The One and Only Batman Begins thread

[Matt Young 0]

Batman Forever is on TNT right now.

[Aero 0]

I finally saw it tonight, and all I can say is wow. Now, I'm someone who grew up on Marvel comics and almost never DC. I was all about Spider-Man and X-Men. Sure, I watched all the Batman movies and loved them, and I even watched the animated series time to time, but Batman could never touch Spider-Man or X-Men in my eyes.

 

So, I saw it tonight. I had heard all the great reviews and still thought that I would end up liking Spider-Man 2 or X2 more simply because of my love for Marvel, but I was dead wrong. Begins is easily the best superhero movie out, period. I wasn't bored for a second, and the plot was quite good, too.

 

Ra's was one of the few villains I knew absolutely nothing about. All I ever heard was that he trained Batman or something. One of my favorite moments of the movie was just when Bruce met him at his party. ("How is it pronounced... Ra's Al Ghul?" then Bruce's surprised look... awesome). Count me in as another person who hopes that he escaped death from the train, because I'd love to see him in future movies.

 

My one complaint would be Scarecrow getting knocked off by Rachel just like that, but he IS still out there like Gordon said, so it's forgiveable.

[Matt Young 0]

Oh shit, now the original Batman movie (well, the 1989 version) is on. Believe it or not, this is the only one in the series I have NOT seen other than Begins.

[Jericho2000Mark 0]

The more I watch this movie, the more I think Neeson's Ra's was a better villain and character than Nicholson's Joker. I liked Neeson's acting and dialogue a lot more too.

[bobobrazil1984 0]

This movie was absolutely great.  I loved it.

 

Why do you people assume there's going to be a sequel?  It leads straight to Batman (1989), IMO.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

It's a new series, it was written that way, and was created specifically to launch a brand new franchise, and there are some pretty major contradictions with 89.

 

WB is currently planning the sequel already, Christian Bale is already signed to go. The Joker rumor mill is going crazy, with Mark Hamill, Crispin Glover, and some unknown named Luchley Hulme or something being the top names bandied about.

[Crimson Platypus 0]

To the people complaining about how easily Scarecrow was dispatched by Rachel.. I think you are somehow forgetting that Scarecrow doesn't have any super powers or anything. He's a psychologist in a mask. Getting tasered probably hurts like all hell (I've never been so I can't say for sure). As was mentioned, he is still out there, I'd bet he comes back.

[AndrewTS 0]

This movie was absolutely great.  I loved it.

 

Why do you people assume there's going to be a sequel?  It leads straight to Batman (1989), IMO.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

ARRRRRRRRRRRGH!!

 

*starts randomly punching people over railings into vats of chemicals*

[Boner Kawanger 0]

Seriously. It's not like the thread hasn't been discussing the restart.

 

About the score, could someone that knows about music discuss the themes of it? I agree with the poster on page 8 that it succeeds in not getting too big, while Elfman's score dwarfs the movie at some points.

[cabbageboy 0]

One thing not mentioned that the first 4 movies did a lot better: The Batmobile. It was really awesome in those movies. In Begins I didn't like it very much, but it was I guess meant to be a beginner's version of the Batmobile.

 

Neeson is almost totally different than Nicholson was as the Joker. For about 2/3 of the film we don't really view Ducard/Ra's as a villain, he is Bruce Wayne's trainer and mentor, but he has VERY different views on how to distribute justice. It's not until Ra's veers into the whole "burn Wayne Manor and try to destroy Gotham" schtick that he goes into full blown heel mode.

[Guest JMA]

I can't wait until the sequel so people will stop thinking this movie is a prequel.

[Justice 0]

One thing not mentioned that the first 4 movies did a lot better:  The Batmobile.  It was really awesome in those movies.  In Begins I didn't like it very much, but it was I guess meant to be a beginner's version of the Batmobile.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I disagree COMPLETELY. The last two Batmobiles sucked complete ass. I liked the first and second one, but I just dig both the background and the pseudo-believability behind this one, and it's sheer vesatility. It didn't have all these neat gadgets that would work in some obscure situation, it looked built for utility. That, and I completely dig the rugged, military look. It looks like a lean, mean, justice-dispensing machine.

 

On that note: Which was your LEAST FAVORITE Batman vehicle? After watching the original, the Batwing just looks so dorky. I didn't remember it being that damn small. Hopefully if they include it they make it something like a VTOL-style vehicle.

[Guest Askewniverse]

I thought the Batskiboat was lame.

 

If we're including all vehicles from Batman movies, The Penguin's giant duck was pretty lame too.

[Brett Favre 0]

One thing not mentioned that the first 4 movies did a lot better:  The Batmobile.  It was really awesome in those movies.  In Begins I didn't like it very much, but it was I guess meant to be a beginner's version of the Batmobile.

 

Neeson is almost totally different than Nicholson was as the Joker.  For about 2/3 of the film we don't really view Ducard/Ra's as a villain, he is Bruce Wayne's trainer and mentor, but he has VERY different views on how to distribute justice.  It's not until Ra's veers into the whole "burn Wayne Manor and try to destroy Gotham" schtick that he goes into full blown heel mode.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

It's clear that he's a bad guy when he feels a man needs to be executed without a trial.

 

Also, the Batmobile in Begins >>>>>>>> First 4 movies.

[Aero 0]

I like the Begins Batmobile best, mainly because it seems a little more realistic. Not including that, the first movie's was fine, and they got worse each time after.

 

I was never a fan of any of the other bat vehicles, which would be the Batjet and Batskiboat. However, at least the Batjet from the first movie brings out Joker's classic reaction to the device for capturing the balloons ("Why didn't you tell me he had one of those?" or something like that).

 

Bring back the Bat-ladder.

[bobobrazil1984 0]

The 'Begins' batmobile beats the shit out of the 'Forever' and B&R Batmobiles, and just barely edges out the 89 and 'Returns' Batmobile as the coolest.

 

This one was a friggin monster, it was cool as hell, crashing off rooftops from one to the other, badass.

[cabbageboy 0]

I think they were still working some gray area with the one guy being executed with no trial. The guy was a murderer after all, so it plays into the theme of Ducard/Ra's seeing justice one way...Bruce Wayne seeing it another. The idea of Bruce leading the League of Shadows in Gotham didn't seem all that bizarre at that point.

[Brett Favre 0]

He didn't have a trial, so it wasn't clear whether he was a murderer or not. No matter what Ducard/Ra's said.

[Guest SP-1]

Seriously. It's not like the thread hasn't been discussing the restart.

 

About the score, could someone that knows about music discuss the themes of it? I agree with the poster on page 8 that it succeeds in not getting too big, while Elfman's score dwarfs the movie at some points.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

This is from my mini-review on my Xanga . . .

 

So. The Batman Begins soundtrack rocked my world an innumerable amount of times. I've read people say that it didn't have a prevalent theme running throughout, but to them I say: listen closer. There are at least 3 different themes, they're just woven together so well and complement one another so well that they actually, you know, supported the movie and didn't distract you. There's a distinct two-note theme that seems to acompany the sense of fear/wonder that Batman can inspire, there's a direct "Hero" theme during the big action pieces, and there's a softer theme attached to Bruce's inner turmoil. This might or might not double as a theme for Rachel, but I'm not too sure. Or I might have them mixed up.

 

Burton made good movies and Elfman gave us a wonderful fantasy score. But that was Fantasy Batman. Let go of Nostalgia and enjoy this nearly spot-on interpretation of the source material.

[Guest JMA]

So, will BB take the box office this week? Going by the world-wide numbers, it only needs 15 million to reach its budget.

[Guest SP-1]

I certainly hope so. I'm going to see it as part of a double feature with Episode III at a drive-in this Sunday.

 

ULTIMATE DAY OF GEEKERY.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

The punch Bruce throws to one of Two-Face's goons at the circus was the most pathetic blown spot I've ever seen in a comic movie.

[Guest JMA]

The Friday estimates are showing Batman Begins at number one, edging out Bewitched.

[Justice 0]

He didn't have a trial, so it wasn't clear whether he was a murderer or not. No matter what Ducard/Ra's said.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Indeed. He only said he was. I mean, he could just as well have been an innocent villager. That test wasn't about justice, it was about blind loyalty and nothing else.

[Guest JMA]

If anyone is curious as to how Batman Begins has been doing at the box office, you can check it out here.

 

Domestically it's already made over 120 million, while it's made over 200 million worldwide.

[Guest JMA]

He didn't have a trial, so it wasn't clear whether he was a murderer or not. No matter what Ducard/Ra's said.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Indeed. He only said he was. I mean, he could just as well have been an innocent villager. That test wasn't about justice, it was about blind loyalty and nothing else.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

He could've been innocent, but I don't think even Ra's would do that. He always has to justify his actions to himself.

[Adam 0]

I finally saw it, after weeks of people cancelling on me, and vica versa. I'm going to see it again before it closes. Having read the true Comic Book story, I absolutely loved it. I can say with great confidence that it is my favourite movie ever, simply because I was such a huge Batman fan growing up.

 

To Sledge who thinks its a prequel, I think I lost an IQ point reading that post.

 

IMO, the love story took nothing away from the plot at all, like some reviewers in Australia have said. While it didn't add a great dimension, it did not take anything away from the awesomeness of the journey that Bruce Wayne undertook from start to finish. This Batman seemed a lot more real than the others, and a lot more of an actual film, rather than an array of explosions and bad puns.

 

I'll certainly be buying the DVD when it comes out, and I look forward to a sequel. Best movie I've seen this year, and now replaces Pulp as my favourite ever.

[Guest JMA]

It looks like Batman Begins only needs to make one million more to surpass Batman Returns at the box office.

[cabbageboy 0]

People tend to forget things like inflation. Yeah, Begins is set to pass Returns but it hasn't REALLY passed it.

[Guest JMA]

If anyone is curious, they can check out the All-Time USA Box Office at IMDb. Batman Begins is currently at #110 with $161,889,333. Batman Returns is at #107 with $162,831,698.

 

UPDATE: Batman Begins has officially surpassed Batman Returns in total box office numbers with $172,104,000. It needs to make more than $184,031,112 to surpass Batman Forever (but that may be a long-shot).

[Adam 0]

If anyone has an extra $12 Million lying around doing nothing, be sure to give it to Batman Begins so it can surpass a movie that weas only good for Jim freaking Carrey.