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BATMAN
BEGINS
REVIEWED
BY CARISSA HORTON
Our
rating: 5 out of 5
Rated:
A legend is born.
A man is forced to face his fear, and in so doing
learns that it can be mastered. Bruce Wayne (Christian
Bale) is running from memories of a childhood horror.
But he cannot escape the past, and his only hope lies
outside his Asian prison cell. Through a divine
appointment, Bruce is released from his bondage and is
sent on a mission of discovery. The end result leads
him into the hands of a masterful teacher (Liam Neeson).
But the lesson itself proves deadly, and in a surge of
passion, Bruce breaks free of the corruption being
instilled into his being. Yet, one lesson will remain
with him. Fear must not be buried with guilt or anger.
It must be confronted and therefore used.
With new vitality, Bruce returns to his home city of
Gotham. He is there to stop the corruption of the
hierarchy and to save the helpless from utter
destruction. In his seven-year absence, nothing has
changed, but indeed worsened. The city is
disintegrating at the seams and no one seems to care.
Bruce has already learned that it takes only man to
make a difference in the world. And at this point in
time, he is that man. However, he knows that he must
be more. A man can be overlooked or misunderstood, but
a symbol cannot. He must become more than what he is,
and as he remembers his childhood fear, understanding
dawns. With faithful butler, Alfred (Michael Caine),
at his side, Bruce comes into his true power. Justice
is more than cruelty. You must integrate mercy and
compassion. The journey will not be easy, but with the
encouragement of long time best friend Rachel (Katie
Holmes), he's determined to persevere. It takes more
than a man to survive such a lengthy ordeal. It takes
a hero who thinks of others before himself. Perhaps
not always emotionally stable at first, Bruce matures
into the man he will become. The man we know as
Batman.
Let
me take care in pointing out that this movie is NOT
for children. While happily seated with my father in
our local cinema, I could not help but notice the two
wee ones sitting directly in front of us with their
daddy. They were terrified throughout the entire film
and who wouldn't be? This movie is morbidly dark, and
though adults will appreciate every nuance, children
will not. Trust me on this; leave the kiddies home.
Batman himself tends to be terrifying. A skillful
fighter, he's a thrill to watch, but can be overly
violent. Fistfights are the norm, but also be prepared
for gunplay and some sword fighting. The violence is
not overly grotesque. Rather, it raises your
adrenaline level in excitement. Hideous visions do
play a role. Through a hallucinogenic drug, people see
horrific images. Disintegrating faces abound in
nightmarish proportions and even turned my stomach.
Drug abuse rears its ugly head now and again. Gotham
is an oppressive city. Evil intentions lie everywhere
and the aura seeps into every moment of the film. Batman
Begins is not light-hearted, feel-good material
like Spiderman.
Profanity is limited to one usage, although threats
and insults are occasionally exchanged. It is implied
that Bruce, under his playboy persona, is intimately
involved with women. Including two gals who have no
qualms about removing their clothes (unseen) and
splashing about in a hotel fountain. Eastern Mysticism
is mentioned through the first 3rd of the film, but
you will find that not all is as it seems.
The acting is some of the best I've seen and with this
cast it's no wonder. Christian Bale and Liam Neeson
feed off each other's energy and vitality. And with
seconds such as Michael Caine and Rutger Hauer, this
film is destined for success. Not to mention the
delightfully spunky Rachel portrayed by Katie Holmes.
She's a strength to Bruce throughout the film; an
emotional center for him. I couldn't have picked a
more lively, attractive, or talented actress than
Katie to portray the lady love of our beloved Batman.
We relive the wonder that is Batman and we receive a
newer and greater respect for that character. We
already know whom he becomes; what he is like, but we
did not know the journey. Batman Begins answers every
possible question you might have concerning the noble
beginnings of comic book history's Bruce Wayne. Not
once does the storyline lag. It is constantly alive,
pulsing through your veins and changing at a moment's
notice. Scenery is engaging, albeit dark, with
remarkable shots and superb special effects. Batman's
vehicle alone results in jaw-dropping amazement, not
to mention his cloak.
This
movie is a once in a lifetime opportunity. It brings
the fight of good versus evil to the very forefront of
the motion picture screen. Bruce starts on his journey
as a man fraught with guilt and hatred. Revenge is his
only thought; justice his only motivation. But during
his training, Bruce's compassion is slowly awakened,
and he realizes that justice must be tempered with
mercy. Corruption is imminent in any society, but
annihilation is never an option. When you stop viewing
people as living beings but merely a corrupt system,
than you have become what you most hated. Another
aspect I admired was his determination to conquer
fear. When you allow fear to control and manipulate,
you will lose a part of yourself. Bruce buried his
fear for so long, that to confront it was physically
painful. Yet, he survived and emerged a stronger,
better man. This movie is stocked with excellent
lessons in moral character and wise judgment. The
concept of right conquering wrong, and in so doing,
saving the world. We all know that right cannot be
bested for long by the evil One. The "bad
guys" of the film are single-minded. They have
one goal alone, and that is to extinguish evil
wherever they find it. But only there perverted view
of evil. Sometimes people cannot help their
circumstances. So what we end up with is a rather
fascinating glimpse into the disturbingly logical mind
of a terrorist.
Four years ago, I would have held no interest in a
film such as Batman Begins. My fascination
began with the simplicity of Spiderman, growing to
encompass the X-Men,
than finally Superman, and I have now found the
true hero of this grouping: Batman. Everything that
occurs is plausible. There are no aliens from outer
space, no mutations resulting in super humans. This is
the simple fight of one man struggling to contain
evil. What more could you ask for in a movie? It is a
literal masterpiece. Any bizarre twists or
discrepancies near the beginning are lost in the vast
magnitude of the tale. Don't miss out on this one; buy
your ticket today.
Other Reviewer Comments:
Charity Bishop
I have never been a fan of the Batman
franchise, but this film is extraordinary. It is very
deep and emotional and complex on so many levels,
while maintaining the humanity that makes up Bruce
Wayne. His choices are all defined through moral codes
and experiences, and while he is flawed, he still
strives to be the best man that he can be. Everything
about the production is first rate, from the dramatic
acting and fighting sequences to the deeply moving
dialogue. The musical score is also breathtaking.
There are scenes of violence and gruesome
hallucinations, but there is no sexual content and
minimal language. It comes highly recommended.
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