Batman Begins
What happens?
Bruce Wayne, wanting to avenge his parent's death, goes from being a mixed up kid confusing right and wrong, to an all-round fighting dude who has the money, and the brains, to set up a one man avenger-type business where he becomes the Bat-man. Supervillains and dastardly plots follow with Batman having to finish things once and for all with a shadow from his past whilst trying to sort out his life, and ensuring those around him continue to have one.
What's it like?
Let me begin with some background. I'm a guy born and brought up in the UK. As such comics were never a major thing for me (aside from the Beano and Dandy of course ;)) so I learnt about the major and not so major comic creations from America via both film and TV. Superman is my earliest superhero/comic book memory, although I'm sure I'd seen the Adam West Batman and Batman/Spiderman/X-men cartoons previously. As I grew up I looked for more information on Batman, Superman and the like andcame to the conclusion that Batman and the X-men could not be beaten as characters. It was the darkness behind them all, and the variety in the X-men which caught my ey. Sure, Supes was a great hero, but slightly boring. Spiderman was fun but no substance. The Hulk, well, he's a bit different, isn't he? Out of Bats and Wolverine's gang, Batman was always number one. A deep, dark and thrilling character whose motivation isalways a little on edge and leads to a wild and frankly somewhat scary character. But one who fought for the good guys. Anyway, for a long time Burton's Batman was my favourite film starring a comic character, but come the X-men in 2001, and the start of the recent wave of comic movies, I had a new first. A fantastic film so well put together with variety, action, well defined characters and an arc which you could believe. A great film that lead to an even better sequel where very little could have been done better and the whole piece just exuded excellence. Then Singer left for Superman, the X-men (number 3)had a million script/cast/director changes and now it looks to be on its way to a rushed and under-par movie. Not what Singer and co. set in motion when seeding plots throughout the first and second movies. But, along came Batman. A new vision of the character, an origin picture, with full freedom given to Nolan, the director and Goyer, the writer. A chance to make the definitive Batman movie and to set up a series of planned movies. A pre-planned trilogy (going on recent allusions made by Goyer), if you will. Yesterday, I finally saw this, my most wanted film of the summer.
Whether you think X-men are better than Spiderman, if you're a Marvel geek or a DC fanboy or really only ever liked Superman's first movie, you'll like this. No, you'll love it. The film is astonishing in everything it does. From the tone to the casting to the story arc to the set-up and more, it just excels. From the opening act where not a single second of boredom creeps in, through the exposition of the second act and the show-down in the third, you will love it. Its easy for me to say you'll love it when its a 'comic book' movie and I liked Hulk, but I assure you it is so much more than that, and less. You see, if you hadn't heard of Batman, you would not suspect this film to be in any way related to a comic.
The film is an Origin story first and foremost. That in itself is impressive as most films, aside from hulk, just skip through the origin in 10 or 20 minutes and get on with it, if they even allow you that. Bruce Wayne becomes Batman for 140 minutes here. Wow. As such it begins with Bruce in an Asian prison of some kind where he is found by Liam Neeson's character, who is working on behalf of Ra's Al Ghul, the leader of the league of Shadows. He persuades Bruce he can learn how to fight evil and save Gotham, his home city, something his father started but was unable to finish. The reason for that was his Father's and Mother's murder, witnessed by Bruce himself, and something which he also blames upon himself. After this first act he goes back to Gotham, a city worse off than when he left it but also a place where he is thought dead. Over time he, and Alfred, his family's long serving Butler, instigate a plan, with the help of some others whereby he fights crime. He becomes Batman.
The acting throughout the movie is highly impressive. Christian Bale feels more like Bruce Wayne than anyone else before him, and although its hard to seem 'good' when dressed in a batsuit manages to pull it off. Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman and Katie Holmes have rather small roles, which will be expanded upon in future films due to the nature of their characters' situation. Even with just a few minutes though, they manage to fill the screen,especially in the case of Freeman who is his usual enthralling self. Sir Michael Caine is Michael Caine when playing Alfred, but you could not picture it any other way. He is as he should be. The villains of the piece are as crazy/intellectual/scary as you'd hope for and the whole group combine to form a cast as strong as any in recent years. In fact, its the kind of cast you would just watch. Like anything with Al Pacino, or Denzel Washington in is just good, irrelevant of what they're saying, this is good. But, that doesn't mean the script itself isn't strong.
David Goyer and Christopher Nolan have come up with an origin story, detective piece, summer action movie, emotional drama and managed to seed future films all in around 2 hours. Nothing is rushed and everything seems purposefully put there. The main bad versus good plot is actually quite restrained, helping to foot this film in the real world it so desires to be (and, ultimately, is), whilst managing to incorporate new ideas with a historical footing - you'll see what I mean.
One thing I touched on earlier - this film is for anyone, even those who hate X-men and Spiderman and the like. Its true, it really does transcend all possible genres it could be shoehorned into and does so with aplomb. Its a little like the Bond movies in many ways - the reinvigoration, the main characters and the simple good versus bad plot at its centre. I would say, if pushed, its the Dalton's Batman. Why? Its how Batman should be, the same way Dalton was the closest to Fleming's Bond we've had. But again, if you don't like Bond films, this has enough for you too in so many other ways.
Any criticisms? Maybe its a little slow in the middle act and one of the major villains is perhaps slightly underused, but they are only minor points. All in all this film can't really be faulted and deserves to go and be followed by at least two more movies. The greatest Batman yet, without a doubt. The best actors, the best all-round story, the best director. Yes, Christopher Nolan has followed Insomnia and Memento by showing he can do it with any material, any money and any people. This man is up there. With batman, he has reached new heights. Not just in his career, but also in comic to film adaptations. He has shown how to do it right, well and in the
best possible way. Go see Batman. Now.
Conclusion?
***** - The best comic book movie ever? By a country mile. It just has everything you could want and its all done so very well. The film to see this summer and more importantly, the new beginning of a franchise that should have the world at its feet. "Why do we fall? - So we can learn to pick ourselves up"
Bruce Wayne, wanting to avenge his parent's death, goes from being a mixed up kid confusing right and wrong, to an all-round fighting dude who has the money, and the brains, to set up a one man avenger-type business where he becomes the Bat-man. Supervillains and dastardly plots follow with Batman having to finish things once and for all with a shadow from his past whilst trying to sort out his life, and ensuring those around him continue to have one.
What's it like?
Let me begin with some background. I'm a guy born and brought up in the UK. As such comics were never a major thing for me (aside from the Beano and Dandy of course ;)) so I learnt about the major and not so major comic creations from America via both film and TV. Superman is my earliest superhero/comic book memory, although I'm sure I'd seen the Adam West Batman and Batman/Spiderman/X-men cartoons previously. As I grew up I looked for more information on Batman, Superman and the like andcame to the conclusion that Batman and the X-men could not be beaten as characters. It was the darkness behind them all, and the variety in the X-men which caught my ey. Sure, Supes was a great hero, but slightly boring. Spiderman was fun but no substance. The Hulk, well, he's a bit different, isn't he? Out of Bats and Wolverine's gang, Batman was always number one. A deep, dark and thrilling character whose motivation isalways a little on edge and leads to a wild and frankly somewhat scary character. But one who fought for the good guys. Anyway, for a long time Burton's Batman was my favourite film starring a comic character, but come the X-men in 2001, and the start of the recent wave of comic movies, I had a new first. A fantastic film so well put together with variety, action, well defined characters and an arc which you could believe. A great film that lead to an even better sequel where very little could have been done better and the whole piece just exuded excellence. Then Singer left for Superman, the X-men (number 3)had a million script/cast/director changes and now it looks to be on its way to a rushed and under-par movie. Not what Singer and co. set in motion when seeding plots throughout the first and second movies. But, along came Batman. A new vision of the character, an origin picture, with full freedom given to Nolan, the director and Goyer, the writer. A chance to make the definitive Batman movie and to set up a series of planned movies. A pre-planned trilogy (going on recent allusions made by Goyer), if you will. Yesterday, I finally saw this, my most wanted film of the summer.
Whether you think X-men are better than Spiderman, if you're a Marvel geek or a DC fanboy or really only ever liked Superman's first movie, you'll like this. No, you'll love it. The film is astonishing in everything it does. From the tone to the casting to the story arc to the set-up and more, it just excels. From the opening act where not a single second of boredom creeps in, through the exposition of the second act and the show-down in the third, you will love it. Its easy for me to say you'll love it when its a 'comic book' movie and I liked Hulk, but I assure you it is so much more than that, and less. You see, if you hadn't heard of Batman, you would not suspect this film to be in any way related to a comic.
The film is an Origin story first and foremost. That in itself is impressive as most films, aside from hulk, just skip through the origin in 10 or 20 minutes and get on with it, if they even allow you that. Bruce Wayne becomes Batman for 140 minutes here. Wow. As such it begins with Bruce in an Asian prison of some kind where he is found by Liam Neeson's character, who is working on behalf of Ra's Al Ghul, the leader of the league of Shadows. He persuades Bruce he can learn how to fight evil and save Gotham, his home city, something his father started but was unable to finish. The reason for that was his Father's and Mother's murder, witnessed by Bruce himself, and something which he also blames upon himself. After this first act he goes back to Gotham, a city worse off than when he left it but also a place where he is thought dead. Over time he, and Alfred, his family's long serving Butler, instigate a plan, with the help of some others whereby he fights crime. He becomes Batman.
The acting throughout the movie is highly impressive. Christian Bale feels more like Bruce Wayne than anyone else before him, and although its hard to seem 'good' when dressed in a batsuit manages to pull it off. Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman and Katie Holmes have rather small roles, which will be expanded upon in future films due to the nature of their characters' situation. Even with just a few minutes though, they manage to fill the screen,especially in the case of Freeman who is his usual enthralling self. Sir Michael Caine is Michael Caine when playing Alfred, but you could not picture it any other way. He is as he should be. The villains of the piece are as crazy/intellectual/scary as you'd hope for and the whole group combine to form a cast as strong as any in recent years. In fact, its the kind of cast you would just watch. Like anything with Al Pacino, or Denzel Washington in is just good, irrelevant of what they're saying, this is good. But, that doesn't mean the script itself isn't strong.
David Goyer and Christopher Nolan have come up with an origin story, detective piece, summer action movie, emotional drama and managed to seed future films all in around 2 hours. Nothing is rushed and everything seems purposefully put there. The main bad versus good plot is actually quite restrained, helping to foot this film in the real world it so desires to be (and, ultimately, is), whilst managing to incorporate new ideas with a historical footing - you'll see what I mean.
One thing I touched on earlier - this film is for anyone, even those who hate X-men and Spiderman and the like. Its true, it really does transcend all possible genres it could be shoehorned into and does so with aplomb. Its a little like the Bond movies in many ways - the reinvigoration, the main characters and the simple good versus bad plot at its centre. I would say, if pushed, its the Dalton's Batman. Why? Its how Batman should be, the same way Dalton was the closest to Fleming's Bond we've had. But again, if you don't like Bond films, this has enough for you too in so many other ways.
Any criticisms? Maybe its a little slow in the middle act and one of the major villains is perhaps slightly underused, but they are only minor points. All in all this film can't really be faulted and deserves to go and be followed by at least two more movies. The greatest Batman yet, without a doubt. The best actors, the best all-round story, the best director. Yes, Christopher Nolan has followed Insomnia and Memento by showing he can do it with any material, any money and any people. This man is up there. With batman, he has reached new heights. Not just in his career, but also in comic to film adaptations. He has shown how to do it right, well and in the
best possible way. Go see Batman. Now.
Conclusion?
***** - The best comic book movie ever? By a country mile. It just has everything you could want and its all done so very well. The film to see this summer and more importantly, the new beginning of a franchise that should have the world at its feet. "Why do we fall? - So we can learn to pick ourselves up"
