Batman (New)
Batman Begins The Dark Knight
Batman Begins -
Overview
Positives
Negatives
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Brief Review
Christian Bale takes up the daunting task of reviving the Batman series for a new generation with a solid, but uncharismatic, performance portraying the beginning of Batman himself and how Bruce Wayne came to be Batman. Using Scarecrow as a villain was a good move as it hasn't been done before but to be honest his character was under utilized and could have been better. Still, Batman Begins is a good film and an excellent chapter in the Batman series.
Full Review
After 8 years, the Batman series returns with a vengeance with a picture focusing on the beginning of the superhero himself - something the classic series missed. The story is well paced, well acted and most importantly, puts a new spin on the series with a darker, more mature tone.
The story revolves around Bruce Wayne's tragic childhood as he witnesses the death of his Mother and Father in the crime-infested city he lives in, Gotham. Not being able to deal with the pain, Bruce relocates to Asia where he is trained by Henri Ducard in the art of martial arts and kung-fu in general. It's here where he is told about the sinister plan to destroy Gotham so Bruce decides to return to his home and become the hero 'Batman'.
What really works in this film compared to the classic series is the decision Nolan made to set this film in our universe. Batman is so much more believable and has a darker edge to him in this film than any of the previous Batmans. His origin story here is both believable and well paced and is everything the classic films should have been. That's not to say the others are bad as they're not, its just this story is so much better than any other in the Batman universe.
Scarecrow has never been utilized in a Batman film before so the idea to introduce something new was brilliant on the part of Christopher Nolan. Unfortunately, the villain isn't used as effectively as he could have been in my opinion and wasn't as memorable as I would have liked. Having said that, it doesn't detract from the overall enjoyment of the film and is just a minor point.
Christian Bale himself plays the part of Batman effortlessly to perfection. His dark and mature performance is exactly what was needed in this picture and his perception of Batman is the most accurate and enjoyable of the lot. The rest of the cast are also very good but the decision to make Katie Holmes play Rachel Dawes was an odd one as her baby-face makes her look very young and utilizing her as a D.A. is even more odd, given her age.
The rest of the film slots into place like a well-rehearsed play with no hiccups anywhere except the slightly quick cutting on the action which sometimes results in struggling to see what's actually happening. This is just a minor and the excellent sound design, set design and special effects all combine to provide a memorable film.
Overall then, Batman Begins is the film the classic saga never quite came close to achieving. The cartoony style is gone and in its place is a story that alleviates Batman to an edgy, unpredictable thriller that goes way beyond what was predicted. Aside from the awkward action cutting, under-used Scarecrow and the odd choice of actor for Rachel Dawes, the film is oozing with brilliance. If you're looking for a superhero story with a decent origin story, look no further. Batman Begins is by far the best out there and should be watched by everyone.