Bruce's reaction to the City Hall massacre..

[Grissom]

So watched Batman again Saturday night and its brilliant and stunning as always. There is something I never quite noticed before at the City Hall massacre. Bruce's reaction is not just because he saw people gunned down in front of him like his parents, I also think it's the fact that he couldn't or didn't do anything to prevent it.

Vicki mentions that he had the same look like he did in the newspaper article of his parents' death. I think its two-fold. He was stunned that he was witnessing a murder like this again and also he couldn't (?) have prevented it.

[Slash Man]

One thing I love is that Burton's Batman always has so much packed into every scene. This scene is a perfect example.

I used to read it as Bruce seeing something familiar about the Joker, though I think your idea fits better. I only recently noticed Bruce's arm being grazed by a bullet; he doesn't even flinch. Richard Strange's goon points his gun right at him and yells for him to get down, but still, nothing. Probably the funniest background moment of this scene is him shaking his head at Bruce as Joker waves as they drive away.

[Grissom]

Good insight. It seems like he wanted to do something despite the bullets flying. he had that steely determination. Remember Bruce Wayne is the mask, not Batman.

Maybe he forgot he wasn't in his armored suit. 

[The Laughing Fish]

Vicki mentions that he had the same look like he did in the newspaper article of his parents' death. I think its two-fold. He was stunned that he was witnessing a murder like this again and also he couldn't (?) have prevented it.

How did I miss this? I always thought that Bruce was merely stunned that Jack Napier was still alive.

[johnnygobbs]

Vicki mentions that he had the same look like he did in the newspaper article of his parents' death. I think its two-fold. He was stunned that he was witnessing a murder like this again and also he couldn't (?) have prevented it.

How did I miss this? I always thought that Bruce was merely stunned that Jack Napier was still alive.

Was Bruce really that bothered by the murder of a bunch of gangsters?

[Grissom]

It wasn't just gangsters. Cops were also killed on the steps and there were innocent  people around  along with reporters.

[DocLathropBrown]

I would say, according to the way Keaton was portraying the Bruce/Batman split-psyche, witnessing such sudden brutality and violence outside of his Bat costume gave him a fearful, regressive reaction to the night his parents were murdered. Notice how Wayne flinches violently when the gunfire begins. Granted, who wouldn't have... but he doesn't flinch at sudden gunfire when he's cloaked as The Batman. Mentally, subconsciously, when he is in his costume he is braver and more capable.

It's as Peter Guber said; "the suit allowed those extraordinary abilities to emerge, both internally and externally."

Now, in the final moments of the City Hall Massacre, Bruce is indeed dumbstruck at Jack Naiper being alive--this is evident when he returns to Alfred and says he "just found out."

But it ties into what Vicki says at the news fiche scanner in the third act about how young Bruce looked "the same at City Hall." He was having a regressive flashback, triggered by the sudden violence and gunfire, something The Batman is stronger than, but perhaps not Bruce Wayne.

[Grissom]

Keaton got the pain and hurt of a man still grieving over his parents death. He internalized on the Bat suit and he was able to bring that over in his performance as Bruce. Let's always remember that Bruce is the mask not Batman.