"Batman Begins" with a Bang, no Bust!

Rating: 10/10 (30 June 2005)

Dark, dark, this twisted tale must be. Hollywood, for so long, has seemed to operate under this suffocating lemming-like method of presenting movies for the viewing public. The many rumors that Tinseltown's "powers that be" draw comfort, somehow, from continually treading along several well-worn paths to a lethal tumble are simply true. The obvious, glaring example for this is seen in the delight for taking a comic book story, and becoming somehow hell-bent on staying heavy on the campy...the slapstick. Granted, some courage is needed in presenting a character with all seriousness who can pop razor-sharp claws from his otherwise natural hands, AND at will (Wolverine). It takes guts to ask us to believe, just for a few hours or so, that a radioactive spider-bite can give even the most benign geek incredible crime-fighting powers (you-know-who). Sheer recklessness may be required to convince intelligent people that a mere man, motivated just enough by some tragic life event, may devote every fiber in his being to throw stark intimidation, cleansing light, as well as a whopping can of whoop-a**, into the darkest recesses of hell-on-earth. By the way, these cinematic feats of daring-do are attempted with someone else's millions...and the cost of these attempts keep on skyrocketing. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you "Batman Begins". It was finally recognized that long-time connoisseurs of comic book fare have grown up, and have deep-enough pockets to afford today's outrageous price for a movie ticket. Also, if these same individuals like the movie enough, they reward the maker's efforts by WHAT?...returning to see it again! To he** with the DVD release! Of course there were some minor faux pas...however, if you go to the movies only for the immediate purpose of critiquing them, why bother going at all, and why bother boring us with your MOST "EXPERT" opinions? You should care enough to pay to see any movie TWICE when planning to critique it. See it first as someone who just wants to enjoy a good movie. I did. Batman is such an incredibly gratifying character...anyone can readily identify with him. He "begins", eaten alive with the frustration of watching helplessly as the unseemly elements of Gotham wound not only it's citizens, but his own family. Did we all not experience this same frustration, at least just a bit, in the wake of the Trade Center attacks? Certain celebrity, and businessperson acquittals? Here is an ordinary man, who is taught to mold fear and intimidation into a weapon. He BECOMES the avenging wraith Ducard suggests...hence the bat-man getup. He learns to wield with great efficiency, the centuries-old, most devastating weapon ever know to mankind...the mind. Through "Batman Begins", his beginnings, methods, tools of his trade, and circumstances become far more tangible to us...might any one, or all of us, through some cataclysmic life event, find it within ourselves to become a self-made super hero, such as Batman? I think yes.