Batman Begins

[Guest Edgy DC]

Eh.

I like that they're trying to save the integrity of the essential bat-story from the Burton films, but big script issues. Things work out so conveniently.

A man drives a tank boucing from rooftop to rooftop, saying "trust me" to his passenger. How does he know which rooves have the support to handle a bouncing tank?

An ancient international secret-to-the-point-of-invisibility order needs a device to destroy a city. How stupid of them to steal it on an openly murderous rampage from a corporation headquartered in that same city, owned by the guy only they know stands between them and their plan.

And call me gay, but I want my Batguy in a bodystocking, not in kevlar armour. Yeah, I've said that.

Otherwise, some good stuff in dealing with Batdude's years in exile and his training, and bringing back Joe Chill as Dr. Wayne's killer. It's important that the killer was just an otherwise ordinary thug, and not a supervillian.

Why does Gotham have an Assistant DA, as well as an expert-testimony-giving psychologist with his own asylum, both under 25?

And what's John Hurt doing in this movie playing little more than an extra? Did two different producers sign two different guys to play Alfred, so they had to give Hurt something? Or are they establishing his character for a bigger role in a sequel?

[soupcan]

I dug it.

It didn't make me feel like a total comic book geek. It was like almost a real movie.

[metirish]

Liked it a lot, never thought they could revive Batman.

[Guest SI Metman]

This is the movie they should have made 16 years ago. Hopefully the sequel is just as good.

[Vic Sage]

liked, but did not love, the new BATMAN

first the good news...

the first hour is the best batman movie ever. Bale is terrific as the obsessed seeker. Liam Neeson as his mentor is excellent too. Michael Caine provides the right combination of humor and emotional complexity for Alfred. Morgan Freeman's Lucious Fox and gary oldman's Jim Gordon round out a strong supporting cast.

the film captures the tone of Miller's Dark Knight books. There is not a whiff of camp or silliness. It knows its telling a story from the canon of American mythology and treats it with dignity.

Also, the movie looks great and uses iconic images to great effect. The image of Bale in the bat cave in the midst of a torrent of bats, standing without fear, is incredible, as he's transformed his fear into strength and in the process has become something... more. Bale is a truly terrifying figure in a way no other screen Batman has ever been.

Now for the bad news...

Christopher Nolan couldn't direct a fight scene if his life depended on it. Most of the action scenes are a pointless jumble, with no interesting or dramatic effect, nor any aesthetic value either. They are just indecipherable closeups of movement. They spent an hour showing Batman's training, his expertise in the martial arts, yet we don'[t actually get to see him demonstrate that prowess. The big climax is anti-climactic. And the love interest is not of interest.

if Nolan had turned over the direction of the action scenes to a 2nd unit director (John Woo? the Warchowski bros?), this would've been a classic.

missed opportunity, but still very good and worth seeing.

[Elster88]

Most of the action scenes are a pointless jumble, with no interesting or dramatic effect, nor any aesthetic value either. They are just indecipherable closeups of movement.

This is my major problem with almost all of today's action movies.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Just saw this for the first time on DVD (thanks, Santa!) the other day. I gave it a six. Pretty good. There are so many different ways to interpret Batman that it would be impossible to make everyone happy. I prefer Batman to be serious instead of campy. I'll take Frank Miller over Adam West any day. I wonder if, in future movies, they'll let Batman be humanized by adding Robin. I'm also unsure of whether or not I'd like to see this happen.

As I was watching, two things that Edgy pointed out above occurred to me as well:

...and bringing back Joe Chill as Dr. Wayne's killer. It's important that the killer was just an otherwise ordinary thug, and not a supervillian. Why does Gotham have an Assistant DA, as well as an expert-testimony-giving psychologist with his own asylum, both under 25?

I didn't have any "goosebump" moments (it's much harder for that to happen in a DC movie than in a Marvel movie) but it almost happened at the end, when Gordon showed Batman the clue in the sandwich bag, and Batman said, "I'll look into it." Made me really anticipate the sequel. Any info on when that might happen?

[Benjamin Grimm]

Oh, and my other observation:

Katie Holmes getting exposed to that insanity gas totally explains the whole Tom Cruise thing.

[dgwphotography]

SI Metman wrote: This is the movie they should have made 16 years ago. Hopefully the sequel is just as good.

I have to completely agree. I did get goosebumps when Gordon showed that calling card to Batman at the end.

[Guest Impulse2]

I enjoyed Batman, partly because i saw it first on Imax with all my obsessed friends ^_^ I really like it better once Bruce gets back to Gotham, the training in the mountains is cool, but not the Bat that I really want to see. The contrast between the terrifying, cold-as-ice Batman and the slightly drunk, let's-buy-a-hotel-why-not Bruce Wayne was just awesome. And there were a few little things that my friends and I picked up on, most notably the fact that Jim Gordan's little girl Barbara was sitting at the table when they pan past his house.

[Elster88]

Welcome, Impulse.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Yancy and Iubitul are your friends?

[Benjamin Grimm]

I don't know Impulse.

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

I know her.

[Zvon]

I liked this alot.
I gave it 8 batusi's.

Good back story, good action, great supporting cast, especially Cain, Neeson and Oldman.
I guess I can get used to this new Batmobile (Im a huge 66 Batman and Batmobile fan- but also a fan of the more serious portrayals of Batman)
Bale as Batman was very good. Almost great.
My only complaint with is that Im not used to a Batman with lispy lookin lips.