The Batman: just as good as The Dark Knight?

Let’s travel back to 2008 when the summer hit its fever pitch of the long-awaited Christopher Nolan superhero epic, The Dark Knight. I could remember it like it was yesterday when I was a sophomore in college reading up on all the production coverage I could find (here’s looking at you, JoBlo) and rewatching those amazing trailers, following that online campaign and viral marketing, which was way ahead of its time. My presale tickets were bought; I was amped beyond words for what I was about to witness. I think it was the longest wait in a theatre line as well, clocking in three hours before seating on opening night at my local IMAX. Because, at that time, seats weren’t reserved, and it was a battle royale trying to get that coveted middle-row seat. Picture “Running of the Bulls” in Spain, but with people trying to get that damn middle row. Boy, how far we’ve come with the movie theater experience.

When the dust settled, The Dark Knight transcended the superhero genre and was talked about for months on end due to its story, its scope, its direction, its spectacle, and its acting. However, the biggest takeaway was the late Heath Ledger’s interpretation of the Joker, which is still one of the best live-action movie villain performances of all time. It’s the main reason why the Oscars went from 5 Best Picture candidates to 10. It’s also the reason why many actors try to emulate and top Heath’s performance for that coveted gold Oscar and why many have failed to achieve it. And like all good things, they must come to an end, only to wait years upon years for the next great Batman tale to unfold on the big screen. 

And sure, while we got an epic send-off to Bale’s Dark Knight Trilogy and his completed Bruce Wayne arc in Dark Knight Rises and some great, iconic moments from Ben Affleck’s Batman in Zack Snyder’s rendition of the Caped Crusader. It just didn’t bring the excitement and hype that the Dark Knight brought with its marketing campaign up until its theatrical release. That was until a new contender stepped out from the shadows in all its splendid, vengeful glory. A trailer that debuted out of nowhere from director Matt Reeves at DC’s Fandome. It was epic, it was glorious, and it felt like a BATMAN film, reflecting that to my love for the Kevin Conroy animated series that I hold near and dear to my heart. Was history about to repeat itself? Especially after the bad flack the film received from its initial main star, Robert Pattinson, donning the cape and cowl. Or how about that first screen test in that neon red-drenched room introducing how Batman would look for the first time with Michael Giacchino’s main score playing in the background? We didn’t know what was in store because we were so used to The Dark Knight being on that proverbial superhero mountain when it came to the best comic book iterations of our time. 

Well, I have to say, after watching Matt Reeve’s The Batman in 2022, after a handful of delays, no thanks to COVID, and hearing the production hell it endured, I prided myself in knowing that The Batman deserved to stand alongside the all-time greatest superhero film put onto celluloid since 2008. But why has some of the feedback since its release from many people around the globe garnered Matt Reeve’s The Batman not as worthy? I’m here to prove why it’s just as strong as TDK and why they go hand in hand. Ah yes, you may think my words and opinions are delusional, but they’re simply subjective and filled with passion of my favorite superhero. I have a feeling we’re on the precipice of another legendary Batman trilogy that, down the line, may overshadow Nolan’s. Matt Reeves’ The Batman is the flipside to Nolan’s The Dark Knight coin, no pun intended. While one is smaller and intimate in scope as a detective thriller, the other is much more bombastic and versatile, revelling in its blockbuster spectacle. But in honesty, they’re merely equals, and they share everything great about what a Batman film should be, harkening back to all the best source material of The Dark Knight mythos.  So, let’s dive in in my epic length video, which is embedded above, for your approval! Let me know in the comments here and on YouTube what you think!