Director Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy never shied away from pushing the dark-and-gritty envelope with its visuals, atmosphere, and violent depiction of the perpetually crime-riddled Gotham City. Nolan’s viscerally grounded take on the Caped Crusader emerged as a cultural and artistic course correction to Joel Schumacher‘s campy, overwhelmingly derided Batman & Robin. Instead, Batman Begins echoed Tim Burton and Michael Keaton‘s world of gothic architecture, moral ambiguity, and chiaroscuro tones, but the trilogy developed a distinct story thanks to Nolan’s creative sensibilities. Even with director Matt Reeves‘ outstanding The Batman, Nolan’s interpretation remains a seminal favorite for many when it comes to that rich guy who deals with his trauma by dressing up as a bat instead of going to therapy.
