Batman Begins (2005)

Batman Begins

• This is the first movie in Chris Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, as well as being one of the very few Batman origin movies. Now, the first time I watched this, I really didn’t care for it, and I’ve always thought it’s extremely overrated. However, looking at it now, I think it’s great. Now, the first several minutes of the movie do feel long, as it goes over a lot of Bruce’s history and backstory. But, once you get hooked, you want to learn more about his past and present. I really like being able to physically see Bruce’s transformation into Batman, rather than the movie immediately starting out with an established Batman. Watching him build and craft his equipment is fun, as well as giving you details into what all he uses. I’d say the Batman movie that comes closest to touching on Batman’s origin would be either The Batman or Batman Forever. So, because of the origin storyline, this movie stands out. Once Bruce actually becomes Batman, the story continues moving forward, especially surrounding the Gotham underworld. I always love seeing Falcone and the crime bosses control Gotham. The other nice thing to see is the constant addition to the story involving the characters. Right when you think the problem is solved, the story adds another turn, so it keeps it going forward and fresh. I love all the characters in this movie, minus Rachel. She just seems dumb and kind of wasted to me. But despite her boring character, everyone else is exciting. Christian Bale does a great job of playing playboy Bruce, which is a character we haven’t really gotten until this movie. The previous live action Bruce Wayne’s still have the rich, playboy essence, but this movie really does a great job of pushing it. Personally, I portray the mentally wasted Bruce, shown more by Kilmer, Affleck, and Pattinson. But, Bale as Bruce is perfect. He also does a great job as the Caped Crusader. He’s intimidating, terrifying, stealthy, and agile. I’m not a huge fan of his Batvoice, but I’m willing to overlook it. His Batsuit is really good as well, minus the neck. It kind of has the 90’s/Keaton thick build, which I don’t always care for. But everything else is slick and sharp. Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson, Cillian Murphy, and Gary Oldman are also great additions to the movie, as they are interesting to watch, and they add to the story. The score is really great as well. Hans Zimmer gives this Batman an awesome sound. The theme is ominous and intimidating, as well as heroic and courageous. It adds a lot of intensity to each scene. Overall, this movie is great, and although a bit slow at first, the pace picks up and it’s enjoyable. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go see it now!