Review of Batman Begins (2005) by Chrisr. — 30 Dec 2005

After bearing the burden of a franchise that had spun completely out of creative control, I finally rented the DVD. What an idiot I was... Why did I not see this in the theaters? Caine and Freeman firmly cement their personas, delivering spot-on performances, Gary Oldman proves that he can quite simply out-character act anybody in the industry, and Bale, in a stunning turn -around physically from The Machinst, IS Bruce Wayne (P.

S.: watch The Machinist. Bale reportedly ate an apple and a single can of tuna (while working out incessantly) to capture the physicality of the role. He then promptly assured producers that he could play the part in Batman Begins, and then proceeded to bulk out in SIX WEEKS .

Neeson turns in an admirable peformance, and Holmes seems out of her element, but overall, this is the definative origin story which renders the previous Burton/Bruckheimer movies quaint, more or (VERY) less watchable, but utterly irrelevant.

The 60's T.V. show was the coloring book, the previous franchise was the high school book report, and we now have the fully developed master's thesis of how a billionaire with a grudge and a horrible childhood trauma could resort to, and be facilitated in, swooping about Gotham, scaring the s*** out of criminals and audiences alike.

I usually balk at the set-up for the inevitable next movie, but I actually cheered when Oldman's Gordon turned over the playing card...