Don’t show too much
What is the most effective way to capture an audience’s attention? I love movies, so I often draw inspiration from them when it comes to storytelling. Currently there are two movies in the cinema, from two very different directors, aimed at giving the audience a thrilling experience. Ambulance from director Michael Bay and The Batman from Matt Reeves.
I haven’t seen Ambulance yet, but judging from the trailer, and most of all from the reputation of the director, I know what I would get: big action, explosions and high-paced editing. Michael Bay is synonymous with visual spectacle. He’s going to show you they spent big money on the movie. That’s his way of grabbing your attention.
Matt Reeves has a very different storytelling approach. I recently saw The Batman and what really stood out to me was Reeves’ storytelling tool: restraint. The art of now showing everything, but teasing the viewer and leaving something to their imagination.
For most part of the movie, the main villain is only seen through videos shot on a phone, while he’s wearing a mask that completely covers his face. It is mainly his voice that carries the character. This is very effective and adds to the mystery and threat of the character, but also builds up to the inevitable reveal of who he is.
Where Michael Bay shows everything crystal clear, shot from multiple angles, Matt Reeves’ shooting style for The Batman is very different. Often, we can’t see clearly what’s happening. Many shots are blurry, it’s dark and rainy and it is only implied what is going on in the scene.
When it comes to action scenes, Matt Reeves doesn’t go all out like Michael Bay. There are car chases and explosions, but we don’t see it in glorious slow motion and from every possible camera angle. The movie’s ‘money shot’ explosion is not even the main focus of the shot. Instead the focus is on the face of one of the other villains. The spectacle is not the explosion itself, but the villain’s reaction to what is happening in that moment.
I could give you more examples, but I recommend you just see the movie for yourself. To me, The Batman is the best and most interesting movie I’ve seen so far this year and I can’t wait to see more of Matt Reeves’ take on this character. That’s the power of restraint: if you don’t give away too much, you’ll leave the audience wanting more.