Batman Begins: Believe it or not, I wish I’d watched this one on a smaller screen. I understand the shaky-cam and quick cutaways were meant to portray the confusion and urgency of the scene, but I quickly tire of the subsequent vertigo. I’m sure it would have been fine on, say, a television screen. Either way, that’s my biggest complaint. No, really. Though this would not be a good first Batman movie for someone totally unfamiliar with the Caped Crusader, it remains an excellent film for anybody else. I liked how the line between hero and villain sort of blurred in tactics and motivations. I liked how the bad guys had more realistic weapons (hallucinogenic drugs, the effects of which were mind-blowing) and motives (complex fanaticism rather than merely being “insane” or “evil”) than a lot of other comic book adaptations. I liked the relationship between Bruce Wayne and the DA. I liked the updated equipment, the scientific explanations, and the real-world environment of the non-NYC Gotham City. I liked all the actors, especially the prettyboy Scarecrow and Gary Oldman’s spot-on Detective Gordon. The ending left me wondering if it was meant as a nod to Tim Burton or if they are planning on making a rather repetitive sequel, but I have my bets on the former. Too bad they couldn’t get Danny Elfman’s theme for this one – it would have been perfect. In short, I definitely recommend this film.
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