Batman Begins
Batman Begins represents the fifth installment in the Batman
series and the first new film in the series in eight years.
Director by Christopher Nolan (Memento) it also represents the
best film in a series that had become stale and campy and also
the first of the batman movies to do justice to Frank Miller's
Dark Knight vision of the caped crusader. Batman Begins by far
is one of the best comic book movies in recent years and the
best characterization of Batman that I never knew I wanted. This
is a Batman a girl could lust after and any man could respect.
He's dark and brooding, human and awe inspiring and troubled
enough to warrant running around the city dressed as an
oversized bat and still mange not to seem like a man in serious
need of counseling.
This new installment of Batman follows its predecessors in that
the why Bruce Wayne becomes Batman hasn't changed: He sees his
parents killed by a mugger as a kid and from then on is raised
by his trusty butler Alfred (Micahel Caine) and once he becomes
grown feels the need to save Gotham City from the same criminal
element that killed his parents. What is different is that for
the first time the transformation from traumatized, orphaned kid
to avenging, vigilante is believable. The film spends a great
deal of time, the first hour in fact, addressing how witnessing
the murder of his parents has affected him, from the guilt he
feels that he couldn't save them, to the rage he feels for the
man responsible for their deaths. We also finally get an
explanation as to why he chooses a bat as his alter ego that is
not only plausible but believable and compelling. Michael Goyer
did an excellent job humanizing Batman with this script. Instead
of seeming supernatural or extraordinary, he comes across as a
man in need of redemption from a haunting and tragic past, one
who pursues his version of justice for the purging of his own
soul as much as it is for the purging of Gotham City's.
Christian Bale has found his calling as the young Bruce Wayne
turned Batman. He is the perfect mix of self assurance and
arrogance, vulnerability and insecurity. As the playboy Bruce
Wayne he is sexy, alluring and charmingly irresponsible. As
Batman he is anger, fear and justice personified. The duality in
his personality is pulled off without a hitch and the switch
between billionaire playboy, and winged vigilante is seamless.
Who knew the emaciated actor from the Machinist would find his
perfect fit in a role that had all but been played out.
Also, the movie doesn't suffer from its all star supporting cast
one bit. Liam Neeson, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman are
excellent as always in their respective roles as mentor, butler
and scientific genius. Neeson as the counselor and mentor to the
young Bruce Wayne that teaches him all he knows is tough, smart
and mysterious. Caine is excellent as the wise and understated
Alfred, the only family Wayne has left and his guardian after
his parents' death. And Morgan Freeman is Batman's personal Q as
the man responsible for creating all of the gadgets, including
his costume and the famed batmobile that we've come to expect
from the Batman movies. Each man puts in an excellent
performance which is to be expected from such gifted actors.
The one sour note on the acting front was Katie Holmes. While
she's gushing over being Tom Cruise's new gal pal she should ask
him for a few acting lessons because goodness knows every time
she appeared on screen the movie came to a screeching halt.
Calling her performance awful doesn't quite cover things. She
plays Rachel, childhood friend of Bruce Wayne turned love
interest and the one honest person, along with a detective at
the police precinct, left in Gotham City. As an adult Rachel is
assistant DA and the only one left to shake Gotham loose form
the criminal element that has its hold on the city. The problem
is Katie Holmes as Rachel has the personality of a nut and the
chemistry between Holmes and Bale is so non-existent that
calling it non-existent is a gross understatement. I say feel
free to kill her off in the sequel, the movie could only improve
from such an editorial decision.
Despite Holmes' awful performance Batman Begins is excellent
entertainment, immense fun and a great way to spend your
afternoon. For once the Batman movies have fulfilled their
potential and promise and I can honestly say I can't wait for
the sequel.