Defending Christian Bale's Batman Voice
Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Resurrects Bale's Bat Voice
Aug 7, 2008
Christian Bale portrays Bruce Wayne and his aggressive vigilante alter-ego Batman in the two critically best-received film adaptations of the comic book hero (Batman Begins, 2005, and The Dark Knight, 2008). Bale has brought a previously unfelt emotional weight to the character, remaining true to the super-hero's tragic inception and going beyond the depth attempted by all other actors who have held the role. But Bale brings something beyond a spiritual seriousness to the character that has some movie-goers taken aback.
Just What Is "The Batman Voice?"
Adding to the uniqueness of his depiction is the use of a deep, guttural, raspy voice which Bale maintains in both whispering and yelling when in costume as Batman. The voice acts to complete the disguise of his person, intimidate those whom he wishes to bring to justice, and is the logical vocal extension of Wayne's complete psychological transformation into the Batman persona itself.
This voice alone has, especially with the popularity of The Dark Knight, become the subject of both parody and criticism. Some critics as well as fans are declaring the voice over-the-top and even, well... lame. Of course, everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion, but that doesn't mean that certain opinions seem to be painfully misguided, and representative of a major lack of understanding for both the world and title character of these films.
Like It or Not, in Nolan's Batman Universe, the Voice Works
Director Christoper Nolan has designed a Gotham City that somehow manages to mirror contemporary big cities while also representing the gritty and crime-ridden town as portrayed in the original comics. This setting is further represented tonally by all the events and characters which take place within and populate it, making up the darkest and most believable Gotham yet seen on the big screen.
The Tumbler, Nolan's take on the Batmobile, is a militaristic and industrial piece of machiney akin enough to tanks to be absolutely believable as a near-impenetrable form of transportation for the Dark Knight. The Bat-Signal appearing in the Nolan films lacks focus and sharpness, acting as an almost-impressionistic reminder to criminals that Batman is out and active. Each of these ways contributes to a far more realistic, less-caricatured aesthetic felt in Nolan's two Batman films.
Topping this consistency off is Batman's harse voice disguise. The Batman of Nolan's films strives to be a shadowy, stealthy, ghostly apparition of unflinching justice and a symbol of dread to any and all criminals. To those he ambushes, Batman exists as a terrifying entity that cannot be killed, harmed, or pinned down. Using the disorientation he creates with his physical skills, Batman completes the psychological effect on criminals by using the harsh yell.
When all these traits are combined, all a criminal knows of Batman is an inescapable yet seemingly uncatchable opponent with a bark of a voice that probably scares them to death. Now while any detractors of the voice can say what they want from their comfortable theater chairs, they seem to pass on the opportunity to imagine what effect Batman could inflict on someone in one of the cinematic scenarios depicted.
Apparent Misgivings About the Character
Aside from the psychologically assaulting and terrorizing use his presence, including his throat, has, Batman's wielding of the voice can be traced to the subconscious as well as the conscious mind. Bruce Wayne is a man torn apart by tragedy; his parents murdered, his city at the mercy of men governed by few morals (if any), he seeks to affect a reversal in the world around him.
His ultimate instrument in this struggle is Batman. When he dons the Batman suit, he doesn't just put on body armor and a para-military utility belt. When he becomes Batman, Bruce Wayne becomes Batman. In all respects. He is enveloped not by a mere suit, but by an absolute possession of character. This posession extends to his body, his mind and thoughts, his actions, and yes, his voice.
In a manner of words far more poetic than I could pen, indeed, than I have penned, he is Vengeance; he is the Knight. Bruce Wayne, as well as Christian Bale, is Batman. It just seems that, though many fans seem to hear these words, they don't fully believe or understand them.
