# Vengeance Won’t Save You: The Ethics of The Batman (2022) - Desert of the Reel #120

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-desert-of-the-reel-a-movie-podcast-6745471/vengeance-won-t-save-you-the-ethics-of-the-batman-2022-desert-of-the-reel-120
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-desert-of-the-reel-a-movie-podcast-6745471/vengeance-won-t-save-you-the-ethics-of-the-batman-2022-desert-of-the-reel-120.md
Podcast: [The Desert of the Reel: A Movie Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-desert-of-the-reel-a-movie-podcast-6745471)
Published: 2026-05-02T13:59:30+00:00
Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/desert-of-the-reel/episodes/Vengeance-Wont-Save-You-The-Ethics-of-The-Batman-2022---Desert-of-the-Reel-120-e3ipk8a
Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/ef374714/podcast/play/119377610/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-4-2%2F423322771-44100-2-5ea5ef09a4af5.m4a
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Duration seconds: 4950

## Resource

In our last episdo of Batman movies, we are showing Jason The Batman (2022). He probably would not have watched it without the podcast. He claims it is a good movie that would have been a lot better if it wasn't a Batman movie. Is it more than just a superhero film? Or would it have worked even better as a stripped-down noir detective story? We explore how the film reimagines Batman as a man driven by vengeance who must confront the limits of that identity. Along the way, we break down what defines noir, how the film’s use of POV shots makes it more personal, and how modern filmmaking tools like the Volume reshape visual storytelling. We wrestle with the film’s biggest ethical questions: Are people inherently good or corrupt? Is The Riddler a villain or a distorted product of a broken system? And if crime thrives under Penguin’s watch, where does responsibility actually lie? What do you think about this movie? About Batman as a whole? Is he a superhero? And what franchises should we cover in the future? Email us at desertofthereelpod@gmail.com

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## Transcript

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