Batman Begins discards the previous four films in the series and recasts the Caped Crusader as a fearsome avenging angel. That's good news, because the series, which had gotten off to a rousing start under Tim Burton, had gradually dissolved into self-parody by 1997's Batman & Robin. As the title implies, Batman Begins tells the story anew, when Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) flees Western civilization following the murder of his parents. He is taken in by a mysterious instructor named Ducard (Liam Neeson in another mentor role) and urged to become a ninja in the League of Shadows, but he instead returns to his native Gotham City resolved to end the mob rule that is strangling it. But are there forces even more sinister at hand? Co-written by the team of David S. Goyer (a veteran comic book writer) and director Christopher Nolan (Memento), Batman Begins is a welcome return to the grim and gritty version of the Dark Knight, owing a great debt to the graphic novels that preceded it. It doesn't have the razzle dazzle, or the mass appeal, of Spider-Man 2 (though the Batmobile is cool), and retelling the origin means it starts slowly, like most "first" superhero movies. But it's certainly the best Bat-film since Burton's original, and one of the best superhero movies of its time. Bale cuts a good figure as Batman, intense and dangerous but with some of the lightheartedness Michael Keaton brought to the character. Michael Caine provides much of the film's humor as the family butler, Alfred, and as the love interest, Katie Holmes (Dawson's Creek) is surprisingly believable in her first adult role. Also featuring Gary Oldman as the young police officer Jim Gordon, Morgan Freeman as a Q-like gadgets expert, and Cillian Murphy as the vile Jonathan Crane. --David Horiuchi Batman at Amazon.com All Batman DVDs Batman Begins 101: A Comic Book Primer Where Have I Seen Christian Bale? All Batman Comics and Graphic Novels Batman Toys Batman Begins Soundtrack Stills from Batman Begins (click for larger images) The Legend of the Batman Begins: 5 stars!
The story looks at the origins of Gotham's Dark Knight. As a young boy, Bruce Wayne fell into a dilapidated well where bats attacked him. The incident would haunt him much of his life and helped to shape who he was to become. His parents, the wealthy Thomas and Martha Wayne, are altruistic and philanthropic. His father owns Wayne Enterprises, a large manufacturing company but he spends most of his time volunteering at the hospital. But one night when the Wayne family was leaving the opera, they were approached by a desperate criminal who shoots Bruce's parents. Years after their death, Bruce tries unsuccessfully to get revenge but ultimately learns that it wouldn't solve anything to perpetuate the cycle of killing. He attempts to infiltrate the criminal underworld so that he might better understand what drives people to "prey on the fearful", but he is caught stealing from his own company. He's thrown into a prison in an unnamed Asian province, where he daily fights the other inmates for "practice". A man calling himself Ducard visits him unexpectedly. He offers Bruce a "path" and suggests he joins a secret fraternity, The League of Shadows, which seeks to bring balance and sanity to the world. When he agrees he is subjected to a brutal training regiment that takes him to the breaking point. Mentally and physically exhausted, he is accepted into their ranks providing that he display his devotion to justice by executing a criminal. Bruce refuses to knowingly take a life and a great battle ensues. After barely escaping and saving Ducard from a fiery demise, he heads back to Gotham alone. He is reunited with his former girlfriend, Rachel and his parental butler, Alfred. He secretly assumes the identity of Batman. When Alfred asks, "Why bats, Master Wayne?" he responds, "Bats frighten me. It's time my enemies shared my dread." Soon Batman uncovers corruption within the police force, the legal system and even within Wayne Enterprises. But at the heart of this new crime wave is an insidious conspiracy being carried out by a psychotic psychiatrist and an old acquaintance. Ducard returns and reveals his intentions to destroy Gotham City by releasing a "fear-inducing toxin" upon the population. And only Bruce, his former apprentice can stop him from succeeding.
The film features an excellent cast featuring Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne / Batman, Michael Caine as Alfred, Liam Neeson as Ducard, Katie Holmes as Rachel Dawes, Gary Oldman as Police Lieutenant Jim Gordon, Cillian Murphy as Dr. Crane / The Scarecrow, Tom Wilkinson as Carmine Falcone, Rutger Hauer as Earle, Ken Watanabe as Ra's al Ghul, Linus Roache as Thomas Wayne, and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox.
Arguably the best "comic book movie" ever made, Batman Begins resurrects the Dark Knight with style and sophistication. Rarely do these kinds of films touch upon philosophical beliefs, psychological disorders or social corruption and yet this film does so with ease. Batman Begins breathes new life into the legend and is the first chapter in a thrilling new Batman saga, which will be continued in 2008's The Dark Knight.
Also recommended:
Batman Begins
Batman: Year One
Batman: The Long Halloween
Batman (Shadow of the Bat, No. 52)
Batman Begins
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