Batman Begins

You could have hit me with a quote from any of the previous Batman films and I never would've been the smarter about it. I've seen each of the previous films exactly once, and the memories of them are mostly lukewarm. I think about the most interesting thing any of the Batman movies inspired me to do was take pictures of myself with water "floating" in the air like I was Mr. Freeze. Stranger still, it was a vain attempt to impress some girl named Ivy.

Well, Batman Begins is definitely the best Batman I've seen yet. Like the previous Batmans, this one takes place predominantly in dark, muddy atmospheres and doesn't go out of its way to have your everyday personality about it. However, I remain a huge fan of psychological mumbo-jumbo. And there is plenty of that to go around here.

Christian Bale plays a mean Batman and I do mean mean! Although it takes a little time for him to come into his new identity (much less get behind the Wheel), the process is like a slow-cooking roast in which you sample the broth for what seems like forever before finally sinking your teeth into the finished product. The payoff is worth it.

To call Batman Begins a story in itself is almost an understatement. This could have almost been two separate movies. There is just that much to it. Director Christopher Nolan crams as much as possible into that first hour, and then some. I admit, it does feel a bit rushed at the beginning as we jet through the murder of Bruce Wayne's parents, his fear of bats, his games of Finders Keepers against his friend Rachel, his eventual downfall that lands him in a debilitated Asian prison, and straight back out into the throes of his training under Ducard (Liam Neeson).

But all the while, it's pure intensity as fighting and decision-making take turns befalling our beloved hero, and psychological shrapnel is flying everywhere. A sword fight on the ice strikes me as the most memorable scene, mostly 'cause of the strong dialogue. This is really the kind of movie where even though the first 70-80 minutes seem to fly by, once they are over, you really feel like you've been there 70-80 minutes. And you've absorbed more knowledge than you would in the average two-hour film.

As acting goes, I can't say I have any complaints. I find the characters to be a bit serious for my taste, excepting the benevolent housekeeper and acting father to Bruce, Alfred, played by Michael Caine. But this is no fault of the actors, and their portrayals of their respective roles are about as flawless as they come.

Even Katie Holmes seemed like a character who was desensitized by the job and everything around her. But having a female lead that wasn't charming the stars every two seconds, gotta admit that was a nice break from the norm. I guess some might consider Katie to be a bit cute and bubbly for the role. But her restraint, no matter how "boring", is admirable.

Not too familiar with Christian Bale outside of Reign Of Fire, and I still gotta see Equilibrium as far as that goes. But Bale has got all the charisma of a true badass, a less preppy James Bond, with a voice that borders on downright villainous at times. This guy immerses himself in a role that is not some perfect embodiment of humanity, but a conglomeration of fear, desire for justice, vengeance, and even vulnerability.

Perhaps the biggest surprise is Gary Oldman in his role as a good guy, Lt. Jim Gordon. His usual subtlety fits well with this kind of role that's not quite a sidekick, but more of a sidearm. Or something like that. Liam Neeson plays the Sith version of Qui-Gon, with the most distracting beard I think I've ever seen. And how can you not mention Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, doin' it up in style as per usual.

Batman Begins has no shortage of action. But as has been the case with many recent action flicks, a little zooming out would have been a welcome respite. It's tough to tell who is who with the constant close-ups of fists flying and bodies falling, especially in the dark.

On the other hand, the final battle is completely spectacular. The big chase with the Batmobile guarantees to keep you plastered to the seat, no matter how harshly nature is calling! Come to think of it, there was one line that kind of cracked me up, made by a policeman attempting to describe the vehicle. This, along with the entire last 30-40 minutes, is simply a non-stop in-your-face destructofest. CGI or no CGI, Gotham City has never looked grander than this.

Overall, Batman Begins passes with..well, flying colors. Or should I say one flying color, a big swirling, descending spiral of pure black. When people ask how Batman came to be a superhero, there is no doubt this is the kind of story they'll be looking for.