Cinema Swapshop: Batman

Ash Walker • 10 Oct 2024 Features

Our writers exchange films about the Dark Knight.

Welcome to Cinema Swapshop, where every month our esteemed writers assign each other a movie to watch - preferably something they haven’t seen before - then regroup to share their thoughts.

This month, in honour of The Penguin coming to Sky Atlantic and Joker: Folie a Deux hitting cinemas, the theme is none other than the Caped Crusader himself - Batman. 

Ash: Batman: The Movie (1966)

Credit: Batman (1966) Trailer #1 (Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers, YouTube)

Plot

When Gotham’s greatest villains decide to team up, Batman and Robin must foil their various nefarious schemes.

Thoughts

Biff! Bam! Pow! I feel like Batman: The Movie (and the TV series it emerged from) has become a firm part of pop culture since its release in 1966. Everyone knows the silly fight scenes, the crazy gadgets, the dance numbers - but I also feel like not a lot of people have actually seen it; I hadn’t.

Going in I thought it’d be a slice of bright, poppy camp - and it definitely is - but it’s also so much weirder and, actually, so much funnier than I ever expected. There’s some brilliantly preposterous stuff here (see the infamous bomb scene for a perfect example) and it’s all executed with the manic energy of a bunch of kids playing in their backyard.

It’s daft, but on purpose… I think? Almost like a Batman spoof, in the vein of something like The Naked Gun. I mean, Shark Repellent Bat-Spray? Come on… these guys knew what they were doing.

Verdict

It’s one of the most ridiculous films I’ve ever seen, and I very much enjoyed it.

Johnnie: The Batman (2022)

Credit: THE BATMAN – Main Trailer (Warner Bros. Pictures, YouTube)

Plot

A real moody guy who is intent on keeping Gotham City’s worst criminals in line encounters another guy who loves riddles - oh, and murder. 

Thoughts

Before I start, it should be said that this is my first viewing of a proper Batman film (aside from Batman vs Superman, but even I know that doesn’t count).

And as my first proper Batman film, I loved it. All two hours and 56 minutes of it. Robert Pattinson is dark and mysterious, perfect for the sort of Gotham City that is portrayed. 

The fact it goes right into him being established as the Batman already but is still rather green at it is a good take that I enjoyed. Rather than going through all the backstory of how he became, a story we all know, introducing him right away as the Caped Crusader but one with little experience saved a lot of time and allowed it to get straight into the story.

That was my main takeaway as well, that despite its length, the film gave everything its time and made every scene feel noteworthy. Everyone’s intentions were clear and given its spotlight and made for a rich story.

Verdict

A more-than-solid start to my Batman experience, would watch again (mainly for Zoe Kravitz).