The best Batman I've ever seen
Before I continue, I must confess that I was initially rather reluctant to watch Batman Begins. Part of this reluctance stems from my experience with the earlier Batman releases, all of which had rather cheesy storylines. For example, Batman and Robin had that combination of action and comedy that seemed more appropriate for Jackie Chan movies. Poison Ivy and the Iceman hardly seemed like a serious threat at all -- they were more comical than diabolical. What's more, Batman's motives are unknown -- we are presented with a crime fighter with a very generic personality.
Contrast that with Batman Begins. Gotham City is rotten to the core -- senior government officials fratenize with crime lords, and most of the police force have been paid off. The rich indulge themselves in luxurious and sensual pursuits, while the poor and homeless see no hope in the future. Crime is rampant, and even the "good" police are helpless to apprehend criminals when the entire system seems to be working against their efforts. In comparison, Gotham city in the earlier versions of Batman seemed like a colourful and cheery place to live in.
Bruce Wayne himself is a character who is tortured by his own personal demons. As a kid, he watches his parents getting gunned down by a petty thief. As an adult, he wanders around the world, getting himself involved with unsavoury elements, picking fights with small-time criminals, before finally landing himself in a Chinese prison. Little wonder why he is so messed-up. He is rescued by a mysterious character from a secret society known as the League of Shadows, a society dedicated to "restoring the balance in the world", by destroying cities that have become too corrupted. He is taught the art of combat, and becomes one of their best students. Alas, Bruce disagrees with the methods of the League of Shadows, and he breaks with them. When he returns to Gotham City, he finds that he has to confront: 1) the city's crime lord, and 2) a secret conspiracy against Gotham city.
One of my previous gripes about Batman was that his costume had always seemed a little cheesy. That certainly didn't cross my mind in Batman Begins. Costume-wise, Batman has improved by leaps and bounds. There is none of that cheesy-looking underwear anymore. Batman is now clothed totally in black. Plus, he has the charisma and screen presence that one would expect from him.
Despite what everyone else says, I found myself liking Batman Begins. In my opinion, it is most definitely the best Batman of the entire series so far, and every bit as good as Spiderman. Perhaps, my expectations had been tremendously lowered by all the previous releases of Batman? If the same directors are going to produce the next version of Batman, I am certainly looking forward to it.
Contrast that with Batman Begins. Gotham City is rotten to the core -- senior government officials fratenize with crime lords, and most of the police force have been paid off. The rich indulge themselves in luxurious and sensual pursuits, while the poor and homeless see no hope in the future. Crime is rampant, and even the "good" police are helpless to apprehend criminals when the entire system seems to be working against their efforts. In comparison, Gotham city in the earlier versions of Batman seemed like a colourful and cheery place to live in.
Bruce Wayne himself is a character who is tortured by his own personal demons. As a kid, he watches his parents getting gunned down by a petty thief. As an adult, he wanders around the world, getting himself involved with unsavoury elements, picking fights with small-time criminals, before finally landing himself in a Chinese prison. Little wonder why he is so messed-up. He is rescued by a mysterious character from a secret society known as the League of Shadows, a society dedicated to "restoring the balance in the world", by destroying cities that have become too corrupted. He is taught the art of combat, and becomes one of their best students. Alas, Bruce disagrees with the methods of the League of Shadows, and he breaks with them. When he returns to Gotham City, he finds that he has to confront: 1) the city's crime lord, and 2) a secret conspiracy against Gotham city.
One of my previous gripes about Batman was that his costume had always seemed a little cheesy. That certainly didn't cross my mind in Batman Begins. Costume-wise, Batman has improved by leaps and bounds. There is none of that cheesy-looking underwear anymore. Batman is now clothed totally in black. Plus, he has the charisma and screen presence that one would expect from him.
Despite what everyone else says, I found myself liking Batman Begins. In my opinion, it is most definitely the best Batman of the entire series so far, and every bit as good as Spiderman. Perhaps, my expectations had been tremendously lowered by all the previous releases of Batman? If the same directors are going to produce the next version of Batman, I am certainly looking forward to it.
