Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Batman.
There are many great new takes on DC Comics icons in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, from Paul Dano’s Zodiac-inspired Riddler to Robert Pattinson’s Cobain-inspired Bruce Wayne, so it’s impossible to name just one standout performance. Zoë Kravitz refreshingly humanizes Catwoman and Colin Farrell disappears into the role of the Penguin (and not just because he’s unrecognizable under all the prosthetics and makeup).
Jeffrey Wright gives one of the finest performances in the movie as Jim Gordon. The movie perfectly characterizes Gordon as a straight arrow who cooperates with Batman against the wishes of every other cop in Gotham City. With quick wits, dry humor, and an unwavering instinct to take action, Wright’s Gordon brilliantly evoked the cynical but ultimately noble police antiheroes of “New Hollywood” police noirs like Serpico. The actor knocked every scene out of the park, occasionally stealing the spotlight from Batman himself.
Bringing Batman To A Crime Scene
After the mayor is murdered on Halloween night, nearly every cop in the city can be seen swarming the crime scene. When Gordon brings Batman to the scene, the other cops are instantly hostile with the masked crimefighter, establishing their disdain for his vigilante crusade.
This sets up an interesting conflict for Gordon’s character that runs throughout the film. He has to act as a mediator between Batman and the rest of the G.C.P.D. (many of whom turn out to be taking kickbacks from mobsters).
Thumb Drive
When Bruce and Alfred crack the Riddler’s cipher, a simple message presents itself: “DRIVE.” Batman and Gordon check out the mayor’s garage and find one of his many expensive cars with a tire slashed. Inside the car, the Bat finds a thumb drive with an actual severed thumb attached to it.
Wright nails the dry delivery of Gordon’s sarcastic quip: “Oh, this guy’s hilarious.” The thumbprint ends up unlocking the files on the thumb drive (incriminating photos of the late mayor programmed to be sent from Gordon’s email to every news outlet in Gotham).
Banter At The Morgue
There’s a investigation into the Riddler’s killings brings them to the morgue, where they find plenty of opportunities to bicker.
Much like Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman in Se7en, this Batman and Gordon partnership is a sort of “buddy cop” pairing with a hotshot young detective and a grizzled aging lawman teaming up to track down a serial killer.
Evacuating The Mayor’s Memorial Service
The Riddler sends the district attorney into a public memorial service for the corrupt mayor that he murdered with a collar bomb around his neck, a ringing cell phone strapped to his hand, and a message for the Batman taped to his chest.
Gordon’s immediate reaction is to evacuate the building and get all the mourning civilians out of there, because the bomb could go off at any minute. This scene takes Hitchcock’s “bomb under the table” suspense-building technique to the next level with a “bomb around the neck.”
Telling Batman How To Escape From The Police Station
When the Bat is disoriented by the explosion from Gil Colson’s collar bomb, the cops bring him in. Just as he’s about to be unmasked at the G.C.P.D.’s headquarters, he comes to and cocks his fist. All the cops draw their weapons and Gordon desperately tries to defuse the situation.
He manages to get all the other officers to give him a minute alone with the Bat. He pretends he’s chewing out Batman, but secretly gives him a key, tells him how to escape, and instructs the Caped Crusader to punch him before making his escape. Batman does just that, knocking Gordon to the floor and escaping to the roof. Later, when Gordon reconvenes with the Bat, he dryly jokes, “You could’ve at least pulled that punch, man,” and a deadpan Batman replies, “I did.”
The Shootout With The Penguin’s Goons
Right before the triumphant Batmobile car chase, The Batman indulges in a thrilling shootout sequence between Jim Gordon and the Penguin’s goons. When the goons open fire on Batman and Catwoman, Gordon jumps into action.
He drives his car to the scene, takes cover behind his door, and returns fire. Gordon is ridiculously outmatched – facing a legion of heavily armed henchmen with only his police-issue handgun – but he still gives it the old college try.
Interrogating The Penguin
After Batman rolls the Penguin’s car in the highway chase, he approaches the wreckage, brings in the Penguin, and interrogates him with Gordon. There’s a deadpan comedic bent to this interrogation as the Penguin corrects the Riddler’s Spanish and solves his latest riddle.
This sequence is capped off with a hilarious sight gag as Batman and Gordon abandon the Penguin with his wrists and ankles tied and he waddles around like a real penguin.
No Guns
The Batman reinstates Batman’s “no guns, no killing” rule after the SnyderVerse brazenly gave him a shotgun and turned him into a mass murderer. When a Riddler clue leads them to the answer “orphan,” Batman and Gordon drive to the orphanage where Bruce Wayne – and, as it turns out, the Riddler – spent their childhoods.
On his way into the dark, terrifying orphanage full of Riddler graffiti, a cautious Gordon draws his firearm. Batman tells him, “No guns,” and Gordon hilariously replies, “Yeah... that’s your thing, man.”
Arresting Carmine Falcone
After Batman uncovers an ungodly amount of corruption in the Gotham City Police Department, it’s heartwarming to see that there are still plenty of cops who aren’t on Carmine Falcone’s payroll and want to bring him to justice.
When Gordon arrests him and reads him his rights, Falcone says, “You boys in blue work for me.” Gordon takes Falcone outside, where dozens of cops are waiting for him. He quips, “I guess we don’t all work for you.”
Saving Bella Reál’s Life
After grassroots mayoral candidate Bella Reál is wounded by one of the sniper-wielding Riddler fanatics in Gotham Square Garden, Gordon springs into action. Just as they’re about to take another shot, Gordon instinctively throws himself in front of Reál to cover her from any more gunfire and gets her off the stage to safety.
He sees the army of Riddler goons up in the rafters and immediately asks how to get up there. This sequence highlights what makes Gordon such a great hero: he’s just as fearless as Batman without any of the fancy gadgets or bulletproof armor.
