Batman Begins Review
by William Robert (webmaster AT moviesforguys DOT com)June 17th, 2005
Batman Begins (2005)
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Reviewed by JC Edwards of www.moviesforguys.com
If there is one thing I know more than the rest of the Movies for Guys staff it's comics and comic book movies so it was fitting that I get to see it first and have the honor of sharing my experience with all of you. How was it you ask? It was Awesome!!! This is the Batman movie fans of the comics and animated series have been waiting for. Batman Begins does not fail at any point during the 2 and a half hours you are sitting there. This is the kind of movie that immediately makes you want more, So much so that you start planning when you can come back and see it again. Who will be the next villain? Who will direct? I say it doesn't matter who the villain is but it darn sure better be directed by Chris Nolan, he made this movie with absolute precision and perfection and fanboys all over the country will be praising his name after this one... well, they already do that but this movie will make their praise even more apparent.
Batman BeginsDC has been getting their hiney's handed to them for about 15 years (after Batman in 89) by Marvel at the box office so, I was glad to see the new DC offerings might be able to hold their own and bring honor back to the DC name. Rant over... back to the review.
The key to making a successful comic book movie that fanboys and nonfanboys alike are going to enjoy is a very simple. Just use the source material the creators intended with a story that is true to the character and it will WORK. Warner Bros. left Chris Nolan and the writing staff alone and let them use Bob Kane's source material (with a couple of deviations) and managed to make the single best comic book movie ever. I have seen other movies and praised their efforts as far as this genre goes but none of them compare to the genius that went into this one.
Christain Bale is the first actor to play both Batman/Bruce Wayne and truly display the duality and depth of character inside the Dark Knight. Other actors could play one or the other convincingly but none of them were good at both. Keaton was a good Batman but a crappy Bruce Wayne. Kilmer was a good Bruce Wayne but a crappy Batman, Clooney... well he was bad all the way around. If anyone here can say his performance in Batman and Robin was anything more than cashing a check I will quit writing and sell pencils at the airport. Not sure if it was all in Nolan's direction or if it was just an understanding on Bales part of how this character's two sides should be played and to be honest I don't care. I just know he nailed it.
The plot of this movie is short and sweet; Batman's origin. Where the suit, car and cave come from, to the how and why he does what he does. Or, should I say why they do what they do. This is also the origin in some form or another of Commissioner Gordon (Oldman) that focused on the beginning of Batman and Gordons long time friendship. This really added a very nice touch to the finished product.
But what do we care about more than anything? The bad guys and he villains this time although EXCELLENT are not the star of this movie, Batman is which is exactly how the others should have been but somehow each of those focused more on the actors 'pretending' to be the characters on screen than the characters themselves. Ra's Alghul (Watanabe) and Scarecrow (Murphy) are the villains and unlike another film starring Ahnold, that made me want to cry - These guys were menacing and convincing and added to the story not an intentional ploy to distract you from subpar writing and pathetic character development. Oops, I might have ranted a bit so I need to quit now.
Go see this movie ASAP and enjoy seeing what has driven the readers of the most interesting comic book hero of all time to keep buying his books after all these years. Three words; Depth of Story.
Originally posted in the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup. Copyright belongs to original author unless otherwise stated. We take no responsibilities nor do we endorse the contents of this review.
