Iconic Batman Movie Mistakes You Can't Unsee

Batman has been one of the most esteemed and successful superheroes on the big screen in the last two decades or so, but his movies have not been immune to errors. From Christopher Nolan’s iconic trilogy to The Batman in 2022, the Dark Knight’s films have had some blunders that made it all the way through editing to release. The ones on this list are still visible today in the latest streaming version of the movies, showing that they haven’t been corrected at all. These are the kinds of visual goofs that are easy to miss on a first, second, or third viewing, but once they’re pointed out to you, they’re hard to miss ever again.

For those who hold these films in high esteem, it might be prudent to avert your gaze, but dedicated fans can rejoice in both the flaws and the strengths of these movies. In fact, it adds a touch of humanity to notice such small details and understand that even remarkable films are pieced together moment by moment. Here’s a list of ten noteworthy blunders in Batman films from the past two decades.

Ducard’s Unconscious Reactions

In the heart-pounding finale of “Batman Begins,” I conclude my training with the League of Shadows, but I balk at their ruthless approach to eliminating foes. My resistance ignites a fierce battle, and in a desperate move, I detonate explosives hidden within this secluded mountain lair, collapsing it upon those inside. My mentor, “Ducard” (portrayed by Liam Neeson), is knocked unconscious amidst the chaos. With great effort, I hoist him up and carry him from the burning wreckage, only to find ourselves perilously close to a steep cliff’s edge. In a split second, I manage to prevent him from falling, but I must leave him there, still unconscious.

In this scene, there are two significant flaws that challenge the audience’s ability to suspend disbelief. First, when an unconscious Ducard slides towards the cliff face-down, he maintains a position where his head doesn’t drag on the ice. This could potentially be justified by suggesting his armor is providing support, but it’s quite a stretch. The more obvious visual inconsistency occurs when Ducard falls off the cliff and Bruce manages to pull him back up using his hand. The camera angle clearly shows them gripping each other’s hands, which seems implausible given that Ducard is unconscious and limp.

Wayne Manor Fire

Later in the film, Ducard unveils himself as Ra’s al Ghul and heads to Gotham with vengeance on his mind, aiming to destroy the city. He clashes with Bruce at Wayne Manor, igniting a blaze before departing to carry out the remainder of his destructive plans. During their struggle, Bruce is buried under a timber support and left for dead. However, just as it seems all hope is lost, Alfred arrives in the nick of time to clear the debris off Bruce and whisk him away from the crumbling mansion.

The concern lies with the constant state of the fire. To be specific, the wooden beam that struck Bruce was already ablaze upon impact, rendering him unconscious and imprisoning him within the mansion. Later, when Alfred enters the house, the beam appears undamaged in the scene where he removes it from Bruce. However, as soon as Bruce is liberated, the beam reignites. Moreover, this inconsistency isn’t isolated to just the wooden beam; the table with a globe on it in the backdrop seems to alternate between raging flames and untouched condition.

Driving Speed

The image you see is taken from “The Dark Knight,” specifically during the part where Harvey Dent, seeking revenge for Rachel’s death, tracks down criminal masterminds. In a particular scene, he conceals himself in Salvatore Maroni’s vehicle, ambushing him later. Interestingly, the scenes outside their windows appear to be running at drastically different speeds. It’s likely that this scene was filmed in a studio, using green screens in the windows to add the background later. While Maroni’s window shows the car starting from a standstill, Dent’s window immediately portrays the vehicle moving quickly.

In Christopher Nolan’s trilogy, there are several inaccuracies involving cars, especially the Batmobile. Here’s one more instance from the film “Batman Begins.” When Bruce Wayne is speeding his Rolls Royce dangerously fast, take a closer look at the dashboard speedometer; it surprisingly shows zero. This further highlights Christian Bale’s impressive acting skills.

Slow Ferries

In the intense climax of The Dark Knight, a crucial scene unfolds on two ferries transporting prisoners and civilians away from Gotham City. The Joker provides each passenger with the ability to detonate the other ferry, aiming to expose their selfish tendencies by instigating conflict between them. However, there’s a discrepancy in the timeline: The ferries are shown filling up during daylight hours, then departing from the harbor at dusk. When the ethical dilemma arises, it’s pitch black outside and supposedly around midnight, but the dock is still visible. This implies that if the ferries had actually left at dusk, their journey would have ended by this time, making the Joker’s plan less effective.

Rooftop Fight

In Christopher Nolan’s standout Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises, the initial intense battle between Batman and Catwoman truly ignites excitement, occurring approximately 53 minutes into the movie. At this point, Catwoman has Daggett at gunpoint on a rooftop while his henchmen are advancing to confront her. This fight sequence contains minor inaccuracies if scrutinized carefully, beginning with the large man on the left who topples to the ground without being struck by anything. This subtle mistake serves as a reminder that none of the punches in this fight are actually connecting.

In this climactic moment, there’s an unexpected inconsistency regarding Catwoman’s footwear. Throughout the movie, we’ve seen her donning high stiletto heels during heists and fights, even using them as weapons against her adversaries on the rooftop. However, when she makes a run for Batman’s hovercraft to escape, it becomes evident that she’s now wearing flat shoes. Though I appreciate the fact that Anne Hathaway didn’t physically perform the entire scene in heels, once you spot this discrepancy in this specific shot, it’s quite noticeable.

Stunt Explosion

It’s unrealistic to assume that the League of Shadows would adhere to OSHA regulations, yet their break-in into Gotham’s “infinite energy reactor” bunker strains credibility. Bane gives a signal, and his henchmen detonate explosives to breach the wall. In an unusual move, they all remain in place as one of them shouts a warning. However, they don’t move far enough away from the blast, and several are struck by debris. Upon closer inspection, you can see that these fragments of debris appear to be bouncy, which works well for the actors but raises questions about reactor containment safety.

Repetitive Car Chase

In the movie, The League threatens Gotham by moving a dangerous reactor around in an armored vehicle. The final part of the film focuses on characters attempting to stop this mobile weapon as it navigates through the city streets, often veering unpredictably. However, even though Bane intended for the truck to move erratically, you can’t help but notice that several familiar buildings and signs, such as a Jos A. Bank clothing store, appear repeatedly in the background during this climactic scene. In fact, the armored truck passes by this particular store at least three times while Gordon is trying to disable it, and after Talia al Ghul takes control of the vehicle’s steering wheel.

This could be the least serious mistake on this list, considering what follows, but it’s still amusing when you start recognizing landmarks in the scene. Fans frequently discuss which real-city resembles Gotham the most, but these shots make it evident with Saks Fifth Avenue visible just across the street.

British Batman

As a devoted cinephile, I must acknowledge that during my viewing of “The Batman” (2022), there were a few instances that hinted at its filming location – the United Kingdom rather than the grittiest city in the U.S. One such moment was when Bruce Wayne arrived at Gotham City Hall. In a wide shot, you could see the building and the bustling traffic outside. Among the cars and crowds, there was a large commuter bus, but upon closer inspection, it seemed to be facing the wrong direction. This bus was parked on the left-hand side of the road because British vehicles drive on the opposite side from those in America. Even quick-eyed British viewers spotted this as a Merseytravel bus, a familiar sight in Liverpool, where the movie was filmed.

At the closing moments of the movie, instead of parting on foot, Batman and Catwoman ride off separately on motorcycles. A telling detail is that Selina’s image displays a “Give Way” sign, which is unique to British roads, placed in the left lane rather than the right. This subtle hint suggests they aren’t in the United States anymore. It’s quite remarkable how only two such details were overlooked, considering the challenging process of altering street scenes during filming, whether physically or digitally.

Catwoman’s Claws

In a previous Catwoman installment, before Batman returned to their apartment, she was spotted patrolling in her usual black leather gloves for work. However, upon returning home, she removes the gloves, revealing beautifully manicured nails that are quite long, a style not suitable for the tight, agile gloves she typically wears. This raises an intriguing question about her profession as a cat burglar, considering it might be challenging for someone in her line of work to maintain such long nails. Regrettably, this is a recurring theme in Catwoman’s portrayals across various media. Her character is often depicted with sharp “claws,” which could potentially leave telltale fingerprints when cracking safes.

Gordon’s Spotlight

In the Batman films, there are numerous instances where one must overlook certain aspects for the sake of enjoying the story. If we can accept the existence of grappling hooks and fear poisons, then perhaps we should also be lenient about the visual inconsistencies and practical special effects in these movies, especially since they often push the boundaries of what’s possible on screen.

Each of the four films discussed is currently available for streaming on Max, plus a variety of other Batman series as well.

2025-03-11 21:45

Iconic Batman Movie Mistakes You Can’t Unsee