Product: Batman Begins (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (2005)
Rating: 3.0
Batman Begins again, dark as ever
One of the inevitable things about summer, ever since "Spider-Man" surprised us all in 2002, is that movie studios rummage through their license bins and ask themselves: "What comic book hero haven't we made a film about for a while?" Apparently, Warner Brothers asked themselves this question and decided to dust off the venerable Batman franchise and slap another superhero film on our cinema screens."Batman Begins" is the latest in a long line of comic book movie adaptations in the last three years. As usual, it focuses on the origins of the caped crusader, while trying to show every icon of the series that it can.The story is familiar to anyone remotely aware of the character: Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) witnessed his wealthy parents' murder as a small child and vowed to rid the world of evil by any means necessary. And he has plenty of means, what with inheriting his parents' immense fortune. But this movie shows that Bruce did more than just buy a fancy outfit and a really cool car and call himself Batman (though, for some reason, he believes he needs to talk in a laughably deep and threatening voice).The opening of the film shows Bruce's training with the League of Shadows, a brutal ninja group obsessed with destroying evil and corruption at all costs. But they prove to be too intense even for Bruce, so he abandons his training, and returns to Gotham, which anybody with more than ten brain cells can tell is New York City. Once back home, he begins fighting the crime that runs rampant in the city, and must prevent Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy; playing the obligatory creepy supervillain) from contaminating the entire city with a panic-inducing toxin; Terrorism in its most literal sense.One of the things this movie has going for it is a strong supporting cast. When the likes of Liam Neeson, Michael Caine, and Morgan Freeman populate a comic book movie, it's time to pay attention. Neeson is excellent as always, as Ducard, who trains Bruce during his exile.Ironically, the beginning of "Batman Begins" is the most interesting part. There is real drama here, and I was prepared for more than just the average superhero movie. Unfortunately, that is exactly what this film turned into by the end: Another average superhero movie.My biggest gripe with this film, however, is that it is far, far too dark. Yes, I am aware that I highly praised "Revenge of the Sith" for its darkness, but that was dramatic, rather than merely brutal. "Sith" was sobering and touching, while "Batman" just makes you cringe. I am also aware that the Batman comics have always been very dark, but then, I never said I liked the Batman comics, did I?If you are a fan of the Batman franchise, this film will certainly please, with the origins of all the iconic Batman things: The mask, the Batmobile, the spotlight, and the utility belt with its amazing storage capabilities. But for the casual movie-goer, this film may prove to be simply too much.