Batman Cinematic Retrospective: The Penguin

Now, normally I would grumble about covering a television show when the word “cinematic” is in my title, but that’s mainly due to the critical fall of the MCU. When it comes to a show that is a spin-off of the noir masterpiece – and only Batman film I wrote two articles about – The Batman, it’s the exact opposite. I would have given anything to be back in the hard-boiled Gotham of Matt Reeves and company, even if Batman isn’t in it. It’s doubly lucky for me that The Penguin might well be the best piece of media about a comic book villain so far.

Batman and TV do not go together like a horse and carriage. Yes, there is the masterpiece that is the Animated Series, and the cult value of the sixties show, but in nearly ninety years of the character’s existence, that is it. There have been four high-profile TV shows about that centre around Gotham, or characters that were introduced as sidekicks: Titians, Gotham Nights, and Batgirl. Each show tries its hardest to ignore Batman by either killing him, pretending he doesn’t exist, or making him to young to be a hero. All of these shows suck for many reasons, but it’s this lack of Batman, only mentioned as a lure, that makes these the television equivalent of what Sony has wrought with the Spiderless-Man cinematic universe.

The Penguin commits this same sin, but gets away with it. Because, after the events of The Batman, it’s easier to accept this as Oz’s rise to the top, his journey to become someone that the criminal underworld fears and is dangerous enough to take on Batman.

Another difference is that this is a villain, not a sidekick or successor, and through Oz we get access to the landscape that Batman is trying to conquer and shut down. Unlike Venom or (some people’s incorrect reading of Joker) Oz isn’t an antihero, he’s a bastard who will say anything and kill anyone to get what he wants – and it’s exhilarating at times to watch him work. There is no moral grey area, no low that he won’t stoop to, especially since he’s facing off against people with less morals than him. All Batman can do is beat you up and send you to jail.

Which brings us to Sophia Falcone. In a lesser show, Sophia would be the victim-turned-avenger of the story, and you can almost believe that at times but she did straight up murder a teenage boy in the first episode. She’s probably the most sympathetic character covered in blood but that has more to do with how deft a touch Cristin Miloti brings to the role. Her performance as Sophia is right up there with the Fisks and Kilgraves of the world.

Colin Farrell has somehow made Batman’s most laughable and ridiculous main villain an overwhelming force of nature. The Sopranos comparisons are easy and understandable, but I think it’s more interesting to compare Oz to Bruce Wayne. Oz, unlike most iterations of the character, is a street kid with a bum leg and a dream to becoming a criminal/community leader that is equally respected and feared. Don’t let him catch you laughing at that, he will shoot. If Bruce is American royalty, with the funds and the freedom and the determination (the one trait they share) to become Batman, Oz has to play the streets, play the people in his way, come across as useful but not dangerous or expendable. He has to be in some control of every situation he’s in because it means either death of advancement.

Batman, in many of his forms, has always strived to understand the psychology of a criminal, to understand what drives them in order to be better at defeating them. The genius of The Penguin is that that is exactly the story we are being told. We may not like Oz (though we certainly are entertained by him), we may think he’s a scumbag, but we know why he does what he does, what he’s striving for, and what it costs those around him. Suddenly Batman’s view of criminals –

“At night, criminals, a cowardly and superstitious lot, call me… Batman. Criminals, by nature, are a cowardly and superstitious lot. To instill fear into their hearts, I became a bat. A monster in the night. And in doing so, have I become the very thing that all monsters become – alone?”

• seems a little simplistic when viewed through the version of Oz Cobb The Penguin crafts.

If you enjoyed this article, please check out the rest of our Batman retrospectiveright here. You can also take a look at our other cinematic universe retrospectives, for the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the Jurassic Park movies! And, as ever, if you enjoyed this and want to see more stuff like it, please consider supporting us on Ko-Fi. 

By Kevin Boyle

(header image via The Wrap)