Batman Begins (PG-13)
Mike:
Scott:
Scott: Today we are reviewing Batman Begins
, which is about, ah, the origin of Batman. First off, I really liked it. Mike?
Mike: Why don't you start this time? I think this is one we are both going to agree on.
Scott: It was so different from the last Batman movies that it made me excited to see the movie. It was based in a realistic setting. It explained how things worked, where he got he stuff. It gave his origin. The sets were not BS make believe stuff, everything had a basis in reality, no over the top bad guys, no spandex and no cartoony sets.
Mike: It did seem like it could really happen. I think this is going to be the movie to beat this summer.
Scott: With Star Wars that would seem unlikely, it will be the BEST movie this summer though.
Mike: It may not make as much money as Star Wars.
Scott: Nothing will, but it's not always about money. Director Christopher Nolan rescued this franchise
Mike: I had high hopes when I heard he was attached.
Scott: Great vision, I just can't emphasis enough how it is not like the Batman and Robin's of old.
Mike: I was very impressed by Memento and Insomnia, so I thought he might pull off something good. This movie has drama, action, humor, and finally humor that fit, no camp!
Scott: Yes, the humor was light and not out of place. Christian Bale, as Batman, brought us realistic, fear and pain filled Batman, who had to fight his inner demons before he could fight crime.
Mike: This is dumb, but I liked the fact that he changed his voice when he was Batman. I would always think, how come everybody couldn't guess who he is?
Scott: That was good. One thing I thought was a bit much was the chase scene in the middle of the movie. I really liked the car, but the scene went on too long. He looked less like his real life character than any previous Batman
Mike: As far as the car, I was worried when I saw the pictures of it, but it is pretty cool. The writing and acting was very well done.
Scott: Michael Cain, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, and Gary Oldman... and this was an action flick!?!
Mike: What a cast! Bale is no slouch either.
Scott: I know, I know, but those are some pretty big names for an action flick.
Mike: Oh yeah.
Scott: It has been a long time since I saw a well thought out action movie like this one. I can't rave enough.
Mike: Although this must be the first time I've ever seen Oldman as a good guy.
Scott: Very true, I remember him in The Professional, he was very good 'bad cop' in that.
Mike: One thing I will stress is this is not a movie for the kids. Unless they love lots and lots of bats.
Scott: No, not even for the violence alone, there are some parts that may give kids nightmares.
Mike: Especially the hallucinations that people start having courtesy of the Scarecrow, played by Cillian Murphy.
Scott: That was cool. It was what the bad guy does in the comic book, and played well on the big screen.
Mike: Did you recognize him from 28 Days Later?
Scott: No I did not recognize him from that, he looked familiar though. The movie has a really good back story too, on how Batman became the person he became.
Mike: It was good that they spread the origin out throughout the movie, rather than a 15-minute flashback.
Scott: Yes, it moved the story along in both the present and the past well.
Mike: Some nice nods to the comic geeks, too. Joe Chill is the murderer of the Waynes and that is straight out of the comics. Nice nod to the Joker thrown in as well.
Scott:In the last installment of Batman we had to witness the unfortunate addition of nipples to the rub/plastic suits of Batman and Robin. This movie they did a shout out to all of the 13 year old fans with a cold set and Tom Cruise's favorite squeeze, Katie Holmes.
Mike: Katie was fun to watch. She really is attractive and not a bad actress, either.
Scott: Actually she was not bad. She appeared just enough to get us to like her, but not enough to be the damsel in distress. I hate when they have the woman/child rescue scene at the end of the movie, that has gotten old.
Mike: The great thing about this movie is that its a real movie, not a "comic book" movie
Scott: You are right, they made a movie out of it.
Mike: One last note, the music was fantastic. It really added to the film.
Scott: Very good music, it was dramatic and exciting, but not over the top. I think I am going to buy the original score.
Mike: This is a 4 out of 5, buy it the day it comes out on DVD movie and I will definitely see this again in the theater!
Scott: I give this a 5 out of 5 action and a 4.5 out of 5 for overall movie. This is a 2nd timer in the theatre. I didn't know you could make an action movie this good, and for it to be based on a comic is incredible.
Mike: I am looking forward to some others like Fantastic Four and War of the Worlds, but I don't know how they are going to beat this.
