Great analysis, Morgoth. Long, long comment here, but I wanted to contribute to some of the conversation about this film. I actually enjoyed a lot of parts of this movie. In many ways I feel it got the character right where the other Batman films did not. Obviously the injection of the woke racial politics was jarring. This film could have said some very interesting things, but unfortunately, we live in a time where our institutions cannot be honest about anything. That, I believe, it the main takeaway from this film.
The theme of this film is that everyone is lying. Everyone has dirt. Everyone has failed to keep their promises. The politicians, the police, even Bruce’s own father. The only person in this film that stays squeaky clean, however, seems to be the sloganeering black female mayoral candidate for Gotham. If the city simply gets progressive enough and votes for her, all will be made right. This is the central lie of the entire film, which we as the audience members, are supposed to leave the theater believing in.
Running with your theme, Morgoth, I think this is a movie for Gen Z. This film pretends to be frank about our social and political problems. But rather than be honest and admit that this system is fundamentally broken and not fixable, it covers over all of the lies and broken promises with yet another lie- the progressive lie. This is the Gen Z moment in a nutshell. Replace one lie with another to try and make all of the bad things go away.
This film could have been much more interesting if could only be more honest. Perhaps the mayoral candidate is making back room deals like all of the others. This makes the symbol of “Real Change” yet another liar in a system that one man cannot possibly hope to fix.
Instead, this film ends with a very generic political speech from the newly elected mayor, telling people to rebuild their faith and hope in a system that has failed them over and over again. So, Batman recovers from his fighting Riddler’s goons and gets ready to become invested in the lie of Gotham once again. We as the audience members leave the theater ready to invest in our own mendacious systems. Political containment in a film. One lie to cover another. Truly a film made for Gen Z.
One can go and research how many "real change" black politicians are busted for fraud and ethics violations and embezzlement, literal drug dealing, etc to see how voting for negros actually works out.
As a zoomer myself, I'd say that the analysis of total lack of soul is completely correct.
I myself am completely deracinated (product of miscegenation), and only feel a connection and kinship with others through shared interests mostly stemming from pop-culture rather than anything deeper or more meaningful.
There is a palpable dark cloud that looks over every person in my generation I talk with. They all feel it to some extent.
I felt the same way about the "white privilege", completely took me out of it for awhile.
The theatre I was in was almost all young men. It looked like a drafted platoon.
From just the preview (I have yet to see The Batman) I could tell that this would be more in the line of Joker (2019), of which I thoroughly enjoyed. It seems that the villains nowadays are actually the forces of change and hope--sabotaging a diseased and hopelessly corrupted system and smiling as it all comes crashing down. The ultimate problem with Batman is that he cannot end up on the wrong side of "Liberal Morality", per the dictates of the system. If he did, we would end up with something like The Dark Knight Returns, wherein he finally gives up on the idea of not killing his enemies and comes to grips with his role in allowing evil to savage and destroy (the Joker).
I feel like this film and Joker are going to be some of the last movies that will have anything worth enjoying for superhero movies for the next few years. I hope that we as the Dissident Right can take this opportunity to start making our own films and get our foot in the door--even though we face mass resistance against any right-wing idea--and hopefully to portray superheroes in a very different light than what we've been used to.
Sounds like a mildly engrossing film, I'll probably watch it once it comes out on video.
The deconstruction of Batman's parents was impressive. Beyond just being rich (privileged) Batman's father hired criminals to do dirty work for him and Batman's mother (Martha) was institutionalized several times after seeing her own mother (Batman's grandmother) kill Martha's father. The ''white privileged assholes'' was the most immediately jarring line. But deconstructing Batman's parents from just being rich to being criminal and insane was even more subversive. You don't deserve your wealth, white man, and your lineage is filled with insanity and criminality.
I heard the line as “white, privileged “ which hardly makes it better as the focus is still on their whiteness first, but made it slightly more palatable. I also found myself relating to Riddler and was almost surprised at the response he got from Batman. Without Riddler the bad guys would still be in charge. Also, until breaking the dams he didn’t issue an undeserved sentence. The Xer I saw it with couldn’t relate to the revenge the way I could.
Indeed, as cool and manly as Clint Eastwood generally is. His character Dirty Harry all too often was a vehicle for "progress" and the status quo (he was a cop after all). Like with your example or the early Feminism of forcing women into the police force (a job I feel they have to place in)
Saw the film with some mates of mine on Wednesday, they’re both at uni and definitely lean to the left, however both of them brought up that “white privileged assholes” line as being jarring.
I haven't seen it, and I doubt I will, but since all movies follow the same script, I think I can safely assume that the mixed-race Zoe (((Kravitz))) character is actually in love with the "evil White male" she purports to despise, right?
Another thing that Gen Z batman has other than the resentment towards a cruel system they birthed them and tortured them is polarization.
The downtrodden are at odds with the elite. The "diverse POC" is at odds with white men. And even you g white men can be at odd with each other as with Batman and the Riddler.
GenZ is marked not just by it's indignation against a broken society, but it's total polarization on all lines.
Great analysis, Morgoth. Long, long comment here, but I wanted to contribute to some of the conversation about this film. I actually enjoyed a lot of parts of this movie. In many ways I feel it got the character right where the other Batman films did not. Obviously the injection of the woke racial politics was jarring. This film could have said some very interesting things, but unfortunately, we live in a time where our institutions cannot be honest about anything. That, I believe, it the main takeaway from this film.
The theme of this film is that everyone is lying. Everyone has dirt. Everyone has failed to keep their promises. The politicians, the police, even Bruce’s own father. The only person in this film that stays squeaky clean, however, seems to be the sloganeering black female mayoral candidate for Gotham. If the city simply gets progressive enough and votes for her, all will be made right. This is the central lie of the entire film, which we as the audience members, are supposed to leave the theater believing in.
Running with your theme, Morgoth, I think this is a movie for Gen Z. This film pretends to be frank about our social and political problems. But rather than be honest and admit that this system is fundamentally broken and not fixable, it covers over all of the lies and broken promises with yet another lie- the progressive lie. This is the Gen Z moment in a nutshell. Replace one lie with another to try and make all of the bad things go away.
This film could have been much more interesting if could only be more honest. Perhaps the mayoral candidate is making back room deals like all of the others. This makes the symbol of “Real Change” yet another liar in a system that one man cannot possibly hope to fix.
Instead, this film ends with a very generic political speech from the newly elected mayor, telling people to rebuild their faith and hope in a system that has failed them over and over again. So, Batman recovers from his fighting Riddler’s goons and gets ready to become invested in the lie of Gotham once again. We as the audience members leave the theater ready to invest in our own mendacious systems. Political containment in a film. One lie to cover another. Truly a film made for Gen Z.
Excellent comment!
The tragedy of Batman is that he's an Overman who has to dedicate his life in the service of ants.
“This is the Gen Z moment in a nutshell. Replace one lie with another to try and make all of the bad things go away…”
That’s a great observation. The scary aspect is when the lies get stale there will be a new social media charged zeitgeist just around the corner.
One can go and research how many "real change" black politicians are busted for fraud and ethics violations and embezzlement, literal drug dealing, etc to see how voting for negros actually works out.
As a zoomer myself, I'd say that the analysis of total lack of soul is completely correct.
I myself am completely deracinated (product of miscegenation), and only feel a connection and kinship with others through shared interests mostly stemming from pop-culture rather than anything deeper or more meaningful.
There is a palpable dark cloud that looks over every person in my generation I talk with. They all feel it to some extent.
I felt the same way about the "white privilege", completely took me out of it for awhile.
The theatre I was in was almost all young men. It looked like a drafted platoon.
Also if you see this I'm a really big fan and really appreciate your perspective.
I've seen it, great to have you here
From just the preview (I have yet to see The Batman) I could tell that this would be more in the line of Joker (2019), of which I thoroughly enjoyed. It seems that the villains nowadays are actually the forces of change and hope--sabotaging a diseased and hopelessly corrupted system and smiling as it all comes crashing down. The ultimate problem with Batman is that he cannot end up on the wrong side of "Liberal Morality", per the dictates of the system. If he did, we would end up with something like The Dark Knight Returns, wherein he finally gives up on the idea of not killing his enemies and comes to grips with his role in allowing evil to savage and destroy (the Joker).
I feel like this film and Joker are going to be some of the last movies that will have anything worth enjoying for superhero movies for the next few years. I hope that we as the Dissident Right can take this opportunity to start making our own films and get our foot in the door--even though we face mass resistance against any right-wing idea--and hopefully to portray superheroes in a very different light than what we've been used to.
Sounds like a mildly engrossing film, I'll probably watch it once it comes out on video.
Thanks for the content, Morgoth!
The deconstruction of Batman's parents was impressive. Beyond just being rich (privileged) Batman's father hired criminals to do dirty work for him and Batman's mother (Martha) was institutionalized several times after seeing her own mother (Batman's grandmother) kill Martha's father. The ''white privileged assholes'' was the most immediately jarring line. But deconstructing Batman's parents from just being rich to being criminal and insane was even more subversive. You don't deserve your wealth, white man, and your lineage is filled with insanity and criminality.
I heard the line as “white, privileged “ which hardly makes it better as the focus is still on their whiteness first, but made it slightly more palatable. I also found myself relating to Riddler and was almost surprised at the response he got from Batman. Without Riddler the bad guys would still be in charge. Also, until breaking the dams he didn’t issue an undeserved sentence. The Xer I saw it with couldn’t relate to the revenge the way I could.
I was reminded of Magnum Force when the young bikers just outright kill the scumbags and Dirty Harry has to explain it's going to far.
Indeed, as cool and manly as Clint Eastwood generally is. His character Dirty Harry all too often was a vehicle for "progress" and the status quo (he was a cop after all). Like with your example or the early Feminism of forcing women into the police force (a job I feel they have to place in)
Saw the film with some mates of mine on Wednesday, they’re both at uni and definitely lean to the left, however both of them brought up that “white privileged assholes” line as being jarring.
I haven't seen it, and I doubt I will, but since all movies follow the same script, I think I can safely assume that the mixed-race Zoe (((Kravitz))) character is actually in love with the "evil White male" she purports to despise, right?
Another thing that Gen Z batman has other than the resentment towards a cruel system they birthed them and tortured them is polarization.
The downtrodden are at odds with the elite. The "diverse POC" is at odds with white men. And even you g white men can be at odd with each other as with Batman and the Riddler.
GenZ is marked not just by it's indignation against a broken society, but it's total polarization on all lines.