Batman Begins

I still remember going to see Tim Burton's "Batman" during the summer of my thirteenth year at a small four screen cinema that was right around the corner from my parent's house. I was dazzled by Burton's vision of Gotham City, because it was a place of mystery and fear. The picture worked as a great entertainment, and I went back to see it probably three more times before it left theaters. I think I may have even seen "Batman Returns" more than that (if I recall correctly I took in two screenings the day it opened). Both movies were dark, but I don't recall walking away from them feeling deeply affected. My, how times have changed.



Christopher Nolan's post-9/11 "Batman Begins" paints a very different and more disturbing Gotham City, a place that is not as lovely to look at as Burton's and a hell of a lot scarier. Most of the people who live there are evil or corrupt, making it a metropolis where even the criminals don't feel safe walking the streets. It is the place Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) abandoned after the death of his parents, traveling the world and getting into trouble. But someone out there sees some good in him, and decides to help him discover it. The question is whether or not Bruce Wayne wants to be saved.



"Batman Begins" dives into why Bruce Wayne became the Caped Crusader with more depth and sadness than any of the other films have dared to go. Watching the picture, we get a clear sense of his motivations for every step he has to make to become Batman, while also learning what a jerk Bruce Wayne can be. I don't remember there being a scene in the earlier films where the millionaire got drunk and harassed all of his party guests. It's crucial for us to see this side of him in order to understand why being Batman is necessary for his redemption.



The Gotham City of 2005 mirrors the New York City of 2001, and the Wayne Enterprises building represents the World Trade Center. The picture creates a world threatened by destruction from an outsider who wants to cause everyone in Gotham to panic and suffer because they have become so corrupt they don't deserve to live. The city cannot depend on their police force, for there's only one honest cop left (Gary Oldman, taking on the role of Lt. Gordon). The metaphors at work here are what make "Batman Begins" such a bold and occasionally terrifying experience. The ultimate fear of the people in Gotham is one we ourselves know all too well and are in jeopardy of knowing again.



I give director Christopher Nolan props for taking a chance with this series in hopes of salvaging it after it was severely raped by Joel Schumacher, a filmmaker who turned Burton's promising start into popcorn trash. Nolan does not compromise this material in any way. He takes everything about it quite seriously, leaving room for only a few sprinkles of subtle humor. One of his greatest strengths is not getting carried away with the villains. While the previous two pictures turned the Batman villain into a campy joke, Nolan presents a series of baddies who are crucial to the actual story, and the bottom line is they're pretty scary people.



The weakest element of the piece is Katie Holmes's Rachel Dawes, who was Bruce's childhood friend and now works for the District Attorney. The screenplay does not give the talented Holmes much to do, so her dialogue delivery comes off flat. Another disappointment is the action sequences, which have way too much camera movement and way too much editing. There is not a single one where I could distinguish what was going on.



Ultimately though, the action of "Batman Begins" is not the most important part of it. The story works to such a startlingly effective degree I'm quick to forgive its shortcomings and get back to one of its biggest strengths. This picture has one of the best ensemble casts we're likely to see in a movie this year, and with the exception of Holmes they're all excellent. Bale steps into a tough role and proves himself as the best Batman and Bruce Wayne yet. Michael Caine turns butler Alfred from kind and passive to stern and courageous. Liam Neeson shows his most commanding presence in years as Bruce's combat trainer, Henri Ducard. Morgan Freeman gives another one of his famous comfortable performances as inventor Lucius Fox. I've already mentioned the great Gary Oldman, who gives up his usual over-the-top baddie to play a sympathetic cop. And finally, Tom Wilkinson and Cillian Murphy steal their scenes as the movie's signature villains, with the latter portraying what is probably the creepiest alter ego in the franchise's history.



Even above all of the mentioned strengths, it must be said that the most exciting thing about "Batman Begins" for me is the fact that there are still supposed to be two more films. This first picture is a perfect stepping stone to get things rolling again, and judging by the way it ends, it looks as if the studio is using this movie as a fresh start. They are pretending like the previous movies do not exist and seeing if the new ones can capture a whole new generation of fans without having to think about the mistakes of the past series. It's an interesting move, and while I am a big supporter of the Tim Burton films, I stand behind this new trilogy full force. Batman has been reborn, and he's better than ever.