I've not felt anything more positive than mild irritation over the last few Marvel movies.. the ones I didn't think were just so outright stupid that I didn't even bother. Feige's vision is the very worst of the comic book franchise: just building to the next big thing, with installments that don't matter. And I don't mean as installments or even as pieces of content, although content go fuck right off. Like, there's nothing in these latest... time sinks... that I can feel is an actual spiritual statement at all. And what little I can get I hate, as it's just cynical nonsense.
But this?
This perplexed me.
The Ave Maria? For this scene? And remixing it for the soundtrack throughout the entire damn movie? Like, you don't just do that by accident. You can't. That's as on purpose as it's going to get. The darkest moments of this movie feature the Ave Maria. Y'know, The Hail Mary:
Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee! Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
There is some disturbing shit happening in this movie, to that prayer. And the way it's shot? It's meant to be taken in the context of that prayer.
We'll get back to that in a minute. So pin, going in.
Then there's this use of Something in the Way by Nirvana:
Underneath the bridge
Tarp has sprung a leak
And the animals I've trapped
Have all become my pets
And I'm living off of grass
And the drippings from my ceiling
It's okay to eat fish
Cause they don't have any feelings
Something in the way
Mmm-mmm
Something in the way, yeah
Mmm-mmm
Something in the way
Mmm-mmm
Something in the way, yeah
Mmm-mmm
Something in the way
Mmm-mmm
Something in the way, yeah
Mmm-mmm
Folks generally think this song is about Cobain's time being homeless, and his attempts to justify his existence, particularly since, as it turns out, Cobain loved fish as pets. So this is more or less a song about coping with existence as it is.
These two songs alternate, and indeed they duel through the movie. Or at least they seem to. Whenever Riddle shows up the Ave Maria plays. Whenever Batman shows up Something in the Way plays. And when Batman is going nuts right up in the Riddler's face? The Ave Maria plays. This seems to be a simple and shut case, just another director using classic Christian music to make some bold and edgy statement about the uselessness of the Christian faith and yadda yadda yadda insert some bullshit statement here.
YAWN.
Open and shut, right?
Well wait, one sec. I strive to not be an ideologically blinded person. Strive. And this movie really resonated with me, so there's something true in here. It's not my job as a Christian to return evil for evil, but good for evil. I have no doubt that someone as purposeful as Matt Reeves meant such a statement, but I hope not. The fact that it resonates means there's something different going on here, something a bit deeper, at least for me.
Let's start with the use of women in this story. It is of interest to me that Reeves not only begins with the Ave Maria but focuses on the last few minutes of the mayor, with his family. The Riddler waits to kill until the woman and child are gone. In the absence of wife and children the man dies. It's of interest that the DA dies protecting his family, begging for the mercy of God. It's also of interest that every. Single. Threat. Made. Always comes back to a mother. Namely one Martha Stark. Far from the Ave Maria being a commentary on "No good woman left" the song is being used to show just how wrong Riddler is, for trying to use something holy and good in a twisted way.
Also, notice something interesting about the ending scene here?
The mayor is an idealistic, pure woman. Or at least she appears to be, and has given me nothing but assurance that she is. The person Batman lowers into that stretcher, the one who changes those angry eyes?
It's a woman.
These women are softening the rage of Batman, whereas they sting the rage of the Riddler. So the songs don't "duel", they merge. The feminine redeems Batman, finally. He can accept his role and purpose in protecting. He becomes a true knight.
But the Riddler’s singing the Ave Maria on the movie, you may protest! Shouting it, actually! And yes that’s correct but you know who shouts that Jesus is the Son of God in the Gospels? It’s not the apostles, who are bungling morons and traitors. It’s not Mary His Mother, whose silence is a key part of the text.
It’s the demons. They shout the truth all the time.
And Christ shuts them up every chance He gets.
Pretty clear image, ain’t it?
Batman’s silent at the end. Riddler isn’t.
It’s also of note that the first step of the Christian life, East and West, is the remembrance of death. That doesn’t mean “Things are icky”, it means “All things have a downward trajectory to despair, dissonance, and oblivion, and it’s happening to me, right now. There is one arc to the universe, DOWN. All progress is dissolution.” The remembrance of death is the realization that this world is not, has never been, and never will be home. It’s to become disgusted with your surroundings on an existential level, to wish to remove yourself from the filth, even if such attempts hasten your destruction, BECAUSE ALL PROGRESS IS ALWAYS TO DEATH.
Progress. Is. Death.
And time is progress on steroids.
The remembrance of death is considered the first gift of God. The thing He gives you so the other gifts can be given
And when you accept it? All the way down? That this is where you’re going? And there’s nothing to be done, that you’re powerless to stop it? A strange thing happens. You are able to see people. You can see the soul behind their eyes, and something new begins to take shape. Something strong and good and wise. Something tiny and firm and sad, yet accepting and loving. Even joyful in some moments.
It looks remarkably like The Batman’s eyes at the end of the film.
And I find that absolutely inspiring.
SO...
I just found out that the Ave Maria is a funeral song. Don't look at me and judge! I never went to a Roman Catholic funeral where I heard it! And I've been Eastern Christian since 14! We don't sing the Ave Maria, we've got our own stuff and and and -
So.
With that in mind, this movie is a lot easier to decipher. I mean, it's obviously about death. And how one reacts to it.
Yup.
Look, I like my take better, okay???
I'm allowed.
But hey, insert rant about how art has multiple interpretations possible.
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