Content Warning: Major SPOILERS For DC's The Batman Are Discussed In This Article.
One of the year's biggest blockbusters is finally out, with Matt Reeves' Robert Pattinson-led The Batman already amassing a strong critical reception for its new rendition of the Dark Knight. Pattinson's iteration of the nocturnal superhero takes the brooding, gritty core of the character's most beloved comic book stories and still manages to create something fresh and compelling.
In doing so, the actor gives some of the most memorable dialogue for the character in live-action. Several of Batman's lines from the movie, including internal monologues, serve as excellent dissections of his psyche that showcase his inner turmoil, his gradual character growth, and why he is the World's Greatest Detective.
Gotham City's Vengeful Guardian
"... I'm Vengeance."
What is already one of the most iconic lines from the movie is also a loving homage to one of Batman's greatest quotes from the DCAU show, Batman: The Animated Series. Fans got a glimpse of this cathartic scene in The Batman's first trailer at DC FanDome 2020, and it happens early in the movie to depict a Caped Crusader in a dangerous headspace.
It's a fantastic line that was well-delivered -- as well as a great Easter egg for longtime fans -- but it's also indicative of this Bruce Wayne's troubled mental state as a man feeling as if he has nothing left to lose and is fighting a violent, losing battle. This second-year Dark Knight is still a blunt weapon against Gotham City's criminal underworld and one that has little regard for what happens to him under grueling situations. At this stage in his career, he truly is the physical embodiment of vengeance.
The Batman's Signature Weapon
"Fear Is A Tool. When That Light Hits The Sky, It's Not Just A Call. It's A Warning."
One of the best elements of The Batman is using the detective, crime-noir approach to use the protagonist's narration as a storytelling device. This was a great touch for immersion into this world and grounding Batman himself to the audience, as they're being clued in on solving this mystery along with the superhero. In the character's opening monologue, which also serves as an entry in Bruce's detective journal, he talks about how he -- and Gotham's criminals -- see him.
Fear is one of the long-running themes in many acclaimed Batman stories -- comic books, movies, or otherwise. One of the best things about Batman Begins was showing how Bruce came to master his fears and fashion them into a weapon, and this quote from The Batman shows a fascinating take on the hero who believes he's already conquered this. Though, it becomes clear that he's still refining this tool to be more than that simple, aforementioned blunt force.
Bruce's Self-Destructiveness
"I Don't Care What Happens To Me."
Perhaps the biggest moment of The Batman showing Bruce's scarred mentality is in his early conversation with Alfred Pennyworth. Two years into being Batman, Bruce doesn't show any signs of improving his mindset and approach for the better. Alfred looks to be grappling with the difficulty in being there for the lonely warrior, as the former pleads for him to grow before he's past the point of no return.
The butler implores Bruce to honor the Wayne family's legacy, prompting the disheveled young man to say that not only does he believe he's honoring them, but he couldn't care less if he loses himself in the process. Bruce is teetering toward the edge at this stage, with the Riddler's murder spree testing his mental strength more than any other case ever had.
His Effect On Gotham's Criminal Underworld
"They Think I'm Hiding In The Shadows. Watching. Waiting To Strike. I Am The Shadows."
That same monologue further emphasizes that element of fear, with Batman flexing his control over those of his enemies. Being the nocturnal vigilante that he is, stealth and mastery of the shadows are his prime tactics in combat. It's fitting as one of DC's best street-level heroes, and this monologue playing over a montage of criminals spread across Gotham City is also what makes it so powerful.
Every time someone thinks to do their deeds at night, they have to think twice when they see the Bat-signal light up the sky, as their immediate response afterward is to fear what lurks in the shadows surrounding them. And similar to Batman's "vengeance" line, this quote asserting himself as Gotham's shadows could be another homage to Kevin Conroy's "I am the night" quote in The Animated Series.
Bruce Wayne's Callousness As A Deteriorating Recluse
"Alfred, Stop. You're Not My Father."
In most incarnations of the Dark Knight's world, Alfred is one of the most important relationships Batman has. Even more than that, he's the core pillar keeping Bruce Wayne from completely losing himself inside the darkest corners of his mind. With Reeves' take on this corner of the DC universe, The Batman seems to take a page from Geoff Johns and Gary Frank's Earth One when it came to Bruce's relationship with Alfred.
It's certainly strained at this point in Bruce's life, and the debate they have in the Batcave gave one of the most emotionally crushing lines of dialogue in a Batman movie. Depriving himself of embracing the Bruce Wayne and Batman egos together as one has made him grow callous, to the point of being cruelly inconsiderate of Alfred as a paternal figure.
The Start Of Batman's Growth
"Vengence Won’t Change The Past. Mine Or Anyone Else's. People Need Hope."
Though Gotham City is forced into the direst of straits by the Riddler's hand, the World's Greatest Detective manages to power through, look inward, and show his most tangible step in character growth throughout the movie. Somewhat similar to the Joker's endgame in Nolan's The Dark Knight, Batman partially wins the day due to the toll taken.
The hero and Lieutenant Gordon manage to save many peoples' lives that would've been lost otherwise in the aftermath of Riddler's flood, forcing the former to realize what he could do for Gotham as a beacon of hope rather than a pure, vengeful force of nature. The past is in the past, so learning how to strike fear in the minds of villains and instill hope in the neglected is a balance that will be key to the city's brighter future.