Best Batman yet.

Rating: 9/10 (25 June 2005)

Batman has always been my favorite super hero even when I was very little. I grew up on Tim Burton's "Batman" with Micheal Keaton as Batman and Jack Nicholson as Joker. That movie has been the one that I've always judged other Batman movies by. After "Batman Returns" and "Batman Forever" (I've never seen "Batman and Robin" and don't plan to) I'd given up that we'd see another Batman movie with a real villain (seriously, how does a man raised by penguins in a sewer get all sorts of fancy gizmos?) or one where Batman has the proper fierceness and secretive ways.
And then came "Batman Begins." I saw it once in theaters and immediately fell into a Batman craze. I had to go out and buy "Batman" on DVD along with the soundtrack because I suddenly remembered why I'd always loved Batman so much. This was definitely the best Batman movie that we have ever been presented with in terms of backstory, action, darkness, Bat-technology, good costumes (I hope I never have to see another Batman nipple suit), and general Batman spirit.
My idea of Batman is that he's dark and illusive. Fierce and threatening. Grim faced and aloof. Clever and talented. Yet also human with the risk of harm, and with a dark and sarcastic sense of humor. "Where are you?!"..."Here." Batman needs to be calm and poised, yet ready to react in a seconds notice. And Bruce Wayne needs to be charming yet almost shy and unsure about himself without the mask, The Batman in "Batman" achieved all this.
And this new Batman succeeds as well. He's grim and serious and very scary with the suit on, yet sweet and likable as Bruce Wayne. Perfect.
In general, this movie was fantastic. You see all the back story behind how Bruce Wayne became Batman and how he gets all his terrific toys (my favorite being his new cape). And this time he has a villain who doesn't look like he's stuffed with pillows and likes raw fish, or isn't wearing green tights or sewn together trash bags. I absolutely loved it at the end when they were wrapping things up, and Batman is handed an evidence bag that contains the calling card of some new criminal that has emerged. He looks at it; it's a playing card. He flips it over and it's the Joker. Awesome! Also, the soundtrack was fabulous. The music changes perfectly to fit the mood, and it also has a main theme to it that, although different from the music that I knew from my childhood, will be sure to call up Bat-memories whenever it's heard out of context. It's haunting and yet stirring.
If I had to complain about anything, it would be the Batmobile. Hated it. I much preferred the sleek lines of the one in "Batman". This one was too big and bulky and clunky looking. And too loud, except when it was on stealth mode (why doesn't it just stay in stealth mode?), and it pretty much just looked like a tank driving around as opposed to a sleek cool machine that echoed the bat image and had ball-shaped explosives in the hubs. And I guess I could say that I wish his mask didn't have such a severe nose. But that's it! The rest was great! And I hear there's two sequels expected! As long as they do as well with this one they'll be all set.
"It's not who I am underneath, but what I do, that defines me." --Batman