|
SPOILER WARNING: The following preview/review contains information on the film's plot.
We all know the story by now. When Bruce Wayne was a small boy, he saw his parents gunned down in front of him in Crime Alley after leaving the theater. There in the alley, beside their bodies, he swore an oath to them and himself that he would do everything he could so that something like this would never happen again. He went on to develop both his body and mind, becoming in the process, not only the world’s greatest detective, but also something much more. To turn the fear that criminals inflicted upon their victims’ back at them, he chose the mantle of the bat and became Batman. This is the story as most of us know it and I’m happy to say that after a campy television series, four previous movies and countless cartoons they finally got it right. Most of it.
When the movie begins we find a young Bruce Wayne playing in the garden with Rachel Dawes. Bruce falls down a well and is terrified by the bats that live there. Flash forward years ahead and we are introduced to an adult Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) in the oddest of places: a Chinese prison. There, he has to fight multiple inmates just to stay alive. Bruce is released from prison with the aid of Henri Ducard (Liam Neeson) and urged to seek out Ra’s Al Ghul (Ken Watanabe) who can help show him the path he has been seeking. When Bruce reaches Ra's' stronghold he is taken in and trained by Ducard who not only teaches him to fight but also helps him confront his personal demons. Bruce refuses to accept Ra's' offer to join his organization and lead their mission to destroy a corrupt and decaying Gotham. Instead he insists that Gotham can be saved, and he has to fight for not only his freedom but his life.
Bruce returns to Gotham with the aid of his faithful butler Alfred (Michael Caine) and begins his quest to set right the wrongs that have plagued the city his family helped build and his father saved from economic ruin. He also returns to find Rachel (Katie Holmes), now an Assistant District Attorney, fighting not only the corruption on the streets but also that within the system she serves and believes in. Things are also in turmoil with Wayne Corp. as president Richard Earle (Rutger Hauer) seeks to take the company public. Earle has banished his only opposing voice, Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman,) to the basement and the applied sciences division; which is exactly where Bruce Wayne wishes to spend his time. Quickly making friends with Lucius and borrowing his own technology, Bruce begins developing his idea and building his arsenal. He also seeks out and begins to make an ally of the one honest cop he can find, Sgt. James Gordon (Gary Oldman).
On the streets of Gotham, Batman first goes after mob boss Carmine Falcone (Tom Wilkinson) only to find that he is but the tip of the iceberg and things are not always what they seem. A young and inexperienced Batman must also face off with Dr. Jonathan Crane and his alter ego, The Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy,) who plans to poison all of Gotham at the bidding of his employer. As Batman struggles to keep up with the nightmare that is playing out before him, Bruce Wayne must contend with his own problems including his childhood friend Rachel, the cost of a double life, and the ghosts of his past.
Now the fanboys will scream about the things that they got wrong and the things they changed, but don’t let that discourage you this is an excellent movie. Yes, they changed quite a few things from the original story, the most notable being this Batman isn’t a detective… at least not yet. But if you look past that, what you will see is what they got right, and that is impressive. This is the first Batman movie that gets it. They get the obsession. They get the anger and the shame. They get that this is more about the man than anything else; that Batman isn’t a mask Bruce Wayne wears, it’s the other way around.
The casting is not only incredible it is, as far as I can tell, perfect. Christian Bale is great as both Bruce Wayne and Batman and he is able to be both flamboyant and brooding . Gary Oldman is, in my opinion, the best character actor working today and brings James Gordon to the screen in a way so that he appears to be lifted straight from the pages of the comics. Michael Caine is a new kind of Alfred, more partner than servant, witty and tough enough to aid Bruce on his quest. There are no weak spots here as everyone pulls their weight. Director Christopher Nolan does a fabulous job and gives us not only the Batman we’ve waited for, but also the perfect Gotham for him to prowl. Gone are the nippled Batsuits and flashy gadgets; this is the Dark Knight in all his cloaked glory. The score is also fabulous and deserves to be mentioned as it complements the imagery on the screen beautifully.
So if you were on the fence about this one, get your ass off it and get in line. Batman has always been a favorite of mine and I was as apprehensive as hell about this one, especially after the train-wreck that was Batman & Robin. This film does justice not only to the cape and cowl but also to all the supporting aspects that have helped to make Batman one of the most popular characters in comics. So thank you Christopher Nolan for correcting the mistakes of the past and giving us what we’ve been waiting for.
Oh and if you are taking requests for the eventual sequel I have one… a small one:
Please, no Robin.
|
