The music of The Batman stands on its own with clenched first in the haunting film.

by Ryan Buynak

The Batman sees Robert Pattinson face off against Paul Dano, who assumes the role of supervillian/serial killer the Riddler. The movie features a darker and grittier approach to Gotham City and the Caped Crusader. Critics and audiences alike are praising The Batman for its more personal exploration of Batman as a character, as well as the cinematography but it is Michael Giacchino's score that stood out to me and made the whole film come together.

Following in Big Bat Footsteps

Danny Elfman did the score for the 1989 film Batman, directed by Tim Burton, and starring Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson. The scores for Batman Begins and The Dark Knight were collaborative efforts between movie music mega composers Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard. Just as Elfman’s score fit their respective films perfectly, Giacchino’s score is the symphonic equivalent of Reeves’ film, suggesting the haunted figure behind the mask amid the grim maelstrom of Gotham crime.

Nirvana? Yep!

In addition to Giacchino's haunting and propulsive score, The Batman also features Nirvana's "Something In The Way" on two occasions during the movie. The song fits perfectly within the themes and scenes of the film. The movie has evidently inspired viewers to listen to the song outside of the film, with Spotify reporting a 1200% increase in streams on their platform.

A Musical Riddle

Michael Giacchino’s dark symphony for “The Batman” — from his brooding theme for Bruce Wayne to children’s choir for the Riddler and noirish stylings for Catwoman — is the most ambitious score.

“Michael brought soul, he brought dread, he brought all of the emotional and atmospheric undercurrents that a movie like this requires,” director Matt Reeves tells Bothering the Band. “You almost can’t articulate what he brings — you can just feel it, how he expresses himself through music, how it relates to the story.”

The average movie-goer doesn’t think about things like film scores, but for The Batman it only added to the whole swirling vortex that made this film unblinking entertainment.