Written by: Kevin Berge
It's just not fair how cool Batman is. Why does his bat suit look so amazing in every situation? (Image Courtesy of: denofgeek.com)
Quick Take: Batman Begins captures the character of Batman in a way no one had before, exploring themes of justice and fear which are integrally linked to the famous DC superhero. Grounded in a sense of reality with fantastic direction from Christopher Nolan, this is one of the best comic book films ever made.
***This is an in-depth review of Batman Begins, focused on how it tells its origin story with a realistic world, and it will contain many spoilers. Take the "classic" label for this film as a strong recommendation to watch the movie first before reading ahead.***
Christopher Nolan is a name that has grown grand over the years, becoming a cultural phenomenon. While he made great movies (including perhaps his best in Momento) before Batman Begins, this was the movie that introduced the world at large to Nolan as a filmmaker with Nolan proving superhero movies do not have to be simple.
I remember first hearing about Batman Begins when I was trying to find out if there was a plan for a Batman Beyond movie. I was young enough to get excited for a Batman vs. Scarecrow movie especially with the awesome orange-tinged poster, but I was not nearly old enough to know the potential of what was coming.
Batman Begins' primary story can be summed up fairly simply. Bruce Wayne returns from his self-imposed exile from Gotham as a changed man, becoming Batman and attempting to right the evils that plague Gotham primarily the mob led by Carmine Falcone only to find greater foes in the enigmatic Scarecrow and the League of Assassins, both seeking the destruction of Gotham.
It sounds like any other superhero origin story. However, it is style and substance that makes the simple premise work. Wayne does not simply become Batman nor does he transform into Batman after one event. He slowly but surely finds his way as this protector of justice, learning from his mistakes and missteps.
While calling the movie a realistic take on Batman is a stretch as it is filled with incredulous moments, it evokes realism through a grounded take on the hero. While watching, you are never made to feel Batman is anything truly above and beyond this world. He is simply a smart, talented, and driven man with gadgets.
The style of Batman, the wild sudden appearances and moments of fear-inducing, are all here, making it clear that Batman does not shy away from causing his victims trauma. However, the promise that he will never take a life keeps him the hero of this story rather than becoming an antihero.
More than anything, this movie is carried by Nolan's mastery of storytelling framing as it builds upon its acts with the growing sense of wonder and incredulity. Even though Batman does not appear until the second act of this film, there is never a dull moment in this film. Plus the shots on site in Chicago are constantly striking and selling the darkness and grime of Gotham.
Christopher Nolan is a name that has grown grand over the years, becoming a cultural phenomenon. While he made great movies (including perhaps his best in Momento) before Batman Begins, this was the movie that introduced the world at large to Nolan as a filmmaker with Nolan proving superhero movies do not have to be simple.
I remember first hearing about Batman Begins when I was trying to find out if there was a plan for a Batman Beyond movie. I was young enough to get excited for a Batman vs. Scarecrow movie especially with the awesome orange-tinged poster, but I was not nearly old enough to know the potential of what was coming.
Batman Begins' primary story can be summed up fairly simply. Bruce Wayne returns from his self-imposed exile from Gotham as a changed man, becoming Batman and attempting to right the evils that plague Gotham primarily the mob led by Carmine Falcone only to find greater foes in the enigmatic Scarecrow and the League of Assassins, both seeking the destruction of Gotham.
It sounds like any other superhero origin story. However, it is style and substance that makes the simple premise work. Wayne does not simply become Batman nor does he transform into Batman after one event. He slowly but surely finds his way as this protector of justice, learning from his mistakes and missteps.
While calling the movie a realistic take on Batman is a stretch as it is filled with incredulous moments, it evokes realism through a grounded take on the hero. While watching, you are never made to feel Batman is anything truly above and beyond this world. He is simply a smart, talented, and driven man with gadgets.
The style of Batman, the wild sudden appearances and moments of fear-inducing, are all here, making it clear that Batman does not shy away from causing his victims trauma. However, the promise that he will never take a life keeps him the hero of this story rather than becoming an antihero.
More than anything, this movie is carried by Nolan's mastery of storytelling framing as it builds upon its acts with the growing sense of wonder and incredulity. Even though Batman does not appear until the second act of this film, there is never a dull moment in this film. Plus the shots on site in Chicago are constantly striking and selling the darkness and grime of Gotham.
The greatest bromance in comic book history. (Image Courtesy of: forbes.com)
There have been many strong actors under the cowl, and arguing over who is best will always be a waste of time. Christian Bale (American Psycho) though absolutely takes the role as his own from the start even if he does not quite sell the charismatic playboy persona Wayne puts on. Yes, his Batman voice is ridiculous, but it works and is absolutely intimidating plus he is great as the tortured soul Wayne.
His Wayne works perfectly off Michael Caine's Alfred (The Prestige) who sells the butler's love for the family name along side a quiet snappy wit. Gary Oldman (Leon: The Professional) escapes into the role of Jim Gordon, making you forget he's an accredited actor.
The rest of the cast in this first installment are fine, but they do not quite match-up. While the perfect casting choice for Dr. Jonathan Crane, Cillian Murphy (28 Days Later) falls too quickly into the background despite playing the most eccentric character. Liam Neeson (Schindler's List) has a great role to play, but I too often saw Liam Neeson rather than Ra's Al Ghul.
The villains in general in this first chapter are the movie's weakest aspect. This movie is so focused on the growth of Bruce Wayne that Scarecrow and Ra's are just bit players whose plans feel underdeveloped. They are well-written and intriguing, but they leave little impression particularly given what is to soon come.
Scarecrow wants to plunge the city into confusion and mayhem, but it is never truly clear why. He comes off too much as the classic comic book villain who just wants to destroy the city because that's what bad guys do. Ra's Al Ghul's own motivations are clear, but his actual connection to Gotham feels flimsy with his connection to Bruce a more interesting part of his character.
While it is defined by superheroes and villains, this movie is rarely defined by its action. There are many exhilarating scenes, but the heart of this story are the character interactions and the visual presentation of Batman's growth into a hero. Even his interactions with Rachel Dawes (who is the weakest character in part thanks to a forgettable performance from Katie Holmes) are top notch character moments.
Wayne has always been a loner whose interactions with others besides Alfred are tempered at best, so the way he slowly opens up to Rachel while still trying to hide his identity gives a new perspective to why he acts as he does. She is not the best love interest, but it is nice for Batman to have a love interest that is not overly emphasized.
His Wayne works perfectly off Michael Caine's Alfred (The Prestige) who sells the butler's love for the family name along side a quiet snappy wit. Gary Oldman (Leon: The Professional) escapes into the role of Jim Gordon, making you forget he's an accredited actor.
The rest of the cast in this first installment are fine, but they do not quite match-up. While the perfect casting choice for Dr. Jonathan Crane, Cillian Murphy (28 Days Later) falls too quickly into the background despite playing the most eccentric character. Liam Neeson (Schindler's List) has a great role to play, but I too often saw Liam Neeson rather than Ra's Al Ghul.
The villains in general in this first chapter are the movie's weakest aspect. This movie is so focused on the growth of Bruce Wayne that Scarecrow and Ra's are just bit players whose plans feel underdeveloped. They are well-written and intriguing, but they leave little impression particularly given what is to soon come.
Scarecrow wants to plunge the city into confusion and mayhem, but it is never truly clear why. He comes off too much as the classic comic book villain who just wants to destroy the city because that's what bad guys do. Ra's Al Ghul's own motivations are clear, but his actual connection to Gotham feels flimsy with his connection to Bruce a more interesting part of his character.
While it is defined by superheroes and villains, this movie is rarely defined by its action. There are many exhilarating scenes, but the heart of this story are the character interactions and the visual presentation of Batman's growth into a hero. Even his interactions with Rachel Dawes (who is the weakest character in part thanks to a forgettable performance from Katie Holmes) are top notch character moments.
Wayne has always been a loner whose interactions with others besides Alfred are tempered at best, so the way he slowly opens up to Rachel while still trying to hide his identity gives a new perspective to why he acts as he does. She is not the best love interest, but it is nice for Batman to have a love interest that is not overly emphasized.
The mask really doesn't make much of an impact when you realize it's not actually crawling with worms. (Image Courtesy of: craveonline.com)
The heart of this film is the theme of responsibility which is important in introducing Batman. He loves Gotham and has made it his mission to protect it even though he has no obligation to. His growing sense of justice is connected to his sense of how Gotham has changed.
He wants to take back his family's company and city, one piece at a time. It deserves mentioning how Nolan frames the death of Bruce's parents, such an important scene repeatedly showcased in the film. They die in an alley to some average criminal with both shot in the heat of confusion and fear. It is quick and quiet with the music only kicking in as the camera pans away from Bruce as a child.
It is all brought on by Bruce's fear of bats forcing them to leave the theater early which is another aspect of Batman as a character that is well established. This coupled with the scene of Bruce falling into the well and being overwhelmed by bats creates the sense of why he fears them and why his fear fuels him.
Nolan is not just exploring these details for the sake of explaining away why he is Batman. He is giving each their own weight. When Bruce returns to exact revenge on the man who killed his parents, one of Falcone's men kills the criminal first, and this all brings together Wayne's changing view of justice.
The scenes are only a few minutes in total, spread out over the first act, but they sell the development of Batman more than nearly any other medium has to date. Gotham took so much for him and taught him to fear (another major theme of the story obviously emphasized by Scarecrow), and he answers back by becomes Gotham's symbol, a force of fear for those who would continue to victimize the citizens.
What most shocks me every time I watch Batman Begins is its impressive vibrancy. Even though it is rarely dominated by bright colors, the darkness and even the shadows stand out. The black and gray are never washed-out aesthetics but mysterious pieces of a whole that makes up the mystery of Batman.
This is the most grounded chapter of Nolan's Batman trilogy, neither the mystery thriller of The Dark Knight nor the action epic of The Dark Knight Returns, but it stands out because it is simple and straightforward. It is long but not overly so. It is shrouded but not black. It is a film purely about Batman that makes him compelling even without his fantastic Rogue Gallery backing him up.
He wants to take back his family's company and city, one piece at a time. It deserves mentioning how Nolan frames the death of Bruce's parents, such an important scene repeatedly showcased in the film. They die in an alley to some average criminal with both shot in the heat of confusion and fear. It is quick and quiet with the music only kicking in as the camera pans away from Bruce as a child.
It is all brought on by Bruce's fear of bats forcing them to leave the theater early which is another aspect of Batman as a character that is well established. This coupled with the scene of Bruce falling into the well and being overwhelmed by bats creates the sense of why he fears them and why his fear fuels him.
Nolan is not just exploring these details for the sake of explaining away why he is Batman. He is giving each their own weight. When Bruce returns to exact revenge on the man who killed his parents, one of Falcone's men kills the criminal first, and this all brings together Wayne's changing view of justice.
The scenes are only a few minutes in total, spread out over the first act, but they sell the development of Batman more than nearly any other medium has to date. Gotham took so much for him and taught him to fear (another major theme of the story obviously emphasized by Scarecrow), and he answers back by becomes Gotham's symbol, a force of fear for those who would continue to victimize the citizens.
What most shocks me every time I watch Batman Begins is its impressive vibrancy. Even though it is rarely dominated by bright colors, the darkness and even the shadows stand out. The black and gray are never washed-out aesthetics but mysterious pieces of a whole that makes up the mystery of Batman.
This is the most grounded chapter of Nolan's Batman trilogy, neither the mystery thriller of The Dark Knight nor the action epic of The Dark Knight Returns, but it stands out because it is simple and straightforward. It is long but not overly so. It is shrouded but not black. It is a film purely about Batman that makes him compelling even without his fantastic Rogue Gallery backing him up.
Final verdict:
Three Defining Success
Three Defining Success
- Nolan's direction which crisply moves along the 2 hours and 20 minutes through a host of changing story beats to make a cohesive and original origin story.
- The acting particularly by Christian Bale and Michael Caine that was so strong it ended up redefining how Batman and Alfred are perceived.
- The weight and depth of the story that makes each part of the Batman mythos feel earned rather than simply a part of the whole.
- Despite strong writing and well-chosen characters, the villains of this movie are so forgettable that you would be forgiven for not realizing they were based on major Batman villains.
- Batman was a cultural phenomenon before Nolan, but Nolan made Batman so great that he ended up simply surpassing the legacies of any other superhero whereas he was at least neck-and-neck with Superman before. This has led to an odd separation of Batman from comic book heroes in general.
