In just a few weeks, Matt Reeve’s highly anticipated The Batman will hit theaters. As Batman fans know, this movie has had a lot of work behind it, and will likely be nothing like the original idea. Originally, the film was to be directed by Ben Affleck and follow his version of the character as he goes toe to toe with Deathstroke. Matt Reeves has even stated that the Ben Affleck movie script was James Bond-ian. For several reasons, this did not come to fruition, and it is likely that Ben Affleck will hang up to cowl for good after this year’s The Flash, even if Ezra Miller has fans thinking otherwise.
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Affleck’s casting caused a rift in the fandom almost immediately, and when Batman V Superman came out in 2016, this rift only grew stronger. Ben Affleck’s take has plenty of supporters, but also an equal amount of critics, with the biggest complaint being how violent his Batman can get. The thing is, however, this is a very accurate portrayal of Batman.
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Batman is one of the most beloved characters in all fiction. The great thing is, there can be countless different interpretations of him, because he can be interpreted in so many ways; with so many different comic books and authors to draw from, Batman is basically a fluid archetype. In comparison to the other Batman actors, the Ben Affleck movies’ very dark and bleak portrayal is actually very accurate to the Frank Miller-era Dark Knight, and maybe the best example of this version coming to life.
Batman fights for justice, this much is evident. He wants nothing more than to rid Gotham of crime and prevent a tragedy like the one he suffered as a young boy. He has a strict moral code that he feels separates him from the scum of Gotham. However, some of the best versions of Batman, especially Affleck’s, make the audience ask, is he really a hero? The Ben Affleck movies challenge fans to think twice about the Caped Crusader and his endless mission, and here is why this makes him one of the best versions of the character.
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Fear Warps His Mind
When audiences first see Batman in the Ben Affleck movies, in Batman V Superman, he has retired from having been Batman for decades. The film implies he retires after Joker kills Robin, making Bruce a shell of his former self, the anger and vengeance building in him for years until Superman unleashes the Bat once again. Not a ton is known about the career of this Batman, but it can be safely assumed that he has seen it all. He has fought the Joker for sure, but he likely has taken on the worst that his extensive rogues’ gallery has to offer. The darkness in this Ben Affleck Batman has been steadily growing ever since he lost his parents, and being a grizzled veteran of justice in Batman V Superman, he doesn’t suppress it anymore.
The haunting memory of losing someone he saw as a son mixed with seeing a god-like being with, in Bruce’s eyes, no regard for human life is enough to light the fire to set Batman on a rampage. In some ways, Bruce was right, in others he was not. A huge complaint is how brutal this Batman is. He even goes so far as to brand his victims with a bat, that way the criminal’s friends can know he is back in business. This may be extreme, but what is the one weapon in Batman’s arsenal that makes him who he is? Fear.
Fear is the entire reason Bruce adopted the persona of a bat. He wants to strike fear into criminals and make them too scared to commit crimes. Fear is why he retired the Batman persona after Robin died, and fear of Superman is what draws him back in. Even Robert Pattinson has weighed in on what scares Batman. Christian Bale’s Batman also heavily focuses on fear, but while he learns to control it, Ben Affleck’s portrayal lets it consume him. He turns the extensive fear he feels into hatred and anger. Bruce sees that in this post-Superman world, the criminals are much more deadly and dangerous. He feels it will take more than leaping from the shadows and saying “I’m Batman” to scare them off. Batman is seen as a myth at this point, and Bruce wants to ensure everyone knows the myth is very much real and is back to show them what true fear is.
Gotham Sees Batman as a Criminal
Ensuring audiences question Batman’s motives, it is shown that Gotham does not think of Batman as they once have. The movie states many people, including Alfred, feel Batman is taking things too far. Batman is seen as a vigilante criminal is nothing new. However, this version shows that he is seen as more than just a criminal, he is a horror story come to life. Even those he saves look at him like he is some dreaded creature of the night. At this end of the day, was this not the point? Bruce dressed as a bat because he wanted to be seen as something more than a man.
Bruce sees firsthand the destruction of Metropolis after Superman’s fight with Zod. This could enrage him because, on a less extreme level, he is also guilty of this. There are plenty of reasons Gotham sees Batman as a criminal, but the constant destruction could be high on that list. It can be debated that Batman puts civilians in harm’s way, civilians who wouldn’t even be there had it not been for Batman. Bruce feels immense anger, and one could argue the main focal point of this anger is himself. He hates himself for letting Robin die. He hates himself for letting his parents die in vain. He sees the worst of himself in Superman through transference, so that is why he must take him out.
The film shows that Bruce feels he is doing what is right, and is scaring all the right people. The audience, however, sees beyond his subjectivity and what he doesn’t. They see how those he saves perceive him. Sure, if it wasn’t for Batman these people would be dead, but they will forever fear the symbol of a bat just as his criminals do; he creates a kind of PTSD through it, so that a supposed symbol of hope is seen as a symbol of darkness. This makes audiences rethink the motives of Batman. It is easy to just say it is only the Ben Affleck movies that does this and chalk it up to bad writing, but the truth is, this has been there all along.
It is much easier to say that Batman has always been a hero who doesn’t let the darkness overtake him, but the way this version challenges fans is by showing them that the darkness has been the case all along. Showing the bleak reactions of the citizens he is saving is a perfect way to do this. Outside of versions such as Adam West, Batman is not a bright and colorful character. He is a dark and brooding man who is hopelessly addicted to his own mission. Michael Keaton’s Batman shows a more twisted side of Bruce but, as beloved as this version is, it’s nowhere near the same level as Affleck’s. Even in Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Returns, which was a major inspiration to the movie, he refers to Robin as a soldier, showing his sense of justice has warped him so much he views Gotham as a battleground for his own little war. This is perfectly personified in Ben Affleck’s portrayal.
To Kill Or Not To Kill
Perhaps the biggest controversy is Ben Affleck’s Batman’s willingness to kill. Batman’s no-kill rule is a major part of some interpretations of Batman. Again, some. What many fans don’t realize is it isn’t uncommon for Batman to kill. The earliest version of the character even carried a sidearm. Michael Keaton, one of the most beloved Batmen, kills in an almost comedic way. Christian Bale claims to not kill, but actually causes indirect death without blinking an eye. “I’m not going to kill you, but I don’t have to save you.” is nothing more than a loophole
Ben Affleck’s version has reached his breaking point. Showing him kill villains reveals that this Batman feels he has nothing left to lose and, in his mind, is responsible for Robin’s death. Had he killed the Joker all those years ago, Robin would be alive. He isn’t making that mistake again, which is why he sets out to kill Superman. Again, the movie doesn’t celebrate this. This brutal vengeance is what puts him in Superman’s cross-hairs, and even Alfred expresses his disdain for what Batman has become. Fans have always debated whether Batman is doing more damage or not by letting the likes of the Joker live, and this film once again challenges fans by making them see the dilemma first hand.
Batwings Of Redemption
So this is a very dark and deadly Batman. It seems like he is nothing more than a straight menace, right? Well, this depends on how fans perceive his arc. Bruce has given up on humanity. Only after seeing this god-like Superman, who he once saw as a threat, sacrifice himself without a second thought does he realize the error of his ways. When he is shown in Justice League, he has something the Batman V Superman version didn’t have: hope. For the first time arguably since his parents died, Bruce Wayne doesn’t see the world through a dark lens. He sees the good, and he realizes that it’s what he wants to protect.
Does this redemption excuse the way he acted before? This is where the challenge comes in. Fans aren’t wrong by saying this version of Batman is far too dark, because he is supposed to be. Fans are supposed to ask if this Bat vigilante is truly a hero or a menace who deserves to be locked away in Arkham. The movie lays out all the pieces, and fans are left to piece them together in a way they see fit. Every other version of Batman is shown to be a straight hero. He may be a little dark at times, but he is essentially a good guy.
Take a look at the best-received comics, though. Oftentimes, these comics outright question the dark motives of the fittingly named Dark Knight. There have been some occasions he is borderline a villain himself. Ben Affleck’s version questions it in the best way yet. He isn’t shown as a flawless hero, he is shown as a human man with major flaws, making him one of the most accurate portrayals of the character.
It seems as if this more human take on Batman will carry over into Reeves’ film. Robert Pattinson describes his Batman as a man who is addicted. He treats crime-fighting like a drug. In Pattinson’s own words,
The rumor mill suggests that this will be the first of a trilogy. Instead of carrying his anger late in his career, this Batman doesn’t even try to suppress it. Perhaps at the end of the trilogy, he will learn to control it and redeem himself in the eyes of Gotham. Ben Affleck may have caused a rift with his portrayal, but it got people talking. It got people talking about what it means to be Batman. It has made people think about what it means to be a hero, what it means to fight for justice, and the dangers of losing oneself to darkness even when they swear by the light.
“Like, it’s two years into it, and the crime has gotten worse since Bruce started being Batman. The people of Gotham think that he’s just another symptom of how shit everything is.
