...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.
Yeah.. i'll go watch it sometime soon but Adam West was the first batman i ever saw so anything else just seems wrong ¬¬
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.
I'd have to second everything snarky said
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.
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.
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!
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.
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...
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
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?
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!
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.
Quote from: Las Naranjas on Sun 19/06/2005 23:01:10
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...
QuoteAll 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?
Quote from: Snarky on Sun 19/06/2005 23:46:44
Quote from: Las Naranjas on Sun 19/06/2005 23:01:10
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.
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
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
Well yes. Soon we'll have Emo-man.
There WILL, however always be one true superhero. Burnt.. Face... Man...
http://www.burntfaceman.com/
The Crow was a good flick.
sorta like batman if you ask me.
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.
(http://www.bicycle-for-slugs.org/ll/tears.jpg)
It was always there [image now available on shirts, BUY BUY BUY AUD $15]
(http://www.sylpher.com/novomestro/stuff/tearshirt.jpg)
That's so emo. Superman does have more... silly moments too, though. Like the pic you just posted. On the subject of bad superhero design. http://www.somethingawful.com/articles.php?a=2916
That commentary is so hilarious :'D
(http://i.somethingawful.com/fashion/comicSWAT/1.gif)
"Zack: Those are some heroic sleeves. It's like he punched all the way through two ghosts.
Dr. Thorpe: He looks like a billowy disco Jesus. If you saw that guy out on the street, you wouldn't think "superhero," you'd think "this guy is going to try to sell me flowers and then talk my ear off about his weird cult."
Zack: I don't know what I would think. I would probably just stare in horror at his man-cleavage. "
Quote from: Haddas on Mon 20/06/2005 03:58:05
Well yes. Soon we'll have Emo-man.
There's already a Slave Labor comic called Emo Boy. I havn't read it but...yeah, it exists.
They're always one step ahead... What's next?
d0000d! You're right, it IS an excellant movie.
The best Batman director is still definately David Kelly (http://www.somethingawful.com/articles.php?a=2795). But, yes, Batman Begins was a great effort. Takes itself seriously and stuff. Batman's voice still sounds silly...
This movie was better than anything Burton or Shumacher did.
Seriously.
Bt
When wearing the mask, he reminded me completly of Billy Baldwin, that blonde-haired Baldwin. And I will say there were times when Batman was bitching a guys head off high above the streets and I was like "Damn, I'm glad I'm not that crook..." The comedy was minor and funny, and was placed great, as it is not to be a comedy movie. It completely put back faith in the batman movie franchise. I don't know if I can say its better than the spiderman or xmen movies, but it was definitly worth me going. After the movie, I was still very happy I went.
Quote from: Scummbuddy on Tue 21/06/2005 18:54:55
After the movie, I was still very happy I went.
That's all that really matters, isn't it? That's the standard I put on a film. That's also why I like 90% of the films I see. 10% is usually drama.
Batman is uber cool. I'm watching it this weekend. I saw the trailer, saw the batmobile and cried... what have they done to her, they've made a thing of beauty and coolness into... into.... "that".
I'm apparently the only person in the world who thinks so, but I thought this film was a bit crap. I already posted a detailed review somewhere else and don't feel like cutting and pasting so here's a leedle summary.
Batman Begins:
* Has an obnoxiously aggressive desire to be taken seriously!
* Has a po-faced attitude and focus on realism that only emphesises the silliness of some guy prancing about in a bat-suit!
* Has a creepy and cool badguy in the Scarecrow, but only gives him about ten seconds of screentime!
* Instead focuses mainly on another main bad guy who is as boring and generic as could be!
* Seemingly spends loads of time on character development, while remarkably still failing to make the characters particularly complex or interesting!
* Gives Katie Holmes a major role - an actress who could barely stand her own in Dawson's Creek, let alone onscreen with a cast including Freeman, Caine and Oldman!
* Will in all likelihood lead to Chris Nolan being tied up in the franchise for the next decade or so, preventing him from being involved in much more worthwhile projects!
In spite of everything, there should be some potential for decency in the sequels. But i'm just so goddamn sick of superhero films at this point. I'm also sick of mediocrity being hailed as greatness.
Oh go suck an egg!
But really, I can see your points but it's still quite awesome. In a time when most of what Hollywood produces is crap or mediocre, movies like this get a bit overhyped but are still well done and fun to watch.
In my opinion it was from somewhat bad to quite bad at times, but I've debated the matter in another forum already (and it was in greek so I can't copy paste) so I'll just go suck my egg also.
I really liked the scene where he was screaming at that criminal while he was hanging upside down..
Gave me chills.
sorry this will be a slight off topic. I read somewhere in this post that robin died and batman went back to being all dark and moody. But I know that there were more than one robin. The first was richard grayson (who later became night wing), then there was tim drake (don't know what hepened to him but I'm preety shure he didn't die). Was there a third robin I don't know about or something. I wasn't even born when the original comic series started so I'm stuck with internet hunting for information and the popular cartoon show (which is said to be quite acorate, but I wouldnt know...). So would anybodyclear me up on this?
thanx in edvance.
Quote from: viktor on Fri 24/06/2005 07:15:42
Was there a third robin I don't know about or something.
Yes. (http://www.toonopedia.com/robin.htm) In between the two you named was one named Jason Todd.
I've just come back from watching the film. All in all I thought it was great and had a nice ending leading to the next in the trilogy. Apparently they are thinking of getting Crispen Glover as the Joker. One complaint I do have is the fight scenes. They were just confusing, I had no idea who was hitting whom.
I've heard that Paul Bettany http://imdb.com/name/nm0079273/ was already cast as the Joker.
A bit late, but on the subject of Emoman (http://www.btc.gewdguys.com/%3b_%3b/)...
I hope you brought enough eggs for everyone to suck.
Loved Spiderman, this... meh.
Batman begins was quite nice, for a 12A I think it was perfectly suitable. I wasn't so impressed with the way the fight sequences were cut together (often very, very dark and not very easy to tell quite what was going on) - whether that was to enhance the fact its a 12A, Liam Neeson can't fight or its just another "run of the mill" movie, I don't know... But I'm sure fight scenes in the earlier films were more panoramic than any in this one. So yeah, I thought it was alright - a nice prequel, but nothing amazing.
Also recently got to see Sin City too, which I thought was quite nice.