Sunday, July 31, 2005
Batman Begins (2005)
Director: Christopher Nolan
See January for: ^Closer; ^The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou;
^Finding Neverland; ^The Aviator
See February for: ^Million Dollar Baby; ^Male and Female;
^Gentlemen Prefer Blondes; ^Love; ^Sunrise; ^Ray
See March for: ^Being Julia; ^Millions
See April for: ^Melinda and Melinda
See May for: ^ Look At Me ^Enron: The Smartest Guys In the Room ^Chinatown; ^ Born Into Brothels
See June for: ^Cote d’Azur ^5X2 ^Sabah ^Inlaws and Outlaws ^Peach Girl ^2046
See July for: ^Mad Hot Ballroom^Heights ^My Summer of Love
*Warning the following analysis contains a discussion of the entire film – including the ending.
Ok, not bad for a mid-summer superhero Blockbuster. There actually is some story and some character development here. Batman Begins gives the back-story to how Batman became Batman. We see young Bruce Wayne witness the robbing and killing of his parents by some street-scum, parents who were good rich folk putting all their effort into reviving Gotham. We see how bats become Bruce’s most deeply-rooted fear after being trapped in a well that is the entrance to a bat cave – the bats are awoken and swarm all around him. (Later we see how Bruce uses this fear in his superhero training.) We see how Bruce is recruited to fight for justice and endures brutal training in a ninja-like initiation atop a mountain somewhere in China. We see Bruce escape from the superhero training camp when he refuses to use his powers to kill; he flees with a mission to save Gotham. We see Bruce gathering equipment, creating his superhero costume and developing the Bat Cave. We hear Bruce's plan to make Batman a potent symbol – a symbol of fear for criminals and hope for the beleaguered citizens of Gotham.
Bruce’s motivation, training and determined plan to rid Gotham of crime is established about halfway through Batman Begins. It then turns full force into the summer Blockbuster action movie it is. Lots of explosions, effects, loudness and fights take us through the final half of the film. This is less interesting then the set-up. But hey, at least you get a set-up that someone put half a brain to work on.
Oh, and in the end, Batman wins.
Should you see it? I guess. Perhaps just to satisfy your curiosity about how Bruce Wayne became Batman.
See January for: ^Closer; ^The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou;
^Finding Neverland; ^The Aviator
See February for: ^Million Dollar Baby; ^Male and Female;
^Gentlemen Prefer Blondes; ^Love; ^Sunrise; ^Ray
See March for: ^Being Julia; ^Millions
See April for: ^Melinda and Melinda
See May for: ^ Look At Me ^Enron: The Smartest Guys In the Room ^Chinatown; ^ Born Into Brothels
See June for: ^Cote d’Azur ^5X2 ^Sabah ^Inlaws and Outlaws ^Peach Girl ^2046
See July for: ^Mad Hot Ballroom^Heights ^My Summer of Love
*Warning the following analysis contains a discussion of the entire film – including the ending.
Ok, not bad for a mid-summer superhero Blockbuster. There actually is some story and some character development here. Batman Begins gives the back-story to how Batman became Batman. We see young Bruce Wayne witness the robbing and killing of his parents by some street-scum, parents who were good rich folk putting all their effort into reviving Gotham. We see how bats become Bruce’s most deeply-rooted fear after being trapped in a well that is the entrance to a bat cave – the bats are awoken and swarm all around him. (Later we see how Bruce uses this fear in his superhero training.) We see how Bruce is recruited to fight for justice and endures brutal training in a ninja-like initiation atop a mountain somewhere in China. We see Bruce escape from the superhero training camp when he refuses to use his powers to kill; he flees with a mission to save Gotham. We see Bruce gathering equipment, creating his superhero costume and developing the Bat Cave. We hear Bruce's plan to make Batman a potent symbol – a symbol of fear for criminals and hope for the beleaguered citizens of Gotham.
Bruce’s motivation, training and determined plan to rid Gotham of crime is established about halfway through Batman Begins. It then turns full force into the summer Blockbuster action movie it is. Lots of explosions, effects, loudness and fights take us through the final half of the film. This is less interesting then the set-up. But hey, at least you get a set-up that someone put half a brain to work on.
Oh, and in the end, Batman wins.
Should you see it? I guess. Perhaps just to satisfy your curiosity about how Bruce Wayne became Batman.
