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Batman Begins - Review
Length: 140 min Rated: PG-13 Distributor: Warner Bros. Release Date: 2005-06-15 Starring: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Ken Watanabe, Katie Holmes, Tom Wilkinson, Rutger Hauer, Sara Stewart, Richard Brake, Gus Lewis, Emma Lockhart, Linus Roache
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Produced by Larry J. Franco, Charles Roven, Emma Thomas
Written by Christopher Nolan, David S. Goyer
Visit the movie's Official Site!
Nolan’s attempt is called Batman Begins and as the title suggests it covers the most boring of superhero genre necessities, the origin story. Next year director Bryan Singer will try to restart the Superman series by picking up where Richard Donner left off, but Nolan is going the opposite war here, he’s giving Batman a total reboot. Behind the cape and cowl (at least when Bruce Wayne finally gets around to putting it on) is British actor Christian Bale who most recently won acclaim for doing a Lindsay Lohan impression in The Machinist. Begins follows Bruce Wayne’s journey to becoming Batman, from the murder of his parents in a back alley to training in a remote Chinese dojo under the tutelage of a mysterious martial arts master. Batman, unlike most superheroes, isn’t driven so much by a desire to do right as he is by a burning need for vengeance. The screenplay by Chris Nolan and genre veteran David Goyer builds towards that admirably, taking time to languish over Bruce Wayne’s internal conflict for at least an hour before he actually wraps himself in a bat symbol. In that time we’re treated to flashbacks and flash forwards, training montages, and words of wisdom from Bruce’s crime-fighting instructor Ducard as given life by the perfect on-screen mentor, Liam Neeson. Once Wayne returns to Gotham, we’re thrown still more exposition as the film tries to put a realistic spin on the vigilante character. Batman’s car for instance is an abandoned military tank prototype, a little more plausible than a Rolls Royce that can climb walls. Time for more montage, this time while Bruce paints his costume, sharpens Batarangs, and orders his mask from Taiwan. Yes, Batman’s cape is made in China. Isn’t everything? By the time Batman takes on his first mission, we’re well and fully primed for some action. It’s here that Nolan really does something different, by first showing us the Batman from a criminal’s perspective. Our dark clad hero lurks unseen in the shadows, luring criminals in and then in the blink of an eye dragging them mercilessly up to a rooftop. Batman’s initial costumed outing plays a lot like a scene from Alien, with the caped crusader hanging from the ceiling as he awaits unsuspecting prey. When he finally attacks it’s in a blur of darkness and pounding kicks, for the first time we fully understand what it is about him that strikes so much fear into the heart of his opponents. This shadowy, obscured introduction to Bale in costume is wonderfully effective, provided that we’re given an opportunity to clearly see the icon at work in costume as the rest of the movie progresses. This is Batman after all, and we’re here for the action as much as the character. That’s where Nolan’s movie really hits a roadblock, because the action never goes much further. Subsequent fights are shot with extreme close-ups and in overbearing shadow. We don’t get many good looks at Batman in motion, and anything approaching a wide shot is obscured in heavy clouds of steam. The film’s climax features a powerful hand to hand battle between Batman and Ra’s Al Ghul, but with Nolan’s camera three inches away from the Dark Knight’s cowl I’d be hard pressed to tell you who is punching who. I admire Nolan’s reported refusal to over-use computer generated effects on his film, but if this sort of off-screen action is the result perhaps he should have considered throwing in some nice animation. Tim Burton managed to give us a few thrills without computers so I’m not sure that’s a valid excuse. It isn’t that Batman Begins isn’t visually stunning, it is. Nolan has a distinct visual style that pays off in gorgeous ways when put to work on Bats. Watching him descend from Gotham’s pollution streaked sky into a hive of villainy has never looked quite so eerily beautiful. There’s a great chase sequence involving the new Batmobile too, its new tank-like structure opening up new opportunities for destruction. I also love the way the film uses actual bats, it ads a unique air of significance to Batman’s animal persona that the other movies have never had. Aside from a rather odd scene in which Batman fights the equivalent of hordes of lumbering zombies, sharp believability seems to be the watchword here, in place of Burton’s Gothic influence or Schumacher’s wacky circus act. For me, the film is at its best when breathing life into the people around Batman. Future police commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) plays a pivotal role in the story, except we’re catching him before he’s even made Lieutenant. You’ll like the way Goyer’s screenplay develops a relationship between Gotham’s last honest cop and the controversial vigilante, it’s the first time that’s been explored on-screen outside of some half-hearted references. Bruce Wayne’s butler/father figure Alfred benefits as well, and of course it doesn’t hurt that he’s played by a venerable actor like Michael Caine. I could have done without newly appointed tabloid centerfold Katie Holmes mucking things up as an obligatory girlfriend, but her role isn’t important enough for a lackluster performance to drag the movie down. Batman Begins is a solid re-entry into the comic book hero’s crime riddled world. Missing is some of the exhilaration and fun of its predecessors, in its place is a closer examination into the nature of the character. If there’s fault to be laid, put it at the feet of Nolan who seems to understand the character, but not his karate chops. You won’t see a lot of good “Pow!”, “Bang!”, “Boom!”, or “Zowie!” in this version of Batman, Nolan appears incapable of making that sort of movie. Luckily, the film otherwise captures the Batman so well that any missing excitement can be forgiven.
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February 20th, 2008 at 23:36
Finally, I feel there's someplace I can vent my frustration about BATMAN BEGINS. As a BATMAN and Comic Book fan I went into this movie with anticipation only to be disappointed.
Ironically, I feel like I was robbed by a Superhero. Did I miss something? What did everyone love about this movie? Because everyone hated BATMAN & ROBIN? Now I know why the focus is primarily on the villains in these movies, nobody wants to see some guy p*^@ing and moaning for 2 & a half hours. "Waah, I miss my parents!", "I have lots of money & everyone else loves me, but that's just not good enough." That's who I felt this Bruce Wayne was, and not somebody you can empathize with. Stop nagging and do something.
Here's another ironic twist, Bruce Wayne doesn't really have to do anything, everything he needs is at his disposal via Morgan Freeman's convenient Superhero store. And for all those Comic Book "purist" Lucius Fox does "not" know Bruce Wayne and Batman are the same person. Bruce Wayne doesn't even make any effort to conceal his identity. Batman is self reliant, he builds all his own stuff, or quietly confiscates it under Lucius's nose. Lucius Fox can build an array of awesome weapons but can't figure out his boss is Batman? Give me a break.(Unlike Superman who fumbles his way through life as Clark Kent to try and convince people he isn't Superman). Another Comic "purist" fact (Bruce Wayne has black hair and Jonathan Crane has reddish brown hair.)
Also, this Batman is more like Azrael (Jean Paul Valley) who became Batman after Bane broke Bruce Wayne's back. He seems to think it's more about the gadgets, the armor and the fighting (which is absolutely terrible). Or to a lesser extent, James Bond, he's got the gadget and the looks and the beautiful women, but doesn't show any of the detective skills that Batman is famous for. I love seeing that side of Batman, it enforces the idea that Batman is human. If this Batman got a note from "The Riddler" he'd bring it to Lucius Fox and say "Hey Lucius, can you tell me what this is?" No different from saying "Hey Lucius, can you whip me up an antidote for this Fear Gas stuff?"
I can go on about how much I hated Katie Homes and the ridiculous plot to vaproize all the water in the city, but I won't. Instead, I'll bash the BatTank (Excuse me) Batmobile. What was with all the lame jokes? What first bothered me was when Bruce Wayne pulled up to the Hotel and the valet said "Nice Car" and Bruce says "You should see my other one." I get the joke but considering that we see the Batmobile when it is still the "Tumbler" it just feels stupid, especially since this is the "Origin" Story. It implies that we are supposed to know nothing about Batman, but everything about The Batmobile? (Confused) O.K.!
Another thing that bothered me, did anyone notice that Katie Holmes has a car in the beginning when she drives Bruce to the trial, but she has to take the subway home so Batman can show up to save her? Again, did I miss something?
Plus, Bale's Batman, sounds more constipated than scary, plus the fact that he's always squatting only reinforces that this is more ridiculous than scary.
The repetitious dialogue. First, there are the continuous references about "Fear", "Fear this" & "Fear that". Why is it in the comics it sounds so mch more alluring and mysterious, but in this movie it is just monotonous? There there's the repeated lines.
BRUCE'S FATHER: DON'T BE AFRAID BRUCE.
RA'S AL GHUL: DON'T BE AFRAID BRUCE.
BRUCE'S FATHER: WHY DO WE FALL? SO WE CAN LEAR TO PICK OURSELVES BACK UP?
ALFRED: WHY DO WE FALL SIR? SO WE CAN LEARN TO PICK OURSELVES UP?
RICHARD EARLE: DIDN'T YOU GET THE MEMO?
LUCIUS FOX: DIDN'T YOU GET THE MEMO?
RACHEL DAWES: IT'S NOT WHO YOU ARE (BLAH, BLAH, BLAH)
BATMAN: IT'S NOT WHO I AM (BLAH, BLAH, BLAH)
HOMELESS MAN: NICE COAT.
BATMAN: NICE COAT.
RA'S: THEATRICALITY AND DECEPTION (BLAH, BLAH, BLAH)
BRUCE: THEATRICALITY AND DECEPTION (BLAH, BLAH, BLAH)
This actually borders on Comical and is worse than all of Mr. Freeze's lame ice puns.
For e.g. (PRINCESS BRIDE when Inigo Montoya continually says "Hello, my name is Inigio Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die, over and over to Count Rugen.) Or to a lesser extent, FAMILY GUY.
Well, I'm sorry to have to play Devil's advocate, so I'll stop now. I just had to let it out. Feel free to bash me now.