Should Batman self narrate?

[Neno_Kos]

Originally Posted by uniqueweasel

I agree with Jekecy, Batman as a character is very introspective, and we need something different than previously seen, I want to get more characterisation when he's actually Batman.

I want only hear his inner monologue during times he finds new traces who leads to a villain (showing him already experienced, known as The Greatest Detective, mentions maybe characterisation of villain, his work of habits or something, where Batman together with audience can interract "It must be Joker, what they are planning etc. everything covered in big mystery, but traces are puzzles") just like in Arkham games. I just love Arkham games and they deserves own live action movie.

[The Boy Scout]

It wouldn't bother me if it was done right. It could easily be done wrong, though. I don't think it's worth the risk.

[Green Goblin]

I didn't like it in IM3 so personally no.

[Mulholland-Jr]

Not with Goyer writing.

[BatmanGoesToRio]

I hope the Batman reboot gets another writer than Goyer. The "Man Of Steel" script was pretty weak IMHO.

[RustyCage]

I was actually quite sad that this was taken out of the animated adaptation of The Dark Knight Returns. It's really the heart and soul of the book - and that goes for many other Batman books. The greats. Peter Weller could have gotten way into it and given us a gripping look at Batman's psyche.

There's something about getting into his head and really just feeling like... this is what it feels like to be Batman. This is what it feels like to -see- and -think- from inside his head.

It adds a whole new layer to the detectivey stuff, but also the combat. Instead of just cool wham-bam I'm a ninja stuff, it becomes deeply surgical and intelligent. The perspective it adds emphasizes it more than simply showing it. I feel like it provides Batman half of his personality, and that Batman's personality is sometimes missing from the existing films.

Then again, it's also a spectacle seeing a silent, steady, spooky, dark-silhouette Batman who isn't saying anything...

Are there other ways to get it across than self-narration? It's possible.

Is self-narration inherently corny? I think it's all in the quality of the writing.

Another example: RDJ's Sherlock Holmes (even though I prefer Mr. Cumberbatch, but that's beside the point).

[storyteller]

If you do narration it's gotta be handled with care. I like how Sherlock Holmes(RDJ) does it. What it does is that we become more intimate with the character.

[jonathancrane]

Originally Posted by storyteller

If you do narration it's gotta be handled with care. I like how Sherlock Holmes(RDJ) does it. What it does is that we become more intimate with the character.

Well said.

I just do not want to become an easy way for the writers to sprout exposition.

[Happy Jack]

Originally Posted by RustyCage

I was actually quite sad that this was taken out of the animated adaptation of The Dark Knight Returns. It's really the heart and soul of the book - and that goes for many other Batman books. The greats. Peter Weller could have gotten way into it and given us a gripping look at Batman's psyche.

Yeah, I don't know why they didn't go with at least portions of it. The characters are fairly mute without it because the internal dialogue colors them deeply. And not just Batman; nearly every major character has a monologue at one point. Some of the greatest pieces of writing in the comic is the self-narration and it held the movie version back.

[johnrain]

In Watchmen, they did Rorschach's journal and it was narration and it worked well.

[omens]

Originally Posted by RustyCage

Another example: RDJ's Sherlock Holmes (even though I prefer Mr. Cumberbatch, but that's beside the point).

That's what I thought of when I tried to recall a film with self-narration. There's also the fan-film City of Scars and it worked well there IMO.

I wouldn't want it for everything but it would be a way of demonstrating how Batman's mind works, especially if they had him in a scene portraying Bruce eg at a party, but underneath he's thinking about tactics or something.

[Victarion]

Originally Posted by titansupes

No narration for me. 85-90% of the time it's just grating.

Especially if it's "He panics and rushes at me, I move swiftly and shatter his arm with a critical strike. I AM GOTHAM CITY". Shut the **** up, Bruce.

My thoughts exactly.

[gwynplaine]

Sure, why not? Narration is hard to pull off though.
Also should Batman have white eyes again, like in the comics? (only better done than in TDK this time)

[CaptainJJ]

anyone who plays the Arkham games knows there is a lot of narration from the Bat, and to my mind it works in that context. In the films, I'd like to see him stay almost silent which would serve to make him more of a "monster" than a crime fighter. Narration during his detective work might be ok but a clever director can put the pieces together with the right camera angles and such.

[Two-Face]

No he shouldn't not in the live-actions. Arkham games are fine when he's tell you what do to do.

[CFE]

I actually don't recall there being that much narration in the "Arkham" games. Not in terms of internal monologues at least.

Batman describing the steps taken during 'Detective Mode' investigations was a necessary mechanic given the medium of being a video game but he didn't go on long diatribes about his psychology or his relationship to Gotham or whatever.

As for doing so in a film, I share the sentiment that it COULD be done well...but ultimately I'd pass on it.

If you want an example of how narration would go in a Batman film, it's simple. Just go watch the Bat In The Sun short films. "City of Scars," "Seeds of Arkham"...they use voice over narration for better or worse.

[Tequilla]

Its a easy way to hide the lack of talent from most comic writers. Usually in film medium , with all the visual aid , it can become a little too redundant. But yeah sure , as long as its well written.