An Honest Review

Rating: 10/10 (15 June 2005)

Of the four "new" Batman movies (I have no idea what to call the Clooney mess), Batman Begins takes the trophy. Although the original Batman starring Jack Nicolson and Michael Keaton will always have a place in my heart, I must say that Nolan's treatment left me with no negative criticism. It seems that lately I've been hit over the head with a huge computer-animated hammer. As someone who has worked in stop-motion animation, I hate to walk away from a movie counting the scenes when a character was floating above the floor that he/she/it was supposed to be standing on. It's a deal breaker for me. Batman Begins should be required viewing in directing school as an example of how to use computers when making a movie.
Much like the refreshing live-action aspect of the film, the casting and even the script are dead on. Michael Caine definitely kills it as Alfred, and the aged Rutger Hauer is a nice touch. Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman are quite well placed and handle their parts perfectly. I judge Christian Bale's performance against Michael Keaton and - well, I guess I just judge it against Michael Keaton. Keaton's Batman/Bruce Wayne was a completely different character than the Batman Begins hero. Bale's role is that of a human character; certainly more than just a rubbery guy in a cape and a secretive millionaire. For this, it is almost inappropriate to compare the two. Rest assured, Bale's wit and demeanor - and even his appearance - are definitely what Batman/Bruce Wayne should be.
I haven't been able to figure out why so many movies are directed at a the ADD demographic. If a character flashes a gun at another character, I don't need to hear him say "I have a gun, and if you make me mad I might shoot you." It was a nice surprise to actually WANT to pay attention while watching. Undeserving monologues are non existent, and the jokes are kept to a minimum. The one liners somehow work to intensify the action, rather than just embarrass the audience, and the technical jargon passes as relevant and even authentic for the most part.
Lastly, the action is top notch. The mystique of Batman is directed into the fight scenes in a manner that I can only accurately describe as thrilling. Even those who have seen nothing more than the film version of Batman know that symbolism plays a huge part in his story. Batman Begins provides a flawless explanation not only of the origins of this symbolism, but of it's practical use by a crime fighter with pointy ears. That may sound somewhat cryptic to those of you who haven't yet seen the movie. My suggestion to you is to spend the small fortune that it will cost to catch this one on the big screen. It's definitely worth it.