Paul Dano is Edward Nashton aka "The Riddler"

[Art Vandelay]

Dano has never given a performance in his career that didn’t have some level of comedy to it.

I don't recall him being particularly funny in Prisoners.

 

[I Am The Knight]

Batman's reaction to the dark web video:

Batman's reaction to the rat video:

"Wow, that is wild stuff. So Selina, how many cats do you keep in here?"

 

[Art Vandelay]

Riddler should be funny and weird and creepy and ridiculous. If ppl want to see Ave Maria scene as seriously creepy , they can. I’ve seen some YouTube reactions to that scene where they didn’t laugh. And then you have a lot of us here who know Dano’s ticks and found it hilarious. The scene isn’t a death where one character cracks a joke right after

Well is it supposed to be funny, or isn't it? I understand the concept of dark humor, but that was not a scene that called for it. For what should have been a pivotal, dramatic scene, it undercut the drama. To me it didn't feel like a case where the audience is meant to find the character funny. Penguin is clearly meant to be humorous. The audience laughs both with him and at him. With Dano, I feel like I'm laughing at the actor's performance, but not because he wants me to.

I get that the Riddler is a loathsome dork. But there are moments when he's meant to be taken seriously, and I think Dano's ticks at times worked against this.

 

[DeadlyWest]

I don't recall him being particularly funny in Prisoners.

That's because his character in Prisoners was a lot more low-key. Quieter, more shy.

His Riddler, on the other hand, is borderline eccentric in a extremely neurotic way. He's a goddamn doofus

And given this tweet



I think that's pretty safe verification that at least some of Riddler's more quirky moments were intentionally funny on some level

 

[Boom]

Batman's reaction to the dark web video:

 

[Drizzle]

I think deranged is the perfect word to describe Paul Dano's RIddler. He's got serious motive but he's also a dude you would see on a forum talking nonsense.

True. I've seen plenty on this very forum having the same kind of meltdown:

 

[BatLobster]

True. I've seen plenty on this very forum having the same kind of meltdown:

I have a feeling Edward would really want to see a certain universe restored.

 

[antsman41]

Yes it’s dark humour.

Just like...

- thumb drive
- penguin's teaching spanish
- "thomas wayne approves this message"

...brilliant.

 

[DeadlyWest]

True. I've seen plenty on this very forum having the same kind of meltdown:

I love the look Bruce gives when Ed starts screaming here lmao

Literally just "bruh tf is up with this dude"

 

[shauner111]

The artists intention doesn’t matter. It’s how you interpret it. That’s all that matters. This is why a lot of lyricists say “if you think my song means THIS, you’re right”.

 

[shauner111]

I don't recall him being particularly funny in Prisoners.

His least comedic performance but I still laughed at a couple of his reactions.

 

[Brother Jack]

I was on the fence about Dano's performance the first time I saw the film but I've warmed up to it as time's gone on. I kind of love how he devolves into a tantrum-throwing child once the mask comes off. It's an appropriate parallel to Bruce; they're both stunted children underneath their costumes. Having said that I do think Dano goes a little too far in some places, mainly his rant in the final video. It's a little too shrill and "I'm crazy" and doesn't vibe with the tone.

 

[Lautox]

The artists intention doesn’t matter. It’s how you interpret it. That’s all that matters. This is why a lot of lyricists say “if you think my song means THIS, you’re right”.

comedy and everything in this life is subjective

 

[I Am The Knight]

The artists intention doesn’t matter. It’s how you interpret it. That’s all that matters. This is why a lot of lyricists say “if you think my song means THIS, you’re right”.

Lawd.

 

[shauner111]

Lawd.

It matters while it’s being created, not when it’s being consumed. Interpretation and the freedom of that...that is what is important with art.

 

[Quixotica]

That Dete character sounds like a complete moron. At 55 Reeves is a true blue Gen Xer, a generation who, besides cynicism, has as their cultural trademark a delightfully twisted sense of humor. Imagine thinking Riddler starting a social media video with the cliched "Hey guys" was not intentionally darkly funny.

 

[Ryan]

Totally agree. When he starts squealing, or raising his voice, the characters just comes off as annoying, not scary. The moment he starts singing Ave Maria is meant to be eerie, but just ends up being unintentionally funny.

I'd be fine if we never saw Riddler again.

Completely agree.

 

[Ryan]

I don't recall him being particularly funny in Prisoners.

He was hilarious....you just 'missed it'.

 

[Doc Samson]

I liked the performance. I thought he was more chilling and unnerving when he wasn't trying to be. When they arrest him and they focus on his face smiling, it's the creepiest moment of the movie for me. And as far as "plans" go it's probably my favorite from a plot perspective.

When he goes over the top, it usually works but he does that subtle creep thing so well I would've been fine with just that. The Riddler and Joker can share some similarities with how they challenge Batman mentally with traps and games so when you start making him more crazed it can appear to be derivative even if it's not.

 

[WayneMB]

 

[WayneMB]

 

[Lautox]

Early Riddler concept art he kinda looks like Jeremy Strong

 

[GothamCity]

He was really overacting in the film.
Too much screaming and raising his voice, was really irritating. Too over the top actually.

 

[Lautox]

Riddler is clearly on the spectrum as well as Batman I think it was great. Plus Riddler is supposed to be irritating bruh??? Let's not talk about this it's getting irritating to read.

 

[Doctor Jones]

Having seen this Riddler, if the rumors of Jonah Hill possibly playing Riddler were true, it's interesting to think of him as this particular version.

It would have been different from Dano whereas with Dano, who is less known blends into the role more and he feels more like the anonymous Dahmer like serial killer. His reveal at the diner is more surprising because he has that unassuming, boyish, choir boy quality to him. When he has his outburst, the creep factor is ramped up because it's coming from this innocent looking guy. He has the pathetic aspect pinned down which is who the Riddler is at this core. "A pathetic psychopath." Plus you can buy Dano using a mask to carry out his crimes.

With Hill, you have a more known actor so the "unmasking" of him isn't as surprising but bringing our familiarity with Hill to the role, the angry aspect of the character would have been more amplified to which Hill has the chops to do. It's more like a Chris Nolan piece of casting, a larger known actor. I'm glad we got Dano, but Hill would have been just as interesting and true to the character with what he could have brought to it. I can imagine him in that Arkham scene playing off of Pattinson. He would have killed it.