The Batman

Product Information

The special effects work here by stunt drivers is simply impressive, considering that they had real traffic with each vehicle being driven by a stunt driver or in some cases multiple drivers. Home Entertainment has done an excellent job here and essentially does this film justice on home video in 4K. Looking closely I love the details in Batman’s skull-like cowl from the individual stitching to the scrapes and scuffs he’s taken from close-quarters combat.

All and all, “The Batman” (2022) was unlike any of the other Batman films over the years since 1966 or 1989. Meanwhile, the utter chaotic crimewave in Gotham with Penguin (Colin Farrell) and Falcone (John Turturro) at the top goes further into their corrupt dealings that make things difficult for the GCPD and Batman himself. The physical copy will include a number of special features including deleted scenes with analysis from Matt Reeves but not a full director's commentary.

Meanwhile, the city of Gotham is struggling with mass corruption, drug addiction, homelessness, and organized crime run by the infamous “Carmine Falcone” ( John Turturro). This allows for Batman's true emotions and psyche to air out as it does in the first sequence when he takes out some thugs singlehandedly in an ultra-violent way and reveals that his name is "Vengeance". Those picking up The Batman DVD won't be treated to as many extras, however, as this version only comes with the Unpacking The Icons extra.

But in the early to mid-2000s, there was a new kind of caped crusader patrolling the streets of Gotham in The Batman: The Complete Series which not only won a ton of awards over its five-season run but created a different approach than anything that came before it. There is some small crush in darker scenes and there is some mild banding in each episode, but overall, the image is a big upgrade from its previous release.

That’s where home media swoops in like a convenient caped crusader, ready to solve the issue of repeat viewing. After the main villains wreak havoc, the lesser-known faces peek through the shadows with Killer Croc, Man-Bat, Spellbinder, and more. There’s an abundance of detail to be found here in every single shot which helps really pull you into the story and get lost in the escapism that we find in movies. One of the absolute highlights of this mix comes with the sound of when first hearing The Batmobile fire up its engines.

I’d like to first state that the film’s director Matt Reeves actually discusses in the audio commentary track thinking of how a specific scene would feel in the immersive sound format, so he decided to consult with his sound department about how to make it come across perfect in the Dolby Atmos mix. These feature the same two scenes above but with the option for audio commentary from the filmmaker. It’s rare that a filmmaker takes the time to think about these things as they are making the film and then in post-production.

This film gives him strikingly little time out of the cape and cowl and when he is out from under the mask, he’s far from the attractive hunky billionaire playboy.