The Batman (2022)'s action is already better than Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy. The film has just released a third trailer, which has given a much better feel of the story being told as well as the overall tone of the film. In particular, it gives fans a sense of how the action will be portrayed. So far, it's a good sign of things to come.
Following Ben Affleck's departure as Batman in the DCEU, Warner Bros. signed on Matt Reeves as director for a new project before casting Robert Pattinson as the iconic Caped Crusader. From what he has promised, Reeves' The Batman will be a detective story that explores the psyche of a young Bruce Wayne. In addition to that, he will face several members of his rogues gallery, such as Riddler (played by Paul Dano,) Penguin (played by Colin Farrell,) and Catwoman (played by Zoë Kravitz.) The third trailer also confirms that Riddler is aware of Batman's identity as Bruce Wayne.
As previously mentioned, the display of action in The Batman has been a spectacular sign of things to come. Beyond that, there's a huge indication that the action in Reeves' adaptation will surpass every other live-action adaptation before. This includes Christopher Nolan's award-winning and game-changing Dark Knight trilogy.
The Dark Knight trilogy has been praised for its approach to realism in adapting the character of Batman and his world. This is part of what made Heath Ledger's Joker such a huge success. That being said, that same approach to realism is what put a shackle on the action. While perfectly fitting the tone of the trilogy, the action also could never put on the theatrical edge that serves the character and as well the classic Batman films that came before because it would come across as outlandish and out-of-place in the world Nolan establishes.
The Batman seems to be taking a cue from every film that came before to establish the approach the action will be taking. Matt Reeves seems set to take on all the theatricality while mixing it with the realistic brutality of the Nolan trilogy. From what the trailers have shown, it seems he has managed to achieve the right balance. A perfect example of this blend is Pattinson's Batman giving a ruthless beatdown to a gang member while other shots give off the vibe of a cinematic comic book, such as Batman approaching Penguin with fire in the background.
As of right now, there's still no clear indication about the overall quality of The Batman. However, the trailers so far have done an incredibly effective job of building anticipation for the film, especially where the action is concerned. The blend of theatricality and realism is a big advantage that Reeves has over the other Batman films. As of now, the action seems to be one thing The Batman improves upon compared to Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy.
