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Review: Batman Begins brings depth to the dark knight
I’ve never written a movie review before (at least, as far as I recall), so you’ll have to excuse me if this particular effort comes across as a bit amateurish.
Batman Begins could have been renamed Batman Badass.
Seriously, this is the best Batman movie. I went in expecting it to be good, but not as good as the 1989 Batman with Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson. I came out so impressed by the depth of the Christian Bale Bruce Wayne that I believe this is the best Batman.
Superhero movies have taken a cue from the recent Spider-man series. As Spider-man had to create his props and learn the art of being a superhero, so does Batman. As Spider-man had to learn the pratfalls of being a superhero, so does Batman.
Comic book fans would tell me this isn’t exactly a revelation in the development of the characters but rather moviemakers finally properly following their comic book sources. Whatever the source, it makes for a great movie. We grow to understand why Bruce Wayne is fighting, how he came across his nearly-invicible suit, and how he came to be behind the wheel of the tank-like Batmobile. No longer do superheroes just arrive in battle with their props, they now have to find them or earn them. A layer of suspended reality is removed.
My only problem with the movie is that it’s hard to tell what’s going on in some of the fight scenes. Batman’s training tutor teaches him the art of stealth, which makes for good fights but difficult to follow fight scenes. The darkness that conceals the unknown that adds to enemies’ fright also conceals to the audience exactly what happens. And the speed that Batman attacks with surprises the viewer as well as the enemy.
The complaint is minor — the scenes are still action-packed and enjoyable. I was just confused a little sometimes.
It’s a great movie. The best I’ve seen in a while.
Some pros:
- Ninjas. Everyone likes ninjas
- Badass Batman
- Alfred is given a little more depth and more good lines
- Nonstop action — no boring parts. The movie flies by
- Ninjas
- Christian Bale is great, even if he reminded me of Luke Wilson every now and then
Some cons:
- Every time I saw Katie Holmes, I thought about how weird the thing is with her and Tom Cruise. Can we call this Tomatie? Katom? Holmcruise? I saw a funny poll on CNN — would you change religions to date Tom Cruise? 94% no. 6% of the population worries me.
- Christian Bale’s Batman voice is a little contrived. It shows he’s trying to disguise it better than previous Waynes/Batmans, but it’s kind of weird sometimes. It’s a little nasal, or something. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.
- Could have used more ninjas
Again, great movie. Go see it.
Thu June 16th, 2005 12:02 am
4 comments
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Interesting - I had exactly the oposite reaction when I saw the movie last night. I hated it. I really, truly couldn’t stand it, and I even posted a review on my blog, which I never do.
I thought the action sequences were just bad, bad, bad - too close up and choppily edited and completely boring. Katie Holmes needs to stop being in movies, like, now. And a lot of the story concerning the poison in the water was just a bad action movie cliche.
On the plus side - you’re right. Ninjas. Where have all the ninjas gone, anyway? When I was growing up, you couldn’t go to the movies and not see a ninja.
Hey dalton! Thanks for stopping by and dropping a line.
It’s interesting that you didn’t like it — pretty much everyone I’ve talked to has agreed with me that it’s the best Batman yet.
I agree with you on the action sequences, more or less; I wouldn’t call them “bad, bad, bad” but they’d definitely get a mark of “needs improvement.” Katie Holmes, to me, was fairly harmless in the movie — she wasn’t amazing, but she didn’t distract me too much, other than that I couldn’t stop thinking “that thing with her and Tom Cruise is messed up.” I also thought the poison in the water was fine, you always need the bad guy to do something bad. I thought his motivation was excellent — likening Gotham to Rome and other great empires whose time it was to fall.
Dude, amen on the ninjas! Where HAVE all the ninjas gone? When I was growing up, ninjas were so en vogue that regular ninjas didn’t cut it — we had ninja TURTLES. That is the sign of an industry that appreciates the badass of ninjas. When you take an ordinary, slow, boring critter and turn them into wisecracking badass ninjas. Bring back the ninja!
It is a little out of character for me to hate the movie so much. I was actually really excited about it, and most of the reviews have been fairly positive. I’m going to chalk up at least part of my reaction to the fact that the theater was crowded so we had to sit a little closer than I would have liked, and some fellow was wheezing in my ear most of the time.
I stand by my dislike of Katie Holmes, though - above and beyond the issue with Tom Cruise, I think she was pretty lame. Maybe she reminds me of an ex-girlfriend who treated me badly or something.
Like the site, by the way. Wordpress is the best.
From what I’ve read this is going to be a whole new take on the Batman series. Forget Batman and Batman Returns. They will be reintroducing the Joker,Two Face, and I’m guessing the Riddler.
Batman Begins was great and I can’t wait to see where they go with Scarecrow and the Joker!