I’ve watched and read a lot of critics praise THE BATMAN, but criticize its third act as both underdeveloped and incongruous with the preceding story. With criticisms ranging from “how would this be part of the Riddler’s plan” to “feels like its out of another movie” to “doesn’t Riddler’s final attack actually hurt the poorest people of Gotham the most?”
Well, I’ve seen THE BATMAN eight times over the last 17 days and if that makes me a lunatic, so be it. But the multiple viewings also gave me, what I hope is, added insight into the film. And now I am going to be sharing those deep thoughts in a few posts over the coming weeks.
Now I kind of understood, while not entirely agreeing with, the critical third act assessments from some of those reviews the first time I saw the film. But personally I still quite enjoyed the third act. It reminded me, narratively, of a bombastic (no pun intended) finale that might have happened in a Burton or Schumacher BATMAN film – but filmed in the tone of Matt Reeves’ take on the character. And I thought the action and the set pieces of the third act all looked and played well. I loved Batman’s fight with multiple Riddler’s on the catwalk, the tidal wave of the flood crashing through Gotham Square Garden’s doors, and the wonderful image of Batman transcending his role as a vigilante and becoming a heroic figure. But I was not looking deep enough.
Because the third act is much more than any of that. Its true purpose is something that, after multiple viewings, has become clear: the entire point of Riddler’s plan was to finally execute The Batman/Bruce Wayne. And this point is actually absolutely essential to understanding the story of the film generally. Here’ why: (1.) Riddler knows that Bruce Wayne is The Batman, (2.) Riddler turned himself in to confirm his hypothesis that Bruce is The Batman and to also ask Batman to join him, and (3.) When Batman rejects this offer, Riddler’s final plan to flood Gotham and lay siege to Gotham Square Garden is his way of finally killing and publicly humiliating The Batman/Bruce Wayne. Now let me break it down:
THE RIDDLER KNOWS THAT BRUCE WAYNE IS THE BATMAN
Remember Riddler had a list of people he wanted dead. He got them all except Bruce Wayne. His plan (the flood and siege of Gotham Square Garden) is his way to finally get Bruce Wayne, because the Riddler knows that Bruce Wayne = The Batman. I’ve heard many people wonder if The Riddler knows The Batman’s true identity. Even after seeing the film just one time, I 100% believed he did – he just would rather keep the information for him to use AND he also knew that philosophically The Batman was the true identity and that Bruce Wayne had actually become just a cover. Why do I think Riddler knows that Bruce Wayne is Batman? Over the course of the film, he has come to this hypothesis for a few reasons:
1.) Riddler observes Bruce Wayne save Don Mitchell’s son at the funeral. This is the clearest indication as Riddler sees Wayne dive into the action and save the child – something not just anyone would do – his speed, agility, and general bravery is all out of the ordinary. Further, Riddler can also see that Wayne sees himself in the saved child – he still sees himself as a vulnerable orphan. That connection is a further psychological piece that Riddler could file away as motivation for someone like Bruce to become a vigilante like The Batman. This is one of the reasons that Riddler will later spit the Bruce Wayne as a spoiled orphan story back out later on and use it as a psychological weapon to unhinge Batman/Bruce Wayne. Also remember that later at the funeral Riddler says to Batman (on the cell phone taped to DA Gil Coulson) that “you are a part of this”. And Batman asks “how”, to which Riddler replies “you’ll see.” Now Riddler never fully explains how Batman is a part of it. But the point is that Riddler is speaking here to Bruce Wayne more than he is to Batman, as I think that, at this point, Riddler already greatly suspects that Bruce Wayne is Batman.
2.) Later on when Alfred is attacked at Wayne Tower by Riddler’s mail bomb intended for Bruce, the absence of the latter is a huge red flag. In fact, the official story when Bruce returns to the Tower is that he was “out” at the time. But Riddler has Bruce dead to rights. Considering that he is already suspecting that Bruce is Batman, he would know that sending the package at a time when he knew the Batman was preoccupied and talking to him via the Rata Alada website and then visiting Wayne Manor, would further add to his already growing suspicions if not outright confirm them. Wayne being unaccounted for during the explosion, and while Batman’s whereabouts were known and being tracked by Riddler, is a huge tell.
3. Riddler turns himself in after killing Carmine Falcone. Why would he? He certainly didn’t have to. But this act of turning himself over to GCPD is his way to get both a confirmation of his hypothesis that Bruce is Batman AND to ask Batman/Bruce to join him – in a safe space. And if that doesn’t happen, his plan to flood Gotham and lay siege to Gotham Square Garden will fatally doom The Batman and Bruce Wayne. Judging by his vision board of clippings and pictures of Gotham’s corruption, including Batman and Bruce Wayne, Riddler has been thinking about Batman’s identity for a while. He has been assembling a narrative and a history of Bruce’s travel, his habits, his general appearance and most importantly motivation (which is why Bruce saving the mayor’s sun at the funeral is so important) for why Bruce Wayne could be just more than part of the corruption and could be The Batman.
But he would have to get a face to face with The Batman to prove his hypothesis correct – something an accountant would absolutely do before proceeding with the final plan. Remember the Riddler is an accountant by profession and has certainly dealt with statistical hypothesis testing – and here he is doing it in the real world. And as Bruce/Batman looks at Riddler through the diner window, you can see by the smile on Riddler’s face that even just coming THAT close to him, that his hypothesis of Bruce Wayne as Batman is already looking pretty great. As the Riddler says in the scene, “[Bruce Wayne] was the only one we didn’t get.” Do you really think Riddler would not be able to get to some rich kid like Bruce Wayne slip through his fingers when he had already eliminated the mayor, the police commissioner, the DA, and Carmine Falcone? Of course not – unless that rich kid was also The Batman. So Riddler will have his final proof at Arkham, now that he can come face to face in a safe place and not risk the wrath of Mr. Vengeance.
RIDDLER TURNS HIMSELF IN TO GET A ONE ON ONE WITH BATMAN AT ARKHAM TO PROVE HIS FINAL HYPOTHESIS – THAT BRUCE WAYNE IS THE BATMAN
I’ve heard many people say that The Batman is a lot like SEVEN, but it really doesn’t have a “what’s in the box?” moment (if you haven’t seen SEVEN, go watch it now – absolutely essential viewing for any film fan and specifically any fan of THE BATMAN). But I think the interrogation at Arkham between Batman and Riddler at the beginning of Act 3 is this exact moment – IF you presume that Riddler is almost positive that Bruce is The Batman – and is using this moment as his chance to finally get 100% verification, the the way that the conversation ends is much more than a taunt of The Batman. Riddler knows that Bruce and Batman are one and the same and is sending The Batman to his death.
Batman/Bruce and many audience members and critics have commented that Riddler shows that he DOES NOT actually know that Batman and Bruce are the same person when he says “[Bruce Wayne]… he was the only one we didn’t get”. In so doing Riddler lets Bruce/The Batman off the hook.
But to me this is the “what’s in the box moment” – if you catch it. Because this is NOT Riddler letting Batman off the hook but rather a test. Because once Riddler sees Batman/Bruce’s demeanor change, he knows that his hypothesis has been proven. Why else would Bruce/Batman finally relax after Riddler fakes that he doesn’t know that Batman is Bruce. That reaction is the final tell for Riddler. Which is why AFTER that reaction occurs and Batman starts to get cocky that Riddler comments, “both you and I know that I’m looking at the real you”. You see, the riddle has been solved, and the “secret identity” doesn’t matter anyway because it is a false identity. So once Batman rebukes Riddler’s offer and admits to not having figured out his endgame, Riddler’s plan shifts as he knows that Batman/Bruce are one and the same and that Bruce/Batman must die. Enter the flood and siege of Gotham Square Garden – which will finally effectuate that end. The flood is a very unfortunate, massive, and tragic piece of collateral damage – but Riddler needed just such an event to finally get rid of someone as difficult to eliminate as Bruce Wayne/The Batman.
(Side note: now I do think there is a chance that Riddler knew that Bruce Wayne was Batman LONG before the film even started and this whole elaborate scheme was a way for him to finally get to Bruce/Batman – to try to turn him to an ally.)
RIDDLER KNOWS BRUCE AND BATMAN ARE THE SAME PERSON AND THE FLOOD AND SIEGE OF GOTHAM SQUARE GARDEN IS AN ASSASINATION ATTEMPT – ON THE BATMAN
Now that hopefully I have laid my case out that, by the third act of the film, the Riddler 100% knows that Bruce Wayne is The Batman, we can talk about the flood and ensuing siege not as an attempt to crash Gotham’s financial system, or punish the citizens of Gotham, or even to make the people finally say “why us” – as the Riddler so melodramatically exhorts his followers – all of that is part of Riddler’s rhetoric to make his followers go through with his plan, to become his instruments of execution, setting a trap where Batman/Bruce Wayne will finally be killed and humiliated, his legacy utterly destroyed.
The proof of this, for me, was when we see Riddler at the end of the film, crying in his cell and screaming “NO, NO, NO, NO”. You see he wouldn’t have been doing this if he was just hoping for the flood and the siege to destroy Gotham – because it did. The flood was a wild success, Gotham is in shambles – the city is in a state of emergency (as mentioned by both Batman and Selina Kyle). Instead he is crying in frustration because his ACTUAL plan, the assassination of Bruce Wayne/Batman is not only unsuccessful – but it has turned Batman into a hero and a symbol of hope.
Furthermore, Riddler has also lost the person whom he thought might be his only friend – the one ally that he was hoping for, Batman/Bruce. Which is why Joker showing up is actually kind of important too, as finding a new “friend” is going to really help Riddler through this tough spot. But that’s not what this blog is about. Ultimately Batman’s transformation in the middle of this flood and siege becomes the ultimate humiliation for Riddler, as Bruce Wayne and Batman live on as heroes of Gotham.
No Scoops Club 