Product: Batman Begins (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (2005)
Rating: 4.0
Batman Before the Cape
Like "Spiderman 2," "Batman Begins" goes into the psyche of the protagonist. If you want immediate action, or a simple "go take out the bad guys" movie, you won't be happy with this one.I love a good vs. evil movie, the kind where the good guy learns of a caper, chases down the bad guy, hits him around a few times when the bad guy tries to get away. "Batman Begins" is not about chasing bad guys. It is about Bruce Wayne, and why and how he became the Caped Crusader.If outlined, it might come across like other super hero movies. The strength of the movie is how it reaches into the details, and how the story is told.Fans of Batman in the comics, and followers of the movie series know the origin story. Bruce's parents are killed when he is a child, and he determines to bring justice through training and by using his parents' vast fortune to provide him the tools he needs. The story is the same.Why tell an old story again? Because all we have ever have been given was an outline -- we want more. The years between Bruce's parent's death and when he first wore the cape in Gotham City have always been a mystery.How did he train? What fueled his intensity? How did he get the uniform? Why bats? How did he get the bat cave? If he is just a human, why don't bullets kill him? All of these questions and more are answered in a satisfying way, and hopefully will inspire deeper super hero movies.Parts of the plot are confusing, like the Scare Crow's persona. Kids might not make the connection psychologically. Younger kids might have trouble with the drug-induced hallucinogenic episodes meant to scare the victims. If they can handle the old "Willie Wonka" movie, this should be OK.It doesn't get a perfect grade only because I had trouble believing that this very human Bruce Wayne could adapt as quickly as he did to the special machinery and vehicles, and learn to fight in the mountains so adeptly in what seemed just a few months. The difference between Batman and Superman has always been the humanity of Wayne. Occasionally, the movie stretched this a step too far. Ignore a few of those scenes, and you'll enjoy "Batman Begins."Anthony Trendleditor, HungarianBookstore.com