Between Dark Knight Rises and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, there is Um Conto De Batman: Na Psicose Do Ventríloquo
(A Batman's Tale: In The Psychosis Of The Ventriloquist). Brazilian
director Elvis Delbagno offers a new vision of the Caped Crusader,
featuring an obscure villain and projecting social concerns from
Brazil.This film is a great example that you don’t need millions of
dollars and huge stars to make a good Batman movie. And yes, the film is
in Portuguese.
The Ventriloquist is tampering with medications
for mental patients and Batman is the to stop his plans. This is a fresh
take on Batman (in film) but very true to the character. Don’t expect
him to drink caipirinha and watch soccer. The real stars of the movie are the Ventriloquist and his henchmen. We
get to see people who wanted to have an honest living but circumstances
turn them into criminals. Some of the dialogue feels like Quentin
Tarantino wrote it. Batman stalks them and takes them down, similar to
Jason Voorhees or the Xenomorphs (from Alien). The interactions between
the characters are really good.The movie shows its budget in the visuals. It doesn’t look bad but not as good as the previous Batman movies. Batman's suit looks different from other versions. It’s black but the logo on his chest is yellow (good choice since in the last 4 Hollywood movies the logo was black over black). The Scarface doll looked creepy enough. The henchmen have different visual styles, one looks like a gangster while other looks like a cowboy. The music is fantastic, with tracks from Pink Floyd, Guns and Roses, Simon and Garfunkel and Brazilian rock bands.
Um Conto De Batman: Na Psicose Do Ventríloquo is a great example of giving a 75 years old character a fresh foreign take while staying true to the character mythos. Addressing the crime problems of Brazil trough the eyes of Batman is a great concept. While it is a low budget movie and the visuals are not as good as the Hollywood ones, it has great story, excellent dialogue and an amazing soundtrack. The film is presented in festivals but I hope it is released on DVD. Recommended for Batman fans and movie enthusiasts. If you prefer big budged blockbusters or hate reading subtitles, pass this one.
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