Batman Begins is a return to glory for a franchise that was once thought to be sunk by Mr. Ocean and Joel S. Gone are the flashy colors that prevailed in the last 2 installments, and gone are the tongue in-cheek sexual references that try to make the characters more than they need to be. Instead, Batman is reinvented in this film, by the steady hand of Director Christopher Nolan. Those who have seen his films Insomnia and Momento, know that this is a man who can see the dark side of things, and boy does he take this film down a dark road. Relying more on the psyche, and less on flashy effects, Nolan has taken Batman back to its roots, and improved upon the story ten-fold. What had been a disgrace to comic book fans in previous films, Batman is given a new style, a new outlook, and a new car.
Batman Begins of course centers around the main character of Bruce Wayne. Having seen his parents killed right in front of him, he has filled his heart with not only doubt, but with many fears as well. Hoping to find a solution to these fears he basically gives up on what once was a bright future, and turned instead towards discovering why criminals do the things that they do. This has led him on a journey that places him somewhere between lunatic and savior. He cannot even deal with the pain that he has inside, so he doesn't really see how he can fit back into society. This leads him right to the door-step of Ra's Al Ghul, who plans to teach him how to harness all of his fear and anger, and take vengeance upon all those who have taken the wrong path in life. Wayne goes through this training, only to finally fully discover what he really should be fighting for, and that he does have a purpose after all.
Christian Bale dons the cape and cowl in Batman Begins, and I felt did a great job in the role. His brooding is just as good as Keaton's was, and he far surpasses what Kilmer and Clooney were able to do. Bale stands on his own, and really makes the character of Batman his own, by not falling prey to all of the stereotypes that the former actors had fallen under. This wasn't a lesson in showing off just how good looking Bale could be, and Bale does a great job of being part of the story, rather than being the story. To explain better, the movie was more about a man's struggles with his own demons, and less about kicking butt. Don't get me wrong, Bale has his scenes where he is able to show off everything he has learned, but at the meat of the movie we are able to cling to something more than just a few spectacular fight scenes.
Surrounding Bale in this film, are many other great actors who lend their acting talents in great fashion. Gone are the over-the-top supporting characters who are designed more for star appeal than what they really offer the film, and they are replaced with accomplished actors who know just how to turn a phrase or create drama within a scene. Included in those actors is Liam Neeson as Ducard who takes Wayne to Al Ghul and begins his training, Gary Oldman who plays Detective Jim Gordon, Michael Caine who plays the Wayne's butler Alfred, and Morgan Freeman Lucius Fox, an expert working for the Wayne Company. They are all given parts that play to their talents, and it is very enjoyable to see any one of them on the screen at any given time. In addition, we have smaller roles played by Ken Watanabe and Rutger Hauer who are also fun to watch.
Playing the female lead is Katie Holmes in a role that very well could push her over into starring roles in film. Being a supporting character has been her bread and butter since Dawson's Creek, and this film might be the one she needed. She is pretty good in her role, and does end up being the Mary Jane to Bale's Peter Parker. In my mind she was decent, but she is no Kim Basinger. The final character we have in the film is Dr. Jonathan Crane who seems to have something to hide from the beginning of the film, and we are soon shown his true colors, and who the people that he deals with are. Crane was very good in this role, and seeing the film will provide the explanation as to why I don't over-indulge my assessment of his part. All in all, the cast of Batman Begins was a great one, and I was really glad with all of the choices made for the film.
Batman Begins could have been one of those films that went too far over the top, or tried to re-hash old ideas that either had been done better, or just plain didn't work. Instead, what we have here is a homage to the comic book, and a true story that goes back to the roots of Batman. Don't expect it to be like the TV show, and don't expect it to be as light-hearted as the past few films. What we have here is a really dark film, which explains the transformation of a boy into a man, and everything that he hoped to accomplish. After the last movie, the franchise really needed a jump-start, and by going back to the beginning, rather than trying to build off Clooney's failure was the right way to go. I found myself almost applauding at the end of the film, and when there were emotional scenes involving the young Bruce Wayne I could really feel those emotions. Great acting, great story-telling, and the perfect cast helped to make this one of the best movies of 2005 so far. I cannot wait till the next Batman film comes out.
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