Batman Begins Review

maquiladora · 29-05-2005 8:18pm #1

Very early review from Hollywood columnist David Poland :

May 26, 2005

There is a huge problem with Batman Begins...

I'm going to have to stop humming that Danny Elfman theme.

There have been some interesting movies made from "graphic novels." The material is generally more literary and less comic book and the filmmakers they attract are often art house types. Bravo. Ghost World kills.

But Batman Begins is the first comic book movie that is a truly a movie first and a comic book second. And with it, Christopher Nolan announces that he is a made man in the family of the very top filmmakers in the world today.

The thing that is most remarkable about Batman Begins is that it has so much goofy comic stuff to show off... but you never feel like it's about the stuff. This movie is loaded with really fine actors, like Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine and Gary Oldman and Liam Neeson and Rutger Hauer.... but you never feel like they are chewing scenery, which is often what they are called on to do in other films. It's not exactly Shakespeare either... but they bring what Nolan & Goyer & Company are clearly trying to bring to the genre... stable, solid grounding.

Batman Begins is the kind of movie that will have fans arguing about their favorite sections. Are they into the first act of training and flashback? Do they get goosebumps thinking about the process of Batman's development in Gotham? Or is it the relentless action of the third act?

The bat cowl is a little funny on Christian Bale's face, but he is the most serious Batman ever. And Katie Holmes is very Dr. Claire Lewicki... if you know what I mean... in almost every way.

It is a bit of an art and commerce clash... this film will thrill the base of fans, but will it be as accessible as Spidey? Unlikely. And some journos will likely crap all over the movie if it only does $600 million worldwide. And that sucks. Warner Bros. did the right thing... they made a terrific movie first... a movie that redefines the genre in its own way... which makes the nostalgia for Tim Burton's take even stronger, while allowing us to enjoy this one every bit as much. Like the comics, it is a real rethink by a fresh-eyed artist. But I don't think my mom is going to make it to this one... and that's good. Batman Begins is a very commercial film that isn't emasculating itself to find every marketing quadrant. Hallelujah.

Tusky · 29-05-2005 8:41pm

V.good review.

OfflerCrocGod · 29-05-2005 9:12pm

Excellent news.

OY · 29-05-2005 9:19pm

That is great news! Not too long now...

Sweetness! · 29-05-2005 9:20pm

That just the type of reveiw I wanted to read I cant wait to see it now!

maquiladora · 29-05-2005 9:30pm

OfflerCrocGod wrote:

Excellent news.

Of course, it is only one review, but it does sound as good as we all hoped. I read the script months ago and loved it to bits.

Larianne · 29-05-2005 9:34pm

The fact that Katie Holmes is in is a bit :cool: but we'll see. I like Bale as an actor though.

nesf · 29-05-2005 10:19pm

Hmmm. My worst fears for the film are mollified some bit by that review. I'll wait until I see it myself before getting my hopes up though.

I was a huge fan of Burton's interpretation and would really love to see this film being closer to that rather than the later "more commercial" offerings.

spooky donkey · 30-05-2005 8:51am

Sounds more promising now. Cant wait for it now. Should be out real soon.

CrazyTalk · 30-05-2005 8:01pm

Looks to be a good one!
That was so Irish....

Einstein · 30-05-2005 8:05pm

I'm really looking forward to this one, nobody's really given Michael Keaton a run for his money yet...

Larianne · 31-05-2005 7:05pm

Ya can't beat Burton & Keaton!! Why did they stop making them??!!!

aidan_walsh · 01-06-2005 8:39pm

Larianne wrote:

Ya can't beat Burton & Keaton!! Why did they stop making them??!!!

Because of Clooney and Schumacher.

I'm looking forward to this, though I expect a lot of the people who never experienced the comics to be disappointed by this.

maquiladora · 05-06-2005 9:24pm

I heard that Ebert (the most famous film critic in the States) loved it and said its by far the best Batman film ever.
A lot of the fan reviews posted on AICN indicate the same thing. Looks like this is gonna be good!

bizmark · 05-06-2005 9:53pm

that isn't emasculating itself to find every marketing quadrant.

Oh thank christ \o/

Fenster · 05-06-2005 9:55pm

What is the Irish release date? I've been really looking forward to this.

aidan_walsh · 06-06-2005 12:45am

Fenster wrote:

What is the Irish release date? I've been really looking forward to this.

Friday week.

Vokes · 10-06-2005 2:34pm

There is a review in the Irish Times today, they give it

3 stars.

The whole cast, bar Katie Holmes, are very good, apparently.

Tusky · 10-06-2005 2:47pm

Empire review

4 stars

YeatsCounty · 10-06-2005 2:52pm

If its style is as dark as Tim Burtons Batman films, then that will be enough to send me to the cinema.

ixoy · 10-06-2005 3:21pm

Tusky wrote:

Empire review
4 stars

Ah Empire, glossy toilet paper. What did that rag give Episode III?

As to the review in 'The Ticket' - I'm a bit worried it got the same number of stars as 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith' and one star up from 'Seed of Chucky'...

Vokes · 10-06-2005 3:32pm

Mr & Mrs Smith probably got an extra star for the lovely Ms. Jolie

Tusky · 10-06-2005 4:12pm

ixoy wrote:

Ah Empire, glossy toilet paper. What did that rag give Episode III?

As to the review in 'The Ticket' - I'm a bit worried it got the same number of stars as 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith' and one star up from 'Seed of Chucky'...

well I dont rate 'The Ticket' for reviews. I find it to be in the same league as Empire in that in constantly dont agree with the reviews.

Batman Begins Review

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