In the creation of The Batman, Matt Reeves was influenced by a number of classic films. The romance narrative between Batman and Catwoman is a tribute to Klute; the Carmine Falcone twist is a throwback to Chinatown's Noah Cross twist; and the Bat's voiceover diaries are similar to Travis Bickle's narration in Taxi Driver.
The Batman, on the other hand, has been frequently likened to David Fincher's gruesome neo-noir Se7en. The "buddy cop" interaction between Batman and Jim Gordon is reminiscent of Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman's detective partnership, while the Riddler's methodically planned killings are reminiscent of John Doe's Biblical crime spree.
1. Horror Noir Genre
Both Se7en and The Batman are "horror noirs," blending the horrific pleasures of horror with the hard-boiled crime plots of noir. In each instance, investigators are on the lookout for a serial murderer who is killing people one by one.
The gruesome crime scenes provide many opportunity for pulpy inquiry as well as slasher-level gore. Both films include persistent rain and gorgeously bleak images.
2. A City Riddled With Crime
Both Se7en and The Batman are set in a crime-ridden metropolis, recalling the noir trope of urban degradation. The mysterious crime-ridden metropolis in which Se7en takes set is thought to be a pre-Batman Gotham, according to a common fan idea.
Mills and Somerset, according to the hypothesis, are two G.C.P.D. investigators investigating the first of many branded serial murderers who would terrorise Gotham's streets. Gotham is the quintessential noir setting: a large metropolis rife with crime and corruption, guarded by a lone-wolf detective.
3. Carefully Planned Murders
Both John Doe and the Riddler arrange their killings precisely, with a repeating theme (and both keep diaries full of nonsensical ramblings). The Riddler's killings are based on his distinctive riddles and cyphers, whereas Doe's are based on the Bible's "Seven Deadly Sins."
In The Batman, The Riddler's murders are frequently used as terrible visual metaphors. He connects the mayor's severed thumb to a thumb drive that has damning photographs of him with his lover at the Iceberg Lounge. "Don't lose your head!" he says as he wraps a bomb around the district attorney's neck.
4. A Young Detective Working On His First Big Case
As Detective David Mills, Brad Pitt made one of his early star-making performances in Se7en. Mills is a hotshot detective anxious to solve his first big case. To track down John Doe, he's teamed up with a more seasoned crimefighter, similar to the Bat's partnership with the one officer in Gotham who supports his vigilantism.
Bruce Wayne is two years into his vigilante crusade when The Batman begins. He, like Mills, is still idealistic enough to believe in the prospect of rescuing the city from crime – but his ideals are about to be put to the test by a serial killer's gruesome work.
5. “Buddy Cop” Framework
The Se7en script by Andrew Kevin Walker is known for bringing the "buddy cop" concept to the horror genre. With Batman and Jim Gordon, the Batman does something similar. Whether they're scrutinising a body at the morgue or questioning a cuffed Penguin, Batman and Gordon have a witty banter that's reminiscent of classic "buddy cop" films.
Gordon is generally limited to supporting parts in Batman films, chatting with Batman on the roof of the police station before parting ways. In The Batman, however, Jeffrey Wright's nuanced portrayal of Gordon plays a supporting role alongside the Caped Crusader. They work together to solve the Riddler's killings, exchanging Se7en-style police banter in the face of gruesome evidence.
6. The Killer Turns Himself In
The Batman adopts Se7en's middle-act twist to enhance the stakes of the inquiry when the Riddler turns himself in. John Doe enters the police station with his hands up in Se7en. The Riddler doesn't give himself up as easily, but he attracts the cops to his flat and then waits patiently in a neighbouring cafe to be apprehended.
This turns out to be a part of their greater plan in both situations. Doe uses a FedEx delivery of a severed head to cement his destiny as one of his own victims, while the Riddler agrees to be sent to Arkham so he may finally meet Batman as seen in The Batman review.
7. A Veteran Lawman Who Believes In Justice
Morgan Freeman, who plays Detective Lieutenant William Somerset in Se7en, provides a fantastic performance opposite Pitt. When Somerset, on the verge of retirement, is teamed with a hotshot young rookie whose belief in justice hasn't been challenged and destroyed by years of witnessing widespread injustice, he recalls what made him want to be a cop in the first place.
Gordon's characterization as the G.C.P.D.'s single straight arrow — Gotham's most incorruptible officer – mirrors Somerset's poignant closing words from Se7en: "Ernest Hemingway once wrote, 'The world is a good place and worth fighting for.'" The second part is something I agree with." Gordon understands that Gotham may be beyond rescue, but that does not mean he will abandon the city.
