'Batman Begins' is an excellent movie! (no spoilers)

[Snarky]

...Just thought I'd say that.Ã, 

It really is very, very good. You all should absolutely go see it! I haven't been so excited about a film this whole year. Not Star Wars. Not Hitchhiker's. Certainly not Constantine. (Wow! I've really only been going to uber-geeky movies this year.) I'm sitting here, the day after I saw it, just smiling happily because I did.

The movie gets Batman so right. From now on, this movie defines what Batman is, in the same way Frank Miller and Alan Moore defined Batman with DKR, Year 1 and Killing Joke. It's one hell of an entertaining movie, and seems to take place in a world that is "almost real" (Gotham has more than a passing resemblance to Chicago), not a gothic studio set like the previous movies. It's tense, with blood-pumping action and some genuinely terrifying moments. It leaves no doubt why criminals fear Batman! (A working title was 'Batman: Intimidation Game'.) There's also genuine characters, with a very real, very human Bruce Wayne, and some light moments that break up the dark mood while rarely devolving into corny one-liners. It should appeal to people who normally aren't keen on comic book movies. (I saw it with a friend who at first scoffed at me: "You want to see a Batman movie?!" After the movie, he was raving about how good it was.)

I think this might just be the best comic book superhero movie ever made. Yes, better than Spider-Man 1 and 2. Better than X-Men 1 and 2. Better than Burton's Batman. Better than Superman. Better than Blade and Hellboy. And infinitely better than the DareDevils, Hulks and CatWomen of this world.

The film is directed by Christopher Nolan ('Memento') and stars Christian Bale ('American Psycho'). Truly inspired choices, both! The movie is currently doing OK at the box office, but it could do a lot better. So I urge all of you to go out and buy tickets for 'Batman Begins'. You won't be disappointed.

[Privateer Puddin']

Yeah.. i'll go watch it sometime soon but Adam West was the first batman i ever saw so anything else just seems wrong ¬¬

[Ubel]

I've been really waiting for the movie and will go watch it when it comes to Finland. I think it comes here somewhere within July.

[LGM]

I'd have to second everything snarky said

[Mr Flibble]

TV's Adam West (as he was named in the credits) was recently in an episode of the Fairly Odd Parents, where he played Adam West playing the part of a super hero in a new superhero movie that was very similar to batman.
The point is that West was able to laugh at himself, and all the batman clichés, like KAPOW and KER-CHIN (he hit someone with his chin).
Batman was always a very camp, gay hero. I know people say theres a darkness there but I just can't see it.

Maybe thats just the effect of a TV series and several VERY VERY VERY bad movies.
I'll have to go see this movie and get the real deal.

[LGM]

Batman started out as camp, right? But wasn't it Frank Miller that made him really dark and all?

I dunno, I don't follow comics.

[Eggie]

I'm pretty sure the original Batman was all dark and moody, then Robin was introduced and he became a happy father figure. Then Robin died and Batman got old and went back to being brooding. That's what Tv tells me at least...

I like Batman Returns but the rest of the Tim/ Joel franchise was pretty poopy...The first film was just dull, Batman Forever was fun but didn't really seem to take itself very seriously and Batman and Robin *snort*.

The best Batman movie I've seen was the animated TV movie Batman of the FOOCHAR: Return of the Joker. Apparently Mask of the phantasm is good too...I should probably see it or something...

Ahem, Batman Begins: I'm going to see this film tommorow. I am expecting good things! Good things be coming my way when I watch this film, oh yes!

[Snarky]

Batman was originally pretty dark. Both Batman and the Joker killed people. After a couple of years it was toned down, but the comic retained a serious tone. Over the years, that changed, and the comic became quite silly. The 60s TV show was a parody of those camp Batman comics. (Ironically, the comic had returned to a darker, more serious take on the character by then.) The TV show overshadowed the comic book up until Frank Miller's Dark Knight, but people like Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams did sophisticated stories that played the concept straight years before Miller.

Basically, the take on Batman has varied greatly over the years. "Batman" today is some synthesis of all the different approaches. It's not necessarily true that the original Batman is the "true" Batman.

[edmundito]

I liked the movie as well. I'm glad that it didn't have to imitate the Tim Burton Batman formula, which is also used in other comic book adaptations like Spider-Man, The Hulk, Daredevil etc...

[Blackthorne]

I just saw it, and I have to say that it is nowhere near the masterpiece that "Batman and Robin" was.  I, for one, miss the nipples on the bat-suit.

Besides, everyone knows Alan Moore and Frank Miller suck.   I mean, I threw out my signed copies of "Killing Joke" and "The Dark Knight Returns" years ago.  After I used them for toilet paper in the Blizzard of '93.

Christian Bale should stick to fun films like "Newsies" and "American Psycho".  Christopher Nolan should stick to making out-of-sequence films.  Katie Holmes should break up with Tom Cruise.

In short, I should have gone to see "The Pefect Man" with Hillary Duff.  That girl can act.



Bt

[Las Naranjas]

I'm not sure how Adam West was doing self mockery when his Batman was meant to be a joke in the dirst place...

The original Batman was dark for all of 3 months. Then came 35 years of campy fun, then Miller did to him the same thing as he did to Daredevil...and every other single character he has written.

All campy, dark and gothic Batmans are equally valid, I can't understand why some people prefer one to the other. Suffice it to say that the Schumacher films sucked, as did 99% of the comics [read the alleged "Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told"].

I think it's a suspicious root taking Gotham down a "realistic" road though. It's the home of a guy that dresses like a Bat to scare criminals. He fights people who look like clowns and dress like screcrows and cats.

I don't live in Chicago but we can use our imagination right fellahs?

[Bluke4x4]

Yeah, Blackthorne,  American Psycho really is a fun film up with the likes of Newsies. :
Saw this movie earlier today. Very good. Cillian Murphy plays the Scarecrow very well, and the fear toxin "version" of Batman was very cool. Gary Oldman = very good.
Morgan Freeman = very good. Christian Bale = very very good. Michael Caine = very good. Liam Neeson = very very good. Katie Holmes = very annoying. Her character just told Bruce her opinion on every single thing! But otherwise, this film was one of the best films I've seen lately. In conclusion, DADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADA BAAAAAATMAAAAN!

[Lionheart]

Just saw Batman Begins. One of the best movies i have ever seen..

The Only problem is Katie holmes just doesn't fit her part for some reason..

meh..

Go and see it if you haven't! its the best comic book to movie adaption as of yet!

and get this, Christian Bale has signed on for 3 movies, so you can probably expect 2 sequels!

Next up! The Joker.

[Snarky]

The original Batman was dark for all of 3 months. Then came 35 years of campy fun, then Miller did to him the same thing as he did to Daredevil...and every other single character he has written.

I really think my version of events was more accurate...

All campy, dark and gothic Batmans are equally valid, I can't understand why some people prefer one to the other.

Because people have different preferences?

[Kweepa]

The original Batman was dark for all of 3 months. Then came 35 years of campy fun, then Miller did to him the same thing as he did to Daredevil...and every other single character he has written.

I really think my version of events was more accurate...

Aah, but you merely belittled Miller, rather than ridiculing him. So I prefer LN's history.

[Las Naranjas]

We're actually fortunate that Batman post crisis didn't end up as Miller's ideal chracter.

Bruce Wayne is a ninja whose samurai father and prostitute mother were murdered by a ninja prostitute junkie when he was 8.

With the aid of his samurai butler he fights crime as a ninja bat figure to scare criminals. Common enemies include ninjas and prostitutes.

Frequent enemies include the pale faced ninja joker and his prostitute Harley Quinn, his sometimes love interest Selina "I'm a prostitute" Kyle, or catwoman, and Poison Ivy, an eco terrorist prostitute.

Ninja. Prostitute. Ninja. Ninja. Ninja. Prostitute.



Don't get me wrong, Miller can do a good thing or two, he just does it over and over and over and over

[Blackthorne]

Yeah, I gotta say, the "dark, brooding, gothic" human super-hero thing is done to death.  In fact, it's boring. 

Ooh, Batman has...mental issues?   Duh.
I mean, it does sort of have a pretentious nature to it.  However, I DO think the dark nature fits Batman better than others.  Comic superheros used to be fun - now they're all dark and brooding.


Bt

[Haddas]

Well yes. Soon we'll have Emo-man.

There WILL, however always be one true superhero. Burnt.. Face... Man...

http://www.burntfaceman.com/

[Lionheart]

The Crow was a good flick.

sorta like batman if you ask me.

[Las Naranjas]

Gotta say though, Spiderman was emo from the beginning. Even in the first few years he had captions like "The complex, anguished teenager Peter Parker".

I guess Spiderman is the end point towards which all superheros move to, which why we have Batman beginning and Superman in Smallville, as well as getting the likes of Buffy.

but hey, check out Supes.



It was always there [image now available on shirts, BUY BUY BUY AUD $15]