Product: Batman Begins (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (2005)
Rating: 4.0
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This movie has grabbed the attention of all those who have grown up in American culture with batman as there childhood hero. This movie revives the darker side of the dark knight as opposed to the corny movies of the nineties. It is a heart breaking scene to see the psychological trauma the young Bruce Wayne goes through as his parents are gunned down and become the victims of a mugging. As a result of this trauma Bruce becomes confused about his life and his purpose, he becomes a bit of a juvenile brat of sorts. Upon the hard truth that a friend named Rachel gives him, Bruce sets out upon a soul searching period and travels to Asia and ends up in a prison that toughens him up. Finally he is discover by a ninja master who belongs to a sect that has for centuries used their power to better the world through violent means. This group has a truly utilitarian view of justice seeing that it doesn't matter who gets hurt as long as in the end more happiness and peace can be seen in the world. It is interesting to note that this line of thought wouldn't typically be found in the Asian culture, but is more a western idea that was imposed on them in this movie. Bruce eventually rejects this philosophy and seeks what he considers to be just vengeance. The one difference between the ninja sect that trained him is that he refuses to kill because it will make him like the criminals and particularly the criminals that killed his parents. Bruce takes one the image and title batman in response to a childhood fear of his, in order to frighten the criminals from their ways. Near the end of the movie he pushes the line with his convictions by letting a man he could have saved die, in some sense relieving him of the guilt of the mans death.Overall this movie is a good watch although there are some philosophical reservations that should be taken into account. It is an interesting fact that the "bad guys" where a group with a utilitarian philosophy and the "good guy" had a self imposed ethical code which is a very postmodern way of thought. This is interesting because postmodernism is the trendy thing or the worldview that is in at the moment. How this movement comes out in movies is subtle but their there if you look for them.Also ethics is something that simply can't be avoided when dealing with Hollywood movies. The sad fact is that Bruce was seeking revenge for his parents and could never and can never become satisfied with it because of the simple fact that vengeance only leaves a person feeling empty inside. He took his anger out on those whom never did him any person harm, and as a result of the life he has chosen to live he pushes away the only one in his life whom could perhaps find relief from his pain in. And do we really want our young people to buy into the mentally that when someone wrongs you, violence is the proper response towards those who do wrong. Is it not those that live by the sword that die by it. And those that are violent only spawn more violence around them. Although it should be noted that appropriate responses to correlating crimes under the law are a bit different. But to become a vigilante and break the law in order to uphold it is a bit oxymoronish.Batman is yet another in a series of dark heroes who push the line as far as most can accept it. Everything unto the point of death, even torture is deemed right or even ethical for the batman. The impressionable young are never considered when these heroes are portrayed sadly to say. And to say that they and even us adults aren't impressionable is absurd, if not then explain to me why the advertising industry spends billions of dollars a year on media if it didn't have an effect on how people behaved? So I strongly caution open armed acceptance, especially ethically of this movie.