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Reviews of Batman Begins
a fantastic movie with more story and a great cast
Posted : 1 year ago on 3 December 2008 10:03
(A review of Batman Begins)Batman Begins which stars Christian Bale as the caped Crusader/media/weapons empire. is just as good as the original and is filled with great lines and action that will keep you on your feet the whole 2 1/2 hours. Bruce wayne is in search of something. He finds it in Vigilante Justice. just after being arrested for stealing his own stuff. In prison Wayne is approached by none other than Ducard ( a very good Liam Neeson). He is told to find a very pretty blue flower and bring to the top of the moutain. once wayne arrives he discovers what his friend Ducard and his orgnaization are not who they seem to be and returns to Gotham city where all hell has broken loose. Batman Begins is a great re-start to the franchise and like casino royale breathed alot of life into the franchise once again. Batman begins looks great in Hi-def (on blu-ray). However, it also sets up further plot into The Dark Knight. possibly an academy award winner later this coming year. so don't miss this title before the Dark Knight hits dvd and blu-ray next week.
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Nolan resparks a dying franchise
Posted : 1 year, 4 months ago on 21 August 2008 06:19
(A review of Batman Begins)
''Which is?''
''A legend, Mr. Wayne.''
The story of Bruce Wayne and how he becomes Batman. A fresh start, a new awakening...
Christian Bale: Bruce Wayne / Batman
Michael Caine: Alfred
Liam Neeson: Henri Ducard
Dark, focused and a return to form for batman thanks to Christopher Nolan. Mesmerizing how it tells the origin of batman afresh an conveys a sense of darkness and emotional attachment to the main protagonist.
Amazing settings and locations, in the middle of no-where,Tibet-style Asia journeying. A man trying to find his destiny, ultimately a way to vent justice and bring a sense of self worth to his existence.
Losing his parents and becoming lost as his thirst for revenge is ruined and claimed by another. He disappears from Gotham his home...to search the world for answers, for purpose.
Batman Begins features some of the most compelling scenes ever done in a film I've seen.
A car chase that pits the Dark Avenger in a colossus of a vehicle against Gotham's police. Cleverly it manages to be thrilling, tense and yet at the same time comical, for example the police making quirky amusing comments on the chase or Batman's car/tank size or ability to jump rooftops. Highly entertaining.
Another incredible sequence between Cillian Murphy's Scarecrow/Crane and Batman sees his lethal toxin used against him. We are treated to a terrifying vision of the Dark hero through Cranes eyes. A demonic creature of the night, an oozing dark eyed monstrous being.
Christian Bale truly makes the role of Batman/Bruce Wayne his own. Nolan choosing his muse English Star Bale, also doing Prestige round near the same time, was the beginning of a triumphant reboot of a fading franchise.
We have Gary Oldman too as Sergeant Gordon, a later ally of Batman in Begins and another example of genius inspired casting. His ''borrowing'' of Batman's tank is as amusing as the first time he sees it. Not to mention the beautiful scene where Bale uses an emitting device to call his bats that precedes Gordon's arrival and the chase.
Not forgetting sensational legend Michael Caine as Alfred who provides another sparkle and quality to Batman Begins.
''Haven't given up on me yet Alfred?''
''Never.''
Just strikes a chord with me everytime the accuracy of the bonds between characters, the level of raw emotion and love, especially Bale & Caine, or Bale & Rachel, who just click on every level.
The same can be said of Morgan Freeman's Lucius Fox. Caine and Freeman can always guarantee a film with impact as well as quality and cause smiles then charm audiences with witty dialogue.
I even loved Katie Holmes in this as Rachel Dawes, who did her part to the best of her ability but was picked on by critics due to her being with such a strong assembled cast.
Nolan's masterpiece puts a realistic vantage point on the dark hero. Giving twists and a more human, more believable nemesis who bonds with our hero on many levels. Making an impending final battle even more powerful.
Liam Neeson does an excellent job in this capacity. Hard, cold and idealistic as a mentor turned against pupil twist.
The beginning half of the film was sheer perfection for me. Liam Neeson and Christian Bale really sent shivers down me in all their glory, the sheer emotion and rage, dedication and ideology, fear and strength really struck a chord with me.
Cinematography, score, music, action all effortlessly executed, all pulled of by Nolan to perfection. Not even Burton's iconic take on Batman that I grew up with could stand up to this new improved revamped, Dark, Playboy by day, Bat Avenger by night, hero.
Thus Batman Begins leaving us with the calling card of the Joker and Gordon immortalizing line,''I never said thank you.'' Followed by Batman's reply,''And you will never have to.''
Batman Begins begs us, taunts us for a sequel. Nolan did his job so well that in the end it was truly inevitable.
A certain Dark Knight, pardon the pun, definitely was on the cards.
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Bat 'Er Up!
Posted : 1 year, 4 months ago on 4 August 2008 03:44
(A review of Batman Begins)While Tim Burton's was the first to finally introduce the down to earth grittiness that revealed Batman as the real badass that we who read his comics knew that he really was, there was still a certain flamboyancy ( as is in all of Burton's films) that allowed those filmmakers whose followed in this franchise after Burton, to systematically bring the Caped Crusader down almost to the level of Adam West doing the bat-toosie.
This reboot came along & completely eliminated the almost unrepairable bat-damage still lingering in the minds of general movie-goers.
I remember sitting thru the first scene of this film & thinking to myself that it was hard to believe that what I was watching was actually a superhero movie. I can even overlook the fact that the Bat-Mobile was now more of a massively unbatlike tank/dune-buggy hybrid than it was an actual sleek yet indestructible @ss-kicking ride that we all average joe mortal-types like to fantasize about owning.
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Batman Begins review
Posted : 1 year, 5 months ago on 26 July 2008 10:07
(A review of Batman Begins)An enjoyable film. I think it's a great restart to an excellent story that was sold a bit short with the last round. The thing that sold me the most was Gary Oldman and their choice of villains.
I love Gary Oldman. He made this movie worth watching for me. And you could tell he was having fun, too. Particularly when he got to use the Batmobile. And I love that they showed his family. Also, Ra's Al Ghul's part in the story was perfect. I had my doubts when I saw that the person playing him wasn't well-known, but trust me...he's PERFECT. Also, I loved that they used Crane/Scarecrow in this very first story. It ends up setting up everything to come.
Things that I particularly enjoyed: the training sequences, particularly the final training fight between Christian and Liam, which was excellently choreographed.
I also enjoyed how they played up the Wayne corporation in the movie. The idea that Wayne Enterprises was being run by a board worked well with the idea that his father was a doctor in canon, so it was a nice nod to why there was a corporation. And Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox. And he was excellent. And the fact that he knows about where all the bat-toys come from. "Mister Wayne...Don't think of me as an idiot."
The slow development of Bruce Wayne, depressed and guilty millionaire's son to Batman was just about perfect. The final scene with Gordon and Batman on the rooftop (another great line... "I couldn't find a mob boss"), and his clue for this Arkham criminal Batman's going to have to capture (no, I won't say which. It's obvious when you see the clue, but it's a biggie. ;D ) were excellent. Gives me hope for good movies in the future.
The not-so-great stuff: I felt rather beat over the head with the "Fear" mallet, specifically at the beginning. And they didn't follow through on it nearly enough. They were obviously having too much fun with the car-chases, blowing things up, and other action scenes. Also, I don't hate Katie Holmes, but does she have any other acting style? I swear she was just being Joey from Dawson's Creek. Not what I wanted to see. I would much have preferred to see Talia (Ra's daughter) as a love interest. Seeing as how she really didn't do much for the plot, and their "romance" was nonexistent. Michael Cane was nice, but felt mostly unused. I would have liked something more for him to do than snark sweetly at still-evolving Bruce.
Overall, I enjoyed the film, but there is definitely some growing room that they took great advantage of in the sequel. Definitely worth a watch.
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Resurrection of the Batman franchise
Posted : 1 year, 5 months ago on 16 July 2008 01:43
(A review of Batman Begins)"It's not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me."
Tim Burton revitalised the Batman movie franchise in 1989 when the world witnessed the release of Batman. Burton's original film is still possibly the greatest superhero movie of all time. This was the first live action interpretation of Batman since the unbelievably campy TV series and movie of the 1960s that had just about done it in. Director Burton had gone to the graphic novels of the Dark Knight, infusing his two Batman movies with a moody, noirish tone that left fans satisfied and transformed non-fans into believers. Little did Burton know that director Joel Schumacher would hijack the series after Burton created Batman and Batman Returns. After director Schumacher created the mediocre Batman Forever (a fairly dismal title), he then buried the franchise six feet under with the indescribably bad Batman & Robin. The 1997 release of this terrible aforementioned film effectively derailed the Batman express for the succeeding 8 years.
In 2005, renowned director Christopher Nolan returned to square one to start all over again to repair the damage. Nolan was already famous for such films as Memento and Insomnia. In hindsight, this director was the perfect choice to instigate the birth of Batman Begins...the best escapade of the Caped Crusader since Tim Burton's brilliant 1989 blockbuster. First of all, it's extremely important to note that Batman Begins is in no way related to the preceding Batman films. Instead, director Nolan opted to start the series at the beginning. This is a different timeline...essentially an entirely different universe for Batman. To ensure no disasters like Batman & Robin ever occur again, all the previous Batman films are completely disregarded.
Although a bold move, the efforts of the creative team are virtually impeccable. With modern technology in place, the visuals look fantastic. I must state, though, that this interpretation of Gotham City is far more regular than Burton's mind-blowing vision. It essentially resembles any city in America. Nonetheless, every other location is delightful to behold. From the Batcave to Bruce Wayne's estate...to glorious locations displayed at a training facility in the middle of a snowy climate. Batman Begins is a phenomenal film, and while it doesn't invoke the effective mystique of Burton's initial movies, it has abandoned the look of an old comic book for the darker, more realistic aspect of a graphic novel. Gone is the campy dialogue, the detestable corniness and the embarrassing screenplays exhibited previously (in all the non-Burton films). In its place is a gritty, realistic, highly entertaining film guaranteed to please fans of all ages.
As the title suggests, the film dives into the origins of Bruce Wayne and the Batman legend. The whole story is absorbing and complimented with amazingly effective (and compelling) drama mixed with exhilarating action aplenty. The first half of Batman Begins recounts the genesis of Batman: how infuriated, disheartened young billionaire Bruce Wayne (Bale) travels the ends of the Earth to examine the criminal mind and struggle with his own fears, forever seeking a means to combat the injustice he sees around him. Wayne seeks training in an ancient society known as the League of Shadows: centuries old and with an impressive reputation, they are committed to checking world balance. Here he learns to look inward, confront himself, and employ his inner as well as outer strength. When Wayne returns to Gotham City he finds his home governed by corruption, fear and crime. In the film's second half, we watch the transformation of drab billionaire to a caped superhero dedicated to erasing crime. The film takes great pains to offer every facet of its plot and characters as things that could truly happen, no matter how outrageous. There isn't any radioactive bat biting Bruce Wayne to transform him into an instantaneous superhero with mystical powers. Wayne is a commonplace human with extraordinary susceptibilities, a robust physical make-up, access to high-tech gadgetry, and masses of money.
Director Christopher Nolan clearly distances his film from those preceding it. Personally, I found the film to be energetic, exciting, exuberant, involving, compelling and enthralling. There's plenty of drama to exhibit with equal amounts of action. However, Nolan's style isn't without flaws. For starters, it seems Nolan believes everyone expects the irritating close-ups and quick-cutting. Not just for the action, but for the entire film. In action it's detracting albeit still exciting. Nevertheless, I must give credit to the entire creative team for pulling off an incredibly atmospheric adventure. Burton's 1989 film had equal amounts of drama, comedy and action. Nicholson's embodiment of the Joker made us laugh constantly. He was comic relief mixed with psychopathic undertones. Instead of conforming to the set standard, Nolan opts for straight-up drama. This could have proved disastrous as the comics are mainly aimed at younger viewers who may find so much seriousness off-putting. However this style works! The visuals are impressive enough for kids to be excited about. Even during the drama, kids won't be bored (except for perhaps some instances when Batman isn't anywhere to be seen).
The cast is filled with some of the biggest names from the last few decades. Leading the cast is Welsh-born actor Christian Bale. While Michael Keaton shall always remain my all-time preference as Batman, Bale comes in at a close second. It's an extremely close call. Bale easily beats Val Kilmer, although granted Kilmer's interpretation was still highly impressive. Even easier, Bale is far superior to George Clooney (Even Adam West was better than George! It's amusing to note that George apologised for being part of wrecking the Batman franchise, and he even offered to refund the ticket price to anyone who saw the film). Christian Bale is charming as billionaire Bruce Wayne, and perfectly makes Batman his own. His strong jaw-line looks particularly good while under the mask. I will admit that his voice was sometimes slightly over-the-top. Occasionally it just sounds like he has a sore throat. Also in the cast are Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine (in my opinion surpassing Michael Gough as Alfred the butler), Gary Oldman, Tom Wilkinson and even Rutger Hauer. Everyone is perfectly cast with the exception of Katie Holmes who seems extremely lightweight in an otherwise solid bunch of actors. Holmes should never be given the opportunity to reprise this role. Sorry, Tom Cruise, but your wife is an underwhelming actress. (Funny thing is...Katie won a Razzie Award for 'Most Tiresome Tabloid Target' shared with Tom. Katie was also nominated for a Razzie Award for 'Worst Supporting Actress'. Who's to quibble? She sucks!)
Overall, Batman Begins clearly surpasses Batman Returns, Batman Forever and Batman & Robin with flying colours. It's still not as brilliant as Burton's 1989 Batman, but the film is certainly on par. Considering the diminishing quality of the previous two Batman outings, it's easy to discern why it's a fantastic choice to reboot the series. The creative team underwent a labour of love, painfully researching the source material for maximum quality. This film is only marginally flawed by slight over-length, the sometimes detracting shaky cam and by Katie Holmes' disappointing performance. Despite a number of shortcomings, the style is essentially perfect and the atmosphere is effective. If you consider yourself a fan of the comics or the character, watch this film without hesitation. Followed by The Dark Knight.
7.9/10
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batman
Posted : 1 year, 7 months ago on 3 May 2008 09:34
(A review of Batman Begins)it is true that this batman movie is the best batman movie to date but that is because of the begining which fills us in on a fair bit of information then going in to a intrict plot with lots of action
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Super Hero :P
Posted : 2 years, 8 months ago on 22 April 2007 03:50
(A review of Batman Begins)…the best Batman movie to date. The script is first rate and actually helps to give a plausible reason behind the villian’s mad scheme to destroy Gotham City. The cast has some of Hollywood’s best supporting actors. Casting such movie heavyweights as Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, and Gary Oldman only adds to the film’s richness. Not to be overlooked is the film’s musical score, arguably the best movie soundtrack of 2005. Parental advisory: Batman Begins is violent, dark, realistic, and could be terrifying to a small child or an easily shaken pre-teen.
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Great Comic Book movie
Posted : 2 years, 10 months ago on 19 February 2007 03:41
(A review of Batman Begins)Perfectly portrayed batman. They got the character spot on, the tone spot on and the origin was excellent. There's a great cast here as well as a great score. This is porbably a top 3 superhero movie. Can't wait for the next one.
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