Batman Begins, Spoiler Free Review

The great thing about Batman is, there is nearly 70 years of continuity.The bad thing about Batman is, there is nearly 70 years of continuity. It's a double edged sword. If you write new plot, the fans hate you. If you work with old plot, you won't get as many new fans as things are to confusing.

How do you work around this? That's simple, hire David S. Goyer to write your script. The man could unravel 60 years of Hawkman plot contradictions, he can make your script work. Goyer can take existing worlds of fiction and spin a lovely yarn that fits your characters to a T.

Batman Begins combines every plot element that you could want in a Batman story. Violence, shadows, wise cracking butlers, corrupt Cops, madmen bent on destruction, insanity, emotions, and fear. All using established characters from the comic books. Well aside from Katie Holms staring as "token love interest", her character never appeared in the comics. But this is Hollywood after all, it couldn't very well be a summer blockbuster without a damsel in distress now could it?

The film doesn't deny the previous BatFilms, in fact it pays homage to them. There's nods galore to Burton's work. Even a stylized shot or two that Schumaker might have made (I hate that man, he still needs to be called on the carpet for my mental anguish over Batman & Robin). And of course, this movie ends with a "sequel potential" ending.

The combat scenes are fairly blurry, and make excessive use of "barfycam". The kind of shot where you are meant to feel as if you are a part of the action. I believe that this was done on purpose, as we the audience don't get to see Batman during fights anymore then the common street thug does.

In the past 4 years the market has been drowning in a luke warm sea of comic book adaptation movies. Batman Begins is proof that a good writer, classic story-lines, a fantastic cast, and a quality production will produce a hit. Hollywood producers pay attention, you can make a pulp 4 color dime magazine into box office bucks, and you can do it without insulting the fans intelligence.

written June 16, 2005, movie released June 15, 2005