Product: Batman Begins (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (2005)
Rating: 4.0
Scarecrow is actually scary...
I wanted to leave the theater thinking to myself, "fan-freaking-tastic", but "pretty damn awesome" will have to do. The critics who say the movie never quite ignites as a barn burner have a point--there's the usual car chase, the obligatory climactic fistfight--but these genre-staple scenes are well-done, and the movie remains engrossing thanks to psychological drama. The violent scenes are indeed cut in a punch-pulling way that blunts their visceral impact. Keep in mind that this was likely done to keep the PG-13 rating, not because the director has no sense of action. Fittingly enough, Batman Begin's most thrilling moment has the Dark Knight dangling a criminal upside down like a yo-yo, interrogating him fiercly. In this moment the transformation to Batman is fully realized in a powerful, entertaining way. The writing is excellent overall and there are precious few eye-rolling moments (I counted maybe two.) The comic relief one-liners serve their purpose-they're actually funny! And sure, Katie Holm's voice has that slightly annoying helium to it, but she plays the part just fine (and is fun to look at.) So, the movie is not quite the jaw-dropping genre transcender I was looking for. But it's smart, psychological and full of memorable moments. At least the bar isn't set impossibly high. If they keep the same director and tighten things up a bit, the series will be one to treasure. They need only remember what made this movie work-it bothers to create characters the audience cares about, and it gives those characters good lines to deliver. "I'm not going to kill you. But I don't have to save you."