Batman: Patient Zero

Batman: Patient Zero may come across as a Superhero film, but at its core, it is something else. We start on Batman and journey with him through Arkham Asylum where he meets a host of his most famous villains. Having heard that The Joker has escaped his cell and let the other Rogues run amok, Batman ventures in to stop them. Our hero finds that not only do the villains pose a new psychological threat, but their relationships suggest a terrifying new dynamic. The villains over power Batman; revealing an unexpected twist.

I have always been fascinated with Truth vs. Reality. Batman is a prime example of someone who’s truth is set aside in favor of obsession. I wanted to explore a “what if?” scenario for a pop culture icon that sheds some light on the psychology behind his behavior. I took that idea of Batman sharing similar psychological disorders as his villains and looked in a bit deeper. By using a superhero and super villains to visually convey this theme, it begs the underlying question; “Who is right?”. Right vs. Wrong is just as subjecting as Truth vs. Reality, since both are held solely by the individual.

For the performances, my goal was to create brand new iterations of these iconic characters. I wanted the actors to have freedom to create their characters and give the best natural performance possible.

Representing Arkham Asylum was a difficult challenge, as the famous looney bin has been depicted by varying architecture over the years. For the purposes of the story and the ending twist, I wanted to convey a modern hospital interior that has been heavily decayed by the freed villains to contrast with the clean modern day style in the twist. The exterior would mirror a classic Arkham from the comics; A rustic 1800’s building, tall with authority but fraying.

Cinematically, we wanted to compose our shots in ways that would mimic frames from a comic book; close-ups on Batman/Harley Quinn during their fight, canted angles of Batman in the asylum, and the low angle of Batman towering over The Riddler. Camera movement changes as Batman progresses through the asylum as well, growing more unstable, to hint at the slowly increasing instability of Bruce’s psyche.

Most fight scenes hide actions and cut rapidly, making it hard for viewers to really see what’s happening. I wanted to avoid this by keeping the fights center frame and using longer takes so actions can be clearly visible.

The score for Batman: Patient Zero is cinematic rock, and while it is original music composed just for the film, I wanted to incorporate the various influences from past Batman composers. We used heavy chugging guitar riffs to compliment fights between Batman/Riddler’s Goons, as well as between Batman/Harley. Each villain was given a stylized spin on a singular theme, while different emotional moments have their own specific underscore.

Batman: Patient Zero delivers a new and unique story that will captivate viewers.

I hope you enjoy the film!