The Batman has been one of the few unique comic book films to come out in the last handful of years. From Matt Reeves' gothic direction to the rich detective driven story to Robert Pattinson’s version of Batman, fans everywhere are still talking about this epic crime film, even though it has been a month since the film was released in theaters. Now the film is on HBO Max and all VOD platforms after just crossing the $750 million mark at the box office. To celebrate, Warner Brothers has released the first eleven minutes of the film online.
What makes this opening so incredible is you can see Reeve’s influences for the film right away. Riddler stalking an unsuspecting family before he kills the Mayor is very reminiscent of classic serial killer films, and once we get inside the apartment and we see Riddler in the shadows, horror films like Halloween come to mind. The Riddler is introduced like a slasher villain, which is all the more fitting once you realize that it is Halloween. The references go even deeper as this scene highlights one of the film’s biggest parallels: The Riddler is exactly like Batman, right down to stalking in the shadows to take down his prey.
The rest of the opening introduces us to the main character of the film, Gotham City. The start of Batman’s monologue feels ripped straight from the comics, very in line with the character’s thought process in stories like Batman: The Long Halloween and Batman: Hush. If Batman did not fight crime, he could be a very successful gothic poet. The build up to The Caped Crusader’s reveal in the final seconds is iconic at this point and reinforces the horror elements to the plot. Batman uses shadows to instill fear into his victims. Even though the audience knows he is coming, like his potential prey, we do not know where he is going to pop up. That anxiety effectively sets the tone for the rest of this detective story.
.jpeg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
Few films have the ability to lock its audience in from the first ten minutes, let alone its first shot. The Batman is one of those rare films. This preview is just a taste of the film’s emotionally large scope, complex themes, and intense atmosphere. You can watch the full preview down below, as well as watch The Batman in its entirety on HBO Max and VOD now: