Batman Begins
If you know anything about the fifth “Batman” movie of the modern era (not including the 1960s one from the Adam West TV series), know this- the four that preceeded it (1989’s “Batman” and 1992’s “Batman Returns” from Tim Burton; 1995’s “Batman Forever” and 1997’s “Batman & Robin” from Joel Schumacher) have nothing to do with this one. You can’t forget them completely mind you- comparisons with them are all but inevitable. But the story of “Begins” follows a different train of thought then the earlier four films.
Personally, I didn’t see a problem with that. It distinguishes this film from the others, and allows it its’ own identity. But when you bring on a co-writer and director like Christopher Nolan (whose “Memento” and “Insomnia” are two of the finest contemporary thrillers)- who collaborated on “Begins'” script with David S. Goyer (the “Blade” trilogy, “Dark City,” “The Crow: City of Angels”)- you’re assured a film unlike those from stylists like Burton- whose Gothic look remains the definitive look for the series- and Schumacher- whose laser lightshow aesthetic was an abomination for fans. Nolan saw the potential of the story- despite not being a homegrown fan of the comic (unlike Goyer, who was)- and brought the notion of grounding it in a reality neither Burton or Schumacher went for. The result feels more like “Lethal Weapon” than “Catwoman” (referring to style, not quality, though it is lightyears better than that Halle Berry hairball), and for me, that gamble and decision worked. What it lacks in extravagence it makes up for in naturalism and believability, and even if the emotion of the story is lacking (and like the previous films, it is), setting it in a reality that feels more lived-in and evolved as to one that is more art directed is a plus for “Batman Begins” over its’ predecessors, and helps to place it with some of the finest comic book/superhero epics ever made (namely, Richard Donner’s “Superman” and Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man 2”).
“Batman Begins” is exactly that- the origins of Batman. It’s a story neither Burton nor Schumacher told in their films, and while I’m not comic-savvy enough to know if Nolan and Goyer tell it the way the comic books told it (though they’re likely closer to the comics than Burton’s first film, which eluded to it only briefly), I was enthralled by the way they told it. How did they tell it? With the same focus on characters and their psychological makeup Nolan achieved so brilliantly in “Memento” and in particular “Insomnia” while also delivering a level of theatrical scope and adventure to make it a prime piece of popcorned escapism. As with Guy Pearce’s memory-challenged man in “Memento” and Al Pacino’s guilt-ridden cop in “Insomnia,” “Begins'” Bruce Wayne is a man with a tortured past, racked with guilt over his loving parents’ death at the hand of a robber (Bruce got scared during an opera), tormented by thoughts of revenge towards the sleaze who killed them, and a paralyzing fear of bats that stems from a childhood experience that scarred him and never closed the wound. And Christian Bale- the former child actor (first seen in Spielberg’s bombastic “Empire of the Sun”) turned character actor (his performances in “American Psycho,” “Equilibrium,” and “The Machinist” have earned him fans)- is just the actor to plum the darkest regions of Wayne’s mind and show us the transformation from a scared and cold child/young adult to a determined and charismatic man of action who finds his soul again. Other actors could have looked more the part (“Angel’s” David Boreanaz would have been an ideal choice) if you take the earlier Batmans- Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, and George Clooney- as examples (in look at least), but “Begins” Batman is cut from a different cloth, and Bale finds the dark heart of the character and makes him compellingly human. Flawed, emotionally-damaged, unsure of himself and his potential, all qualities the previously best Batman- Keaton- only hinted at in his performance of the billionaire playboy with “wonderful toys” (to quote the 1989 film).
OK, so we learn the origins of Batman- how does the story work, you may be asking? Credit Goyer and Nolan for not skimping on the details. After his parents death, he goes off to school, only to return to Gotham many years later to attend the parole hearing of the man who killed them, a low-level thug being granted an early parole in exchange for information he has on Carmine Falcone (Tom Wilkinson, hamming it up), a major crimelord in Gotham who has many of the city’s top officials in his pocket. But Bruce isn’t just back for the hearing; he’s back for vengeance, something that doesn’t please childhood friend Rachel Dawes (the lovely Katie Holmes, performing better than given credit for), now an assistant DA when he reveals a gun he had after the killer is gunned down outside of the courthouse.
And so, with his moral compass out of whack, he leaves Gotham and explores the criminal underworld across seas, eventually landing in prison in an unspecified Asian country. It’s here that he meets Henri Ducard (Liam Neeson, effective in his mystery and menace), a right-hand of the legendary Ra’s Al Ghul (“The Last Samurai’s” Ken Watanabe in a quietly evil cameo), leader of the League of Shadows, an organization which takes the law into its’ own hands, and sees potential in Wayne. After a brutal apprenticeship at the hands of Ducard- where Bruce learns to face his fears- and a battle with the League that leaves Ra’s Al Ghul for dead when Bruce and the League don’t see eye to eye, Wayne returns home where his family’s loyal butler Alfred (the ideally cast Michael Caine, achieving just the right blend of dignity and humor in a memorable performance) then helps him to create his persona as Batman with the inheritance Bruce has trusted him with (and the discovery of an underground cavern to become the Bat Cave), while he becomes acquainted with Wayne Enterprises, the company his father built, now run by a business-minded board, and meets up with Lucius Fox (the great Morgan Freeman, doing his thing with cunny and canny warmth), a science expert whose buried division of Wayne Enterprises supplies Bruce with the equipment he needs for his trademark cape, suit, even the Batmobile. He doesn’t ask questions, and is more than happy to help the family who gave him a place in their empire.
How the dots connect from there, I leave the film to tell you. Needless to say, Wayne begins his quest to save Gotham from growing poverty and crime despite early pratfalls (the physical demands of being a superhero are not easy to master), but his job grows difficult when the police are corrupted by Falcone and are looking to put him away for being a vigilante and Dr. Jonathan Crane (Cillian Murphy in a sensationally sinuous turn)- being paid by Falcone- continues to keep criminals out of prison by entering insanity pleas while also furthering a deadly agenda of his own as Scarcrow, who is capable of pulling the deepest fears from people and driving them mad. Thankfully, there’s one decent cop on the force Bruce can enlist to help bring the criminal element- all of it- to justice in one Sergeant Gordon (Gary Oldman in a rare good guy role the actor plays with conviction), who- along with Rachel- is willing to put his life on the line to do what’s right for Gotham.
As directed by Nolan, aided by his ace cinematographer Wally Pfister (“Memento”)- with assistance by Simon Margetts- editor Lee Smith, and the composing tandem of heavyweights Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard (who don’t achieve the symphonic grandeur of Danny Elfman’s work for Burton, but whose minimalist rhythms and themes- which sound more like Zimmer and Newton Howard- give “Begins” a haunting furiosity all its’ own), “Batman Begins” is an epic psychological study in fear, justice, and discovering your true self laced with thrilling action (the car chase near the end is one of the best recent ones) that packs in the crowds as the director wows them with the depth of his storytelling. It’s that inspired combination that is rare in modern escapism, and rarer still in comic book movies, usually more interested in flash than thought. But “Batman Begins” is the latest in but a line of recent superhero epics that are more interested in human nature than slick adventure. It’s a short list- Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man 2” and Bryan Singer’s “X2: X-Men United” are the only other inhabitants of the list, with high hopes for Singer’s upcoming “Superman Returns” and Joss Whedon’s “Wonder Woman”- that doesn’t include the venerable likes of Richard Donner’s “Superman” (for many, still the definitive comic book movie) and Tim Burton’s “Batman,” but in retrospect, did those movies really look past the surface of their stories to find the soul of their subjects?
Throughout the film Alfred is telling Bruce, “Why do we fall, sir? So that we learn to pick ourselves up again.” Few film franchises have fallen as far as “Batman” did in 1997. Fewer still have picked themselves up as high as “Batman” does with this film, representing a rebuilding of a beloved franchise. This time, with a stronger foundation.
