Loneknight
06-20-2005, 09:44 AM
Anyone see this yet? Well, the thread is here, and I'm writing about it...
All I can say is...Wow! Folks, I've read some pretty awesome reviews about this movie before I saw it, and they all agree: this new Batman movie will change things.
Keep in mind if you have not seen this new incarnation: it is NOT a Tim Burton or Joel Shumacher film (the guy who butchered the last two Batman films). Batman Begins has a new director, new cast, new direction....and an awesome new look. Now, I only say this because after Batman & Robin, which Schumacher had every dang thing backlit with a neon tube and monolithic statues jutting out all over the place, Begins was great on the eyes.
Christopher Nolan, the new director, wanted Begins to maintain the comic book quality, yet also retain the realism. In this, Gotham City is no longer the gothic, horrific-looking town that is popularized with statues, goons in finger paint carrying around knock-off lightsabers, etc. Rather, Gotham City looks like a real city, with real people and real criminals. The streets, cityscape, and individuals who make up Gotham can easily be mistaken for a scene out of New York, which makes this film work. We are not taken to a fictional city, but rather a real city with a name synonymous with justice.
Then enter the Caped Crusader. As the film begins, we see the beginning of a man who has lost himself in his anguish, his fear, and his frustration. After witnessing the death of his parents, Bruce struggles to see the lines of right and wrong and the memory of his father and mother gunned down haunt him through his years at Princeton, and into manhood. It is when he traverses the world to understand his enemy, does he end up finding his true path. When Ducard (Liam Neeson) tells Bruce that he can right the wrongs, and turn his fear into the fear of others, Bruce decides to take Ducard on his word and begin his training.
What follows is the transformation of one of comic books most legendary icons. In this, we see Thomas Wayne as a compassionate, loving father, whom Bruce idolizes along with the rest of the employees at Wayne Enterprises. We see the findings of the Batcave, Bruce's future sanctuary and hideout, the horror of his parents murdered and the internal struggle that Bruce fights. We then see Bruce channeling his anger, coming face-to-face to with his fear, and ultimately embracing his destiny.
When returning to Gotham, the ever loyal Alfred (Michael Caine) was comforting to see. Caine does a great job of portraying the butler that Bruce has grown to love as a father, and there are some great one-liners by Alfred which offer a relieved chuckle.
Morgan Freeman playes Lucius Fox, who first sets up Bruce with all of his "toys". Morgan also does a wonderful job of a supporting character, as he helps to aid our hero in his pursuit of justice. This also helps to explain how a lot of Batman's gadgets works, and I must say it was pretty fascinating.
The "toys" that we see in the film are a treat, and the new Batmobile, or "Tumbler", is sure to blow away expectations. When I first saw this on the internet, it looked like a clunky re-designed S.U.V. On film, the Tumbler does it's own butt-kicking and takes names at the same time. Again, this looked like something out of a realistic period, not a retro-tailfinned tuna boat or neon sports car with a 4 foot flame shooting out the back of it.
For those that are familiar with the animated series, one would recall the Scarecrow, a psychiatrist gone awry and who also uses a very powerful hallucinogen to conjure up anyone's worst fears. In the film, Cillian Murphy does a great job at bringing this villian to life, and the CGI effects associated with his character up the horror level of this wonderfully done villian, right up there with the Joker from the first Batman film. The other villians, to me, just didn't grab the screen as well as Scarecrow, but all in all it does add to the film and makes for a great story.
A few parts which made me almost cheer in the theater is, on his first night out, Batman takes to the local crime lord during a shipment of drugs. At the end of this scene, the Dark Knight pulls the crime lord out of his car, and when the evil boss yells "Who are you?!", we hear those unmistakable words... "I'm Batman!"
Like I said in the beginning, it's not Tim Burton or Joel Schumacher. We won't see those colorful goons or ridiculous villians (with the exception to the Joker) with cheesy one-liners and bad makeup. Nor will you see some ridiculous stunt, or the Caped Crusader surfing down the neck of a Dinosuar (Schumacher REALLY needs to be beaten for that). You'll see pain, redemption, terror, justice, love, hate, happiness, dedication, sadness....but more than that, you'll see what should have been seen in the first film...
...a Legend.
Now go see this movie! :D
All I can say is...Wow! Folks, I've read some pretty awesome reviews about this movie before I saw it, and they all agree: this new Batman movie will change things.
Keep in mind if you have not seen this new incarnation: it is NOT a Tim Burton or Joel Shumacher film (the guy who butchered the last two Batman films). Batman Begins has a new director, new cast, new direction....and an awesome new look. Now, I only say this because after Batman & Robin, which Schumacher had every dang thing backlit with a neon tube and monolithic statues jutting out all over the place, Begins was great on the eyes.
Christopher Nolan, the new director, wanted Begins to maintain the comic book quality, yet also retain the realism. In this, Gotham City is no longer the gothic, horrific-looking town that is popularized with statues, goons in finger paint carrying around knock-off lightsabers, etc. Rather, Gotham City looks like a real city, with real people and real criminals. The streets, cityscape, and individuals who make up Gotham can easily be mistaken for a scene out of New York, which makes this film work. We are not taken to a fictional city, but rather a real city with a name synonymous with justice.
Then enter the Caped Crusader. As the film begins, we see the beginning of a man who has lost himself in his anguish, his fear, and his frustration. After witnessing the death of his parents, Bruce struggles to see the lines of right and wrong and the memory of his father and mother gunned down haunt him through his years at Princeton, and into manhood. It is when he traverses the world to understand his enemy, does he end up finding his true path. When Ducard (Liam Neeson) tells Bruce that he can right the wrongs, and turn his fear into the fear of others, Bruce decides to take Ducard on his word and begin his training.
What follows is the transformation of one of comic books most legendary icons. In this, we see Thomas Wayne as a compassionate, loving father, whom Bruce idolizes along with the rest of the employees at Wayne Enterprises. We see the findings of the Batcave, Bruce's future sanctuary and hideout, the horror of his parents murdered and the internal struggle that Bruce fights. We then see Bruce channeling his anger, coming face-to-face to with his fear, and ultimately embracing his destiny.
When returning to Gotham, the ever loyal Alfred (Michael Caine) was comforting to see. Caine does a great job of portraying the butler that Bruce has grown to love as a father, and there are some great one-liners by Alfred which offer a relieved chuckle.
Morgan Freeman playes Lucius Fox, who first sets up Bruce with all of his "toys". Morgan also does a wonderful job of a supporting character, as he helps to aid our hero in his pursuit of justice. This also helps to explain how a lot of Batman's gadgets works, and I must say it was pretty fascinating.
The "toys" that we see in the film are a treat, and the new Batmobile, or "Tumbler", is sure to blow away expectations. When I first saw this on the internet, it looked like a clunky re-designed S.U.V. On film, the Tumbler does it's own butt-kicking and takes names at the same time. Again, this looked like something out of a realistic period, not a retro-tailfinned tuna boat or neon sports car with a 4 foot flame shooting out the back of it.
For those that are familiar with the animated series, one would recall the Scarecrow, a psychiatrist gone awry and who also uses a very powerful hallucinogen to conjure up anyone's worst fears. In the film, Cillian Murphy does a great job at bringing this villian to life, and the CGI effects associated with his character up the horror level of this wonderfully done villian, right up there with the Joker from the first Batman film. The other villians, to me, just didn't grab the screen as well as Scarecrow, but all in all it does add to the film and makes for a great story.
A few parts which made me almost cheer in the theater is, on his first night out, Batman takes to the local crime lord during a shipment of drugs. At the end of this scene, the Dark Knight pulls the crime lord out of his car, and when the evil boss yells "Who are you?!", we hear those unmistakable words... "I'm Batman!"
Like I said in the beginning, it's not Tim Burton or Joel Schumacher. We won't see those colorful goons or ridiculous villians (with the exception to the Joker) with cheesy one-liners and bad makeup. Nor will you see some ridiculous stunt, or the Caped Crusader surfing down the neck of a Dinosuar (Schumacher REALLY needs to be beaten for that). You'll see pain, redemption, terror, justice, love, hate, happiness, dedication, sadness....but more than that, you'll see what should have been seen in the first film...
...a Legend.
Now go see this movie! :D