Director Matt Reeves commits to his noir style in 'The Batman,' but at what cost?
In Matt Reeves’ The Batman, he and cinematographer Greig Fraser present Gotham City in a way no other Batman film has done in the past. This isn’t the vague, metropolitan supercity of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, nor is it the highly stylized, kaleidoscopic creation of Gotham from the Joel Schumacher films. In Reeves’s film, his and production designer James Chinlund’s vision for Gotham City is intrinsically tied to its story and characters.
Throughout The Batman’s thrilling action setpieces, Reeves makes his approach clear as to how he reconciles the two opposing forces of his film. He doesn’t. Reeves remains tunnel-visioned on visualizing Batman’s internal struggle throughout his action sequences. In sequences like Batman wingsuit glide from the GCPD roof and the Batmobile car chase with the Penguin , Reeves doubles down on the noir aesthetic of the film.
For the Batmobile chase, the trend continues. In what should be a rip-roaring chase similar to the one from Nolan’s Batman Begins, Batman pursues an escaping Penguin in an effort to get more information about the Riddler’s clues. Reeves has stated that the sequence takes heavy inspiration from a similar scene in William Friedkin’s The French Connection, where the car chase is filmed as though it were an extension of the main character’s obsessiveness.
In the end, Reeves’s steadfast rejection of something that he believes would dilute his film is admirable. And for the vast majority of The Batman, the noir aesthetic works exactly as intended, seamlessly placing the audience inside the mind of a Batman tormented by his past and the cesspool of a city surrounding him. Coupled with Chinlund’s immaculate production design, Fraser’s heavily shadowed cinematography brings a new kind of life to Gotham City.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
'The Batman' & 'Nightmare Alley': Why Noir is Primed for a Major ComebackDark times call for darker films.
Read more »
Oakland Athletics Ballpark Plan May Be Headed to November BallotThe Oakland A's may face another curveball in their quest to build a new waterfront ballpark.
Read more »
Why the latest Oakland A's teardown is the team's most detestableBay Area sports reporter Alex Espinonza on the double whammy of gutting a roster and doubling ticket prices.
Read more »
Report: Former A’s All-Star Chapman signs new deal, but it’s nothing like Olson’s mega contractDespite a similar track record of success, Matt Chapman’s extension with the Toronto Blue Jays looks nothing like the mega-deal Olson secured in Atlanta.
Read more »
“Fashioning Masculinities,” the V&A’s New Show, Proves That Gender Has Always Been a Construct“Fashioning Masculinities: The Art of Menswear,” sponsored by Gucci, is on view at Londons V&A Museum from March 19 through November 6, 2022.
Read more »
'The Batman' & 'Nightmare Alley': Why Noir is Primed for a Major ComebackDark times call for darker films.
Read more »