Batman Begins Review

It's about time I talked about Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy on this blog. It is, after all, my favorite series of films of all-time. That's right. If a movie franchise has more than one installment, I don't like it better than these three masterpieces. And with the release of Nolan's latest film Interstellar fast approaching, there seems to be no better time than now to go back and give my opinion on some of his finest achievements, such as the opening chapter to his Batman legend, Batman Begins.

Before Begins was released in 2005, the Batman brand had been erratically handled on the big screen. There were Tim Burton's two attempts at tackling the Caped Crusader on film, 1989's Batman - a film that I do enjoy, despite its many shortcomings - and the 1992 sequel Batman Returns, which I have never liked and think is actually overrated. Then Joel Schumacher entered the picture in 1995 with the often-amusing but utterly shallow and cartoony Batman Forever. I don't even want to mention the thing they tried to call a movie that came two years later (my least favorite movie of all-time, Batman & Robin).

But the legendary comic book character was put in good hands when Chris Nolan was hired on to helm the reboot of the franchise. He had proven his storytelling chops in his previous works like Memento and Insomnia, as well as his ability to convey very thought-provoking and deep themes amidst a gritty and dark environment. He had never done anything as high-budget and action-packed as Begins prior to it, but he proved this was no problem at all.

Christian Bale stars as Bruce Wayne/Batman in this film and its two sequels. He is in my opinion the best actor to tackle the role so far. Keaton was good, but I think Bale is better, and he's certainly better than Val Kilmer and George Clooney's interpretations - two capable actors that were unfortunately stuck in bad movies. Bale is one of my favorite actors, and his work as Batman is some of his best.

One thing about Begins that is distinctly different from Batman's other live action movies is the fact that it explores the origins of the character. Nolan and fellow screenwriter David S. Goyer took the time to develop a compelling beginning for the famous superhero, which is one of my favorite things about this movie. It doesn't rush the advent of Batman. It establishes roots for the character, which benefits greatly in not only making the plot more interesting, but also setting up a solid foundation for the franchise to build upon.

Christian Bale in the original Batman suit

By the time Batman & Robin rolled around and Arnie was spouting lines like "The Iceman cometh!", much of Batman's integrity as a character had been dealt away for cheap puns and a horribly jokey atmosphere that did not resemble the comics one bit. The dark, brooding comic books that defined the character could not be found at all in the films being made.

With Batman Begins, Christopher Nolan brought back gravitas and weight to the character of Batman. He treats the famed comic book character with the utmost respect, keeping diehard fans in mind while also adding his own welcome touches of dramatic intelligence and emotional depth. And the results are absolutely stellar.

One of the film's central themes is the concept of fear. It's part of what drives Bruce to become Batman, and it's something that he uses to define himself as more than just a man in the minds of his opponents. He turns fear on his enemies and conveys himself as more of an idea to them than just a person. Ultimately, that's the point of Batman. He's not just a human being that can be ignored or destroyed as Bruce explains to Alfred, he's a symbol of justice in a corrupt city. He's a terrible thought to criminals. That's explored even further in its sequels, but it is also set up nicely here.

Chris Nolan has assembled quite a cast in Batman Begins. I mentioned Christian Bale as the title character, but there are so many other great actors. Even very supporting roles are populated by illustrious cast members. Michael Caine plays Bruce's loyal butler Alfred Pennyworth, and he is without a doubt better than Michael Gough. Gough wasn't bad by any means, but Caine and the script just add so many other dimensions to the character that it's not a fair contest.

The always-reliable Morgan Freeman plays Lucius Fox, a Wayne Enterprises employee who aids Bruce in assembling the equipment needed to scramble on the rooftops of Gotham fighting criminals. Fox is a really interesting character in this movie because you start to suspect that he will figure out what Bruce is up to, and you don't know how that will play out initially. And, of course, Freeman is excellent. Other notable cast members that all do great jobs include Katie Holmes as the assistant district attorney in Gotham and Bruce's lifelong friend/love interest. I prefer her as Rachel Dawes over Maggie Gyllenhaal who takes over the role in the next one.

Liam Neeson with Christian Bale as Henri Ducard training Bruce Wayne

Rutger Hauer is also in the film as William Earle, CEO of Wayne Enterprises. Cillian Murphy plays Dr. Jonathan Crane in a really understated yet creepy performance, especially when he becomes the classic comic book villain Scarecrow. Liam Neeson appears as the mysterious Henri Ducard who seeks Bruce out and trains him in the ways of the ninja, sending him on the path to becoming Batman in the process. And, there's a lot more to his character than what it initially seems like. Neeson is obviously great in it, as he is in everything.

And then there is Gary Oldman as James Gordon. If you have any knowledge of Batman lore, you'll know that he is one of the few good cops in the city of Gotham, eventually teaming up with Batman himself to take on criminals and corrupt authorities. In my opinion, Oldman is the beating heart of this franchise. Bale does a great job as Batman as I mentioned. But without Gordon's unequivocal moral standard that helps keep Batman in check and Oldman's incredibly good portrayal of the character, this movie and this series would not be near as good as it is.

Batman Begins is the first Batman film to deliver really thrilling action sequences. You can actually feel the tension while you're watching them, and the excitement is only amplified by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard's magnificent score. After two films with the two of them teaming up and one with Zimmer on his own, the theme for The Dark Knight trilogy has overtaken Danny Elfman's classic tune as the definitive Batman music in my mind. I always used to think of Elfman's theme when I thought of Batman because of the older films as well as the animated series. But, again, this theme is now what I think about when I think of Batman. It's one of my favorite films scores of all-time.

Batman gliding down a stairwell in one of the film's climactic scenes

What Nolan did with this franchise and this character was really remarkable. He reignited the Batman label by finally giving the character a film with a dark tone, impressive storytelling, compelling characters and relationships, and plenty of exciting and entertaining action, as well as splashes of genuinely effective humor. This film, along with its two sequels, not only helped redefine the character of Batman on film, but it also helped redefine the comic book movie genre. Finally, a sophisticated and dark adaption of comics was made. One that worked both as a fun summer blockbuster and a thought-provoking character piece.

I don't think many people give this film all the credit it deserves. A lot of people say it's good and they like it, but that it pales in comparison to The Dark Knight, sometimes The Dark Knight Rises as well. I couldn't disagree more. To me, Batman Begins is right up with the other two as not only the greatest comic book films ever made, but also some of my favorite movies of all-time. They are superhero movies that can actually qualify as true pieces of art. I can't get enough of The Dark Knight trilogy, and Begins is a fantastic beginning to it.

A+