Movies Watched (only one this time around)
Batman Begins
Saw it last night. Such a terrific movie. Dark. Deviant. And its atmosphere is so immersive it may evaporate your sense of time. In numerous ways it can only be described as ultimately cool. Sure, director Christopher Nolan and anyone who had anything to do with the movie was going for cool - that's one of the main objectives of any team making a comic-book based, action film. Director Christopher Nolan succeeds with the endeavor. If I were handing out grades I'd put a big 'A' in red ink at the top of his paper and circle it.
Stax sent an email after seeing the movie. Here's what he had to say:
"Just saw Batman Begins at a screening. No hyperbole -- it is the best comic book movie ever. And it is a damn fine film in its own right. Everything works -- casting, direction, story, effects (lack of CGI was appreciated). You will forget there ever were other Bat-films. I shall say no more for now except that you can't see it fast enough. It is the Batman film we've been waiting for."
I mulled over the phrase 'best comic book movie ever' for a bit. Looking back, yes, I'm comfortable in concurring. As things stand, Batman Begins is the best comic book movie ever made. Mind you, I said the same thing after seeing Spider-Man 2. Inevitably, I guess, better things do come along.
The music, the production design, the performances, the writing, the cinematography… this damn movie has it all together. I'm just going to have to see it again.
Can I nit-pick? Batman Begins has a couple things that jump out at me. What's up with casting Katie Holmes? I didn't care one way or the other last year when I first heard she had the part. Now, after seeing the movie, apart from the fact she's smokin' hot, did they really think we'd believe her? Now don't get me wrong, me likes Ms. Holmes, but she isn't convincing. I've never found her believable in any role, not even Pieces of April, which, more than anything else, seemed like a chance for her to sport alternative fashion.
There's also little matter of editing. Thankfully there aren't too many Matrix wire-acts going on. The hand-to-hand fights are terrific, but they could have been more terrific if we were really able to see the way these fights were playing out. The editing is too quick, there's like (and I'm exaggerating) five edits for every punch. Five edits for every kick. Just stick with the shot and show us what's happening so we can get a sense of what's going on. Sure, they probably had to edit around the limited action abilities of the actors. You know, gotta sell the punch. I guess we can grant them that.
Oh, one more thing. In a small way I felt the build-up to the first reveal of Batman in his bat-duds took too long. I do get antsy for action (so sue me), but in retrospect the wait was worth it. I mean, there's a lot of exposition to take care of, lots of things to explain. And explain they do, very well. By the time you really see him, it's worth it. As Christian Bale says, "He kicks ass."
True, with a Bat-voice like a forced whisper, Bale does kick ass as Batman. And this is one pissed-off Batman. Bale tells us he concentrated on working anger into the character. For some of his motivation, he went back to his first screen test.
"The very first time I got into the Bat-suit it actually wasn't my Bat-suit, it was one of the Bat-suits from one of the other Batman movies," says Bale. "It was actually very uncomfortable because it didn't fit me properly, it was too small. But it did give me a sense, a confirmation as to how I wanted to play the character. I just couldn't stand there and be a regular guy in the Bat-suit. You have to be something more than that. You have to become kind of a beast. By the time that I actually got into the Bat-suit that was tailor-made for me, it was a whole lot more comfortable, but still very uncomfortable... and you kind of use that because Batman is not meant to be a happy-go-lucky character. He's an intense, focused, rage-filled character."
What I've got here for you to have a look at now is something that reveals the "rage-filled" part of the new Batman: some newly released behind the scenes footage for you to check out. Click here to get on with it. It's a 7 megabyte file, QuickTime format. What you'll see is, well... maybe there's a spoiler in there, but only one shot which ultimately has nothing to do with the plot or the end of the movie. On the whole, the video is a short collection of behind-the-scenes segments, the first of which has Batman (Christian Bale) holding Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy) by the neck and threatening him. Now, what I was saying about the harmless spoiler, take a look at Batman's mask. You may not be able to see it very well because the shot is sort of far away and there's graininess to the video, but take a look… not your typical Bat-mask. The video also features Gary Oldman as Lieutenant Gordon, and ends with footage of Batman taking the new, rumbling, armor plated Bat-mobile for a test drive.
One question we've been asked is: are they really going to be able to get this cast back for the next movie? Can they get everyone? Can they even afford it? For the answer(s) we went to: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Katie Holmes and Gary Oldman...
IGN FILMFORCE: So, are you interested in the sequel or sequels? Are you coming back?
CHRISTIAN BALE: "If people love it in this way, so that we get to continue making movies in this way, absolutely I'm interested, I would never be interested in something like the way Batman was depicted before. So, yes, I would like to continue."
MICHAEL CAINE: "Oh, yeah, I'm interested. I'm Alfred from here on in." [I had to omit the remainder of his response since, well, he gives away the end of the movie.]
MORGAN FREEMAN: "Oh, yes! I mean you can't beat this for goodness. I think this is the greatest batman ever. Yes, I think there's room for one more, at least. Probably a couple more, but at least one more.
KATIE HOLMES: "Sure!. I'd be honored!"
GARY OLDMAN: Yes, and I'm sure I'll be promoted. I'm confident I will be. I'm up for the next one, yes. Which I'm looking forward to. I hope Chris is going to do it. I don't know it at the moment he's convinced he's going to, but maybe someone can talk him into it. Throw a lot of money at him. That'll give him some incentive. (On a side note, Oldman offered a little about Harry Potter and the Goblett of Fire.) I'll disappoint you because I'm just a tiny, tiny little part in the next one. I'm just embers in the fire. But if I do Harry Potter five, I'm featured in five. And, oh, they'll have to pay me big bucks for that. (He laughs)
And what about director Christopher Nolan? Well, at the moment he's reluctant to say he'll return.
CHRISTOPHER NOLAN: "You know, I'm sort of more concerned just to see what people think of this one."
There's one more thing that makes this the best Batman of them all: Bale doesn't jump into black rubber Bat-pants then hold this pose...
Tell us now, what do you do dig about the new Batman?
