Batman Begins (2005)

DISCLAIMER: This is my OPiNIOn. I am human. I am biased. My word is not law. You can like or dislike whatever the heck you want. If you disagree with my review, that is completely okay. Keep it respectful if you want to debate with me in the comments. Then let’s both move on. I genuinely hope you have a great day.

I have rewatched the trailer for The Batman about a hundred times for three main reasons: the chilling cover of Nirvana’s “Something in the Way”, the awesome choreography between Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle, and the brilliant upside-down shot of the titular character walking through flames in the Penguin’s car window. Needless to say, my expectations for this new film are quite high, and I sincerely hope that it will be at least as good, if not better than Christopher Nolan’s trilogy. With that in mind, I thought it’d be appropriate to review the first installment of what I consider to be the best portrayal of the caped crusader. My father, a man of the finest culture, recommended it to me and he has impeccable taste. Now, allow me to convince you.

Setting

As an aspiring writer myself, I cannot stress enough the degree to which I admire Nolan’s ability to successfully balance the dark, gritty realism of our world with the escapist, vigilantism-centered mystique of the superhero genre. He incorporates just enough of our society to help us suspend our disbelief, such as the economic disparity between the lovely mansions of billionaires like the Waynes and the filthy, rainy, crime-ridden streets where the impoverished struggle to survive, the corruption within the justice system, and the fact that all of Batman’s gear is based on military-grade materials. The costuming on a whole is genius, with the prime example of that for me being the fact that Ra’s Al-Ghul’s gas mask is in the shape of a beak, being practical as well as an understated nod to the comics.

I also find it incredibly amusing that Commissioner Gordon got the idea for the bat signal from seeing the silhouette of Carmine Falcone tied to the light. These seem like tiny details, but for me, they really elevate this film to a whole other level.

Then Nolan sprinkles in a perfect amount of fantastical thrills for us to enjoy the ride, like the moment where we see the full, terrifying capacity of Batman as a symbol from the perspective of Falcone’s goons when he takes them out and nightmare sequence when Scarecrow’s fear gas throws his childhood trauma right back in his face, and the harrowing climax of the movie, when the underground of Gotham is spurned into a mass panic.

The cinematography of the ice field, in particular, is absolutely gorgeous, especially the mountains in the background of Bruce sparring with Ra's Al-Ghul. Lucius Fox’s lab is cool and futuristic, but not too flashy. The Wayne manor is high-class, but not in an obnoxious way, further highlighting Thomas and Martha’s humility and generosity. The lighting in the Batcave is bright enough to engineer some incredible contrast, such as that between Bruce’s silhouette and the swarm of bats flying around him when he finally overcomes his fear, and dim enough to create a gloomy atmosphere.

The action as a whole is incredibly creative. Special mention goes to Bruce fighting through a crowd of masked figures from the league of shadows and trying to fend off his mentor all at the same time, while high on fear gas. The claustrophobic final fight on the train had me on the edge of my seat as a sixteen-year-old and it still does now.

The blood, sweat, and tears that the designers, conceptual artists, and construction team put into the atmosphere of this story shine through every pixel on the screen. The production value is absolutely off the charts, and even though the directors and cast deserve all of the acclaims they have received, it pains me to see that they’re not getting as much recognition and fame.

Characters

I feel like many pieces of media will just kill off a parent or both of them (a lot of YA Dystopias are very fond of this trope), and they think that’s all they need to do to make their character sympathetic. I’m like, “Okay, that sucks, but honestly they were barely developed, so I’m not THAT sad about it.” Sometimes it seems like their child barely knows them either since they’re basically forgotten about and thrown aside once the plot starts. One of the main reasons why Nolan’s interpretation of Batman is my favorite so far is because of all the work he put into showing how compassionate and loving Thomas and Martha Wayne were to not only their son but for Gotham as well. Though their presence is brief, what they represent is incredibly powerful. I wish more rich people were like them, in that they used their fortune to help out the less fortunate instead of being spoiled and entitled jerks.

Furthermore, the impact of their demise on Bruce’s psyche can be felt throughout everything he does in Batman Begins. As a result, Bruce’s grief has so many layers and his arc is insanely fleshed out for two hours and twenty minutes. Firstly, he feels responsible for their deaths because his fear of bats made them leave the opera house. Secondly, it’s the catalyst for his desire for vengeance, which then develops into justice thanks to a stern talking-to from Rachel Dawes. Thirdly, their generosity and kindness are what inspires Bruce to become a genuinely good person who adheres to his moral code despite the darkness around him rather than succumbing to his wrath and just being an angry, brooding anti-hero. I can aspire to and empathize with the former, whereas the latter would irritate and depress me. A nice example of Bruce’s integrity is when the league of shadows tries to goad him into killing a murderer, but he insists that he will not be an executioner. That, combined with Christian Bale’s acting, makes for an awesome protagonist.

Kate Holmes as Rachel Dawes is a surprisingly charming love interest, although I might be a bit biased here because I’m a huge sucker for childhood friends. I would argue that she has an even stronger sense of integrity and justice than Bruce because she’s the one who literally slaps some sense into him when he admits to wanting to kill his mother and father's murderer. She’s kind of a damsel in distress, but I don’t mind it too much because she does get some heroic moments of her own, like when she tasers Scarecrow to protect that little boy during the final battle. I adore that she’s smart enough to recognize that she shouldn’t pursue a romantic relationship with Bruce until he’s put his vigilantism behind him.

Gary Oldman as Commissioner Gordon is so underrated. Much like Thomas and Martha Wayne are what billionaires should be, he’s what a law enforcement officer should be. If I were a police officer, I would be focused on catching the criminal, but he took the time to put a jacket around Bruce’s shoulders and comfort him. To say he has a heart of gold is an understatement. I think it’s interesting how even though he’s kind of weirded out by Batman and his sudden appearances and disappearances, they still trust and value each other.

Alfred Pennyworth is the G.O.A.T. His snarky lines are equal parts incredibly wise and incredibly snarky, made all the more hilarious by Michael Caine’s immaculately sharp and dry delivery. It should be illegal to be that sassy. but it’s evident that he cares for Bruce. The pep talk he gives Bruce when he’s half-burned and slumped in the elevator somehow manages to choke me up and hype me up. That’s a feat in and of itself.

I’m always skeptical when a movie has more than one villain because they can be very hard to manage and some of the character development is sacrificed in the process, but somehow Nolan managed to juggle THREE. It’s genius that all of them pose a threat to a different aspect of Bruce. Tom Wilkinson as the imposing and charismatic Carmine is the physical threat. Cillian Murphy as the chilling, cunning Scarecrow/Dr. Jonathan Crane is the psychological threat. His performance when Dr. Crane dissociates and says he “isn’t here right now” when Batman interrogates him has to be seen for itself because I cannot put it into words. Liam Neeson is the crown jewel Ra’s Al-Ghul, who is the moral threat and a flawless foil to Batman. They’ve both lost loved ones. Ra’s Al-Ghul thinks Gotham is corrupt and therefore needs to be destroyed, and he’s not wrong in terms of his first point. Batman obviously thinks Gotham is worth saving despite its ugliness. Although Falcone and Crane aren’t as developed as they could be, the trio still makes for a thrilling combination of external and internal conflict.

Music

It’s Hans Zimmer, so of course, every track is a masterpiece, but my favorite one has to be the one that plays when Scarecrow drugs and sets Batman on fire. The transition from utter terror to the anguish of losing his parents to Alfred as he hears his surrogate son reduced to a frightened, hurt child begging for help over the phone is so damn effective and so damn heartbreaking.

Final Score

I took a point off because the pacing at the beginning felt slightly slow and because Scarecrow and Falcone, though entertaining, memorable, and intimidating, were still 2-dimensional.

Overall, an unquestionable 9/10.