By Scoot Allan
Matt Reeves' The Batman told a complex detective story that challenged the main characters to showcase their intelligence as well as their strengths.
The Dark Knight of Gotham City was rebooted again in 2022 by director Matt Reeves withThe Batman, a dark and gritty detective story that followed Batman in his second year as a costumed vigilante. His mind is put to the test by the appearance of a masked serial killer named The Riddler who leaves clues about his plans toreveal Gotham's hidden secrets.
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While there were plenty of action scenes for fans looking for a typical superhero movie, the hard-boiled detective story at the core of thefilm forced theheroes and villains to showcase their intelligence as well as their strength. We'll be taking a closer look at a few of the main characters fromThe Batman to see who is the most intelligent.
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9 The Penguin Is A Street Smart Crime Boss Who Isn't Usually Known For His Intelligence
Colin Farrell starred as Oswald "Oz" Cobblepot/The Penguin inThe Batman, one of the head crime bosses in the Falcone crime syndicate. He was in charge of the Iceberg Lounge and thesecretive 44 Below club that catered to Gotham's corrupt and elite.
While The Penguin isn't exactly known for his intelligence, he also isn't someone to be underestimated and has amassed a lot of street knowledge. The Penguin was also able to prove he wasn't just another dumb criminal when he made both Batman and James Gordon look foolishbecause of theirinability to interpret a Riddler clue that was writtenin Spanish.
8 Bella Reál Is A Politician Running For Mayor Who Wants To Fix The City With Wayne's Help
Gotham City's politics played a large role inThe Batman's past and present, as one of The Riddler's first kills was the current mayor of the city. However, he had also targeted a woman named BellaReál (played by Jayme Lawson) who was running against the recently deceased mayor.
While fans didn't see too much of Bella Reál in the movie, it was clear she had the best interests of Gotham City at heart. She knew that she needed someone like Bruce Wayne on her side to help, given his resources as well as the family's history of philanthropy.
7 Carmine Falcone Rules Gotham's Underworld And GCPD Through Secrets And Manipulations
John Turturro portrayed the criminal head of Gotham City's underworld and head of the Falcone crime syndicate, Carmine Falcone. He was also eventually revealed as the secret boss of politicians, District Attorneys, and even police officers who were all stealing money from the unsupervised Wayne Renewal Fund.
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Falcone was smart enough to use the opportunity to rat out rival crime boss Sal Maroni and steal his drugbusinessin order to set himself up as the undisputed king of Gotham. He even teased that he knew Batman's secret identitywhen he recognized Bruce Wayne's eyes, though he wasn't smart enough to save himself from becomingone of The Riddler's victims.
While The Batman was one of the few movies starring the Dark Knight that didn't feature a retelling of his dark origin and his parents' murder, the Waynes still played a large role in the movie because they were tied to The Riddler's goals to unmask the truth about Gotham City. Bruce's father Thomas Wayne was played in flashback scenes and 'historic' footage by Luke Roberts.
Wayne was a talented surgeon whowas manipulated by Carmine Falcone after he was forced to save the mob boss' life after a shooting. Wayne hoped to use his resources to help save Gotham City while also running for mayor, though he was murdered by Falcone after he threatened to turn the criminal in to the police for the murder of a reporter.
5 Selina Kyle Is A Talented Cat Burglar Turned Tech-Savvy Vigilante Named Catwoman
The Batman introduceda new version of Batman's closest allies and love interests in Selina Kyle, portrayed by Zoë Kravitz. Kyle is a talented cat burglar with advanced knowledge of modern technology that she uses to break into safes and reprogram Batman's tech so shecan contact him.
When Batman first encountered the woman who will become Catwoman, she was working at The Iceberg Lounge as a waitress/drug dealer in order to get closer to Carmine Falcone, who was eventually revealed to be her father. While Selina is definitely a smart woman with numerous skills and abilities, there were a few others who still managed to outshine her cerebrally.
4 Lieutenant James Gordon Is One Of The GCPD's Brightest Detectives And Batman's Closest Ally
The GCPD featured inThe Batman is a largely corrupt and inefficient organization, though there are a few shining lights on the force. This includesLieutenant James Gordon, the future GCPD commissioner and close ally of Batman who was played by Jeffrey Wright in the 2022 film.
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Gordon was not only open-minded enough to see the merits of working alongside Batman while the rest of the GCPD treated him like a vigilante, but he was able to create a partnership with the Dark Knight that made them both better detectives. Gordon was also smart enough to keep his head above the GCPD's corruption, setting him up to really help the city with his experience.
3 The Batman Is An Observant Detective With A Quick Tactical Mind Who Is Still Learning
Robert Pattinsontook on the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman in the rebooted film, and he wowed fans with his take on the Dark Knight. This version of Wayne is still grieving the loss of his parents while also trying to find a path for his vengeance that can also be used to help save the city in a seemingly never-ending battle against crime.
This version of Batman showcased his advanced detective skills early when his examination of The Riddler's first murder uncovered clues that the forensic investigators had yet to even discover. He also easily solved most of The Riddler's clues, though there were a couple that managed to escape him.
2 The Riddler Used His Genius To Outsmart Batman And The GCPD With Murderous Riddles
When the masked killer played by Paul Dano first began communicating with the police and the people of Gotham City through recorded videos and live streams, hecalled himself The Riddler due to his lifelong love of puzzles. Cops eventually discovered his name was Edward Nashton, and that he had once been a troubled, drug-addicted Gotham City orphan.
However, The Riddler showcased his advanced intelligence in a number of ways, beginning with the various clues and cryptograms he left the police to taunt them and engage with the Batman. He even managed to trick Batman and Gordon into missing his real plan to flood the city by destroying the sea wall, proving he was more intelligent than his chosen opponent, Batman.
1 Alfred Pennyworth Helped Train The Batman And He Also Solved The Riddler'sCryptograms
The unsung hero ofThe Batman was Andy Serkis and his portrayal of Alfred Pennyworth, heavily influenced by the modernBatman:Earth One continuity. Alfred not only helped train Bruce Wayne to be a fighter as well as a detective but his own training with the British Secret Service made him a crucial ally in the Riddler investigation.
Alfredwas able to solve The Riddler's cryptograms and give a new perspective to Bruce Wayne's understanding of his parents when he revealed the truth behind their murder. Alfred's wisdom and intelligence have helped save Batman a number of times across various mediums, and the version from The Batmanwas no different.
NEXT:10 Lessons Matt Reeves' The Batman Should Learn From Past Movies