Product: Batman Begins (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (2005)
Rating: 5.0
Superb movie treatment of the Dark Knight
At last, there is a film worthy of DC Comics' second great superhero. When Tim Burton's 1989 film came out, I was very impressed, and enjoyed the film immensely (even if I never was completely sold on Michael Keaton as Batman). I remember leaving the theater thinking it was a really good film, but disappointed that it didn't prove to be as stirring as "Superman: the Movie" had been in 1978. It's interesting how the passage of the years, and the appearance of numerous other superhero pictures, has affected my perception of both films. Even if the special effects are a little dated, Richard Donner's Superman film remains a powerful, thrilling, entertaining movie, and is still the definitive movie treatment of the character. Burton's Batman, however, has not aged so well. In fact, after recently watching my old VHS copy of Burton's movie, I wonder what I ever really saw in it. The gothic/art deco Gotham seen in the film is a visual feast, but comes off seeming a bit too much. Keaton is physically just all wrong for the part, and while he acts the part of Batman well enough, his Bruce Wayne seems like a clueless, socially inept geek, not a billionaire playboy. Most of the supporting characters (Alfred, Commissioner Gordon, et al.) are unmemorable. And finally, the focus seems to be more on the villian (the Joker) than on the title character (indeed, this was a problem with all the four films in this series). When I recently re-watched Burton's take on the character, I found the Batman looking inexcusably hokey in his first onscreen appearance, a rooftop fight with a couple of muggers. He doesn't look scary at all, and when he walks toward the muggers "flapping" his cape downward once like wings, it looks so ridiculous that you just can't buy the reaction of one of the crooks a few moments later when he wails: "what are you?" You just can't believe a hardened thug would be so frightened of what is obviously just a guy in a weird-looking rubber suit.Fortunately for Batman fans, Christopher Nolan does it much, much better. He clearly took a page from Donner's book, making this an origin story that doesn't give us a look at the character in his superhero guise until halfway into the picture. And like the 1978 Superman movie, the story of the character's journey is told so well you don't mind waiting that long. Moreover, when the hero does appear, the wait is well worth it. This Batman, unlike Burton's/Keaton's, is actually scary and menacing. He stays in the shadows, taking out criminals without ever giving them a good look at him. Christian Bale is far better for role physically than Keaton was, and makes a much more imposing figure. Not only does Bale make a better Batman, he makes a superior Bruce Wayne. He portrays the real Bruce Wayne in his scenes with Alfred and Rachel, and the Bertie Wooster playboy Wayne becomes for the public, making him far more true to the comic book character, and also giving him far more depth than Keaton's maladjusted geek, or Val Kilmer's angst-ridden nice guy (I won't even go into George Clooney's attempt to put a stake through the heart of the character). The supporting characters are much more interesting than in Burton's film, as well. I was leery of a cockney Alfred, but Michael Caine does an outstanding job, and you can really see how Bruce Wayne would see him as a father figure, not just as the hired help. Gary Oldman is superb as Commissioner-to-be Gordon (he's just a sergeant here). And Morgan Freeman is great as Lucius Fox. Katie Holmes is the only weak link in the cast, but she's not so bad as to hurt the film. I really hope they can follow this movie up with sequels that are worthy of it. Bad sequels killed Christopher Reeve's Superman franchise, and Batman was already sliding downhill when Joel Schumacher made his 1997 abortion with George Clooney - film so staggeringly bad it might easily have put an end to Batman on film for all time. Fortunately, Christopher Nolan rescued a great and enduring character from the hands of those who almost destroyed him. For that he is to be congratulated.