Batman (serial) - Critical Appraisal

Critical Appraisal

Stedman notes that the serial "gained good press notices" but "scarcely deserves them," going on to describe it as an "unintentional farce." Harmon and Glut describe Batman as "one of the most ludicrous serials ever made" despite its "forthright simplicity." It was, nevertheless, popular enough for a sequel, Batman and Robin (1949) to be approved. Lewis Wilson's face resembled that of Bruce Wayne and he played his part with sincerity.

Some elements of the serial that have drawn particular attention from these critics are the casting of Lewis Wilson as Batman, while his face resembled that of Bruce Wayne and he played his part with sincerity they found his physique to be unathletic and "thick about the middle" and his voice was both too high and had a Boston accent; both the actors and their stunt doubles lacked the "style and grace" of either the comic characters they were portraying or their equivalents at Republic Pictures; both costumes are considered to be unconvincing in execution, and, although the Batman costume was based on his first appearance, it draws special criticism for being too baggy and "topped by pair of devils horns."

Will Brooker points out in Batman Unmasked: Analyzing a Cultural Icon that, though the depiction of the Japanese characters in undoubtedly racist by modern standards, Batman himself has little direct contact with them and expresses no racist or patriotic sentiment himself. Brooker surmises that these elements are likely to have been added as an afterthought in order to make the film more appealing to audiences of the time, and that the making of a nationalistic or patriotic film was not the filmmakers' original intent.