes over the history of those influences. No spoilers but I do have thoughts.
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